Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Teo]

The plural form of house is houses, the pronunciation of which is [houziz].
When a mouse refers to a small object that you move in order to do things on a computer screen, its plural form can be mice or mouses.
Which is the correct pronunciation of mouses, [mouziz] or [mousiz]?
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Thank you very much for your reply.

[lotus]

Hi Teo,

In general, the plural of mouse is mice. Native speakers are usually very careful about this.

If I had to say it, I would pronounce mouses [mousis].


--lotus

[Jintii]

I have often heard mouses as the plural of mouse in the context of computers. Sometimes I say mouses and sometimes mice -- I can't really decide on a plural form that I like (although there's no question that the furry little rodents are mice).

At any rate, I always pronounce it [mousiz], and I have never heard [mouziz]. I don't know why....

[advoca]

From Wikipedia:

Mice or mouses?
There is a fake etymology of the word mouse, which some claim is an acronym for "Manually Operated User Selection Equipment", but the device's name came from its resemblance to a mouse and was established very early on. A Microsoft technical manual recommends the use of "mouse devices" to avoid ambiguity, though this usage has not caught on outside technical writing. The American Heritage Dictionary of English Language, Fourth Edition, states both "computer mice" and "computer mouses" are both proper plural forms for "computer mouse."

And what about the plural of Mickey Mouse? Two Mickey Mouses or two Mickey Mice?

[jellobean]

Definitely two Mickey Mouses....

[pugachevV]

If you say I have two spare mice for my computer I think everyone will understand what you mean.