English Language Discussion Forums

Katz · #1 13-Jul-2010, 13:14

appendixes or appendices?

Wise men say both are correct, but which one is more popular/natural/widespread?

**Barb_D** · #2 13-Jul-2010, 13:22

I really liked this author's point of view on this (and a number of other things):
Appendixes or appendices – and who cares anyway?

You can follow his (her?) link to another forum if you wish.

I'll summarize: appendixes has been used for a few hundred years and no one will misunderstand what you mean, but there are few mistaken prescriptivists who insist that only appendices is correct and you will cause them to (mistakenly) think you've made an error if you use the perfectly correct appendixes. So choose the one you want, but be aware that there are idiots out there who will try to "correct" you.

Katz · #3 13-Jul-2010, 13:31

Many thanks for the link (I'll definitely have a look) and for your reply :)

emsr2d2 · #4 13-Jul-2010, 13:37

Interesting. I don't think I've ever seen "appendixes". As far as I'm concerned :

appendix --> appendices
index --> indices
codex --> codices

When I proofread, I would correct appendixes.

esltutor · #5 13-Jul-2010, 15:14

Dear Katz,

As you stated, both are correct. As for which is more widespread or popular, here is my perspective from observation of American English for the last decades:

"Appendixes" used to be absolutely incorrect. I would always correct "appendixes" to "appendices." Then, it seems that so many people made the error, that it started to become acceptable to the general public. I noticed it started to appear in academic and other published works. Both are now listed as correct in modern dictionaries.

I tend to think/feel that "appendices" is "more correct," but I think that's because I'm older and that's the way I was taught in high school. However, English is an ever-changing language and it seems to me that "appendixes" is becoming more popular.

When I have to choose one in my writing or in editing, I usually review other similar publications and try to be consistent with their choices.

Best,
Debra

**Barb_D** · #6 13-Jul-2010, 15:46

Yet if you'd read the info in the link, you'd see that even in the UK, appendixes was listed as a plural for appendix as far back as the 1800s.

Claims that it was always considered incorrect are simply our mistaken belief in an untruth.

I even remember learning that appendixes for the human part and appendices for the sections in the back of the book -- also apparently not based on any logic or truthful foundation.

Nonetheless, usage (eventually) determines correctness. If 99% of the educated people continue to rebel against appendixes, then eventually only appendices will be right.

http://www.richardbowen.com/appendix...ppendixes.html -- Well, according to the Oxford English dictionary BOTH appendices and appendixes can be used as the plural of appendix.

bertietheblue · #7 13-Jul-2010, 15:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by emsr2d2

Interesting. I don't think I've ever seen "appendixes". As far as I'm concerned :

appendix --> appendices
index --> indices
codex --> codices

When I proofread, I would correct appendixes.

Leave the 'xes' alone in all of them!

emsr2d2 · #8 13-Jul-2010, 16:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertietheblue

Leave the 'xes' alone in all of them!

Well, as a result of this thread, I'm happy to accept that both are OK, but I will certainly continue to convert the endings to "-ces", in the same way that I'll use "necropoleis" as the plural of "necropolis" (not "necropolises" or "necropoli"!).

bertietheblue · #9 13-Jul-2010, 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by emsr2d2

I will certainly continue to convert the endings to "-ces", in the same way that I'll use "necropoleis" as the plural of "necropolis" (not "necropolises" or "necropoli"!).

You must proofread a lot more interesting stuff than I do! Any spare work going?