This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
Citizen: "Fora", huh? But who uses that form, really? =P
Susan Davis: I do.
Branfish: According to the Oxford English Dictionary (the standard authority on the English language), "fora" is only the plural when you mean "(in an ancient Roman city) a public square or marketplace used for judicial and other business." When you mean "a meeting or medium for an exchange of views", you should use "forums" as the plural form. It's pretty clear that this entry refers to the latter, at least more than it does the former.
Firvulag: Yes, but the established usage, at least among computer geeks, is to use fora when refering to electronic forums such as usenet, mailing lists, discussion boards and the like. We know it isn't technically correct but that isn't the point. See also http://catb.org/esr/jargon/html/F/fora.html
and the rest of the Jargon File.
Duckluck: What's with the mention of Yahoo! Groups? Is it really that much more significant than every other forum? Seems like we should cut it before this turns into an endless list of Message/Bulletin Board software types and the various websites that use them.
FastEddie: Yup. Pulled ...
- One popular forum site, Yahoo! Groups, allows people to submit not only plain-text messages, but also rich-text messages, pictures and binary files (movies, music, etc.).
Also...loving the exchange above: "I see your Oxford English Dictionary and raise you one Jargon File." XD
Seth: Well when you put it like that.
Lord Seth: Personally I'd still prefer if it were forums; I've really only seen one person EVER use "fora" and it was the same guy who would write "boni" instead of "bonuses."
Kerrah: I think this is the same thing as with British English/American English. That one article was created as "Ax-Crazy" and it won't be changed into "Axe Crazy", this one was created as "Fora" and won't be changed into "Forums".
Colon Closebracket: The only people using "fora" are the ones who try to fight language evolution or worship Latin, or just trying to sound smarter than they are. There is no reason to use "fora", as "forums" is (even though it's longer) the simpler form and the one in established use. But in any case, why not just call the page "Forum Tropes"?
