I have a doubt about the pluralization of irregular family names. What if the family name is an irregular plural form like "mice"? Should you say "the Mice" or "the Mices"?
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2I would say "the Mices". (Unless I was joking around, but I never do that.) – Hot Licks Dec 22 '19 at 02:12
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- Pluralizing a last name: Soloniewicz's, Soloniewiczs, Soloniewiczes? 2. Q: How to pluralize a last name like Thomas 3. Pluralization of names
– Mari-Lou A Jan 21 '20 at 09:23
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The plural is regular, even if the surname would (if it were a word) be a noun with an irregular plural. So Mr. & Mrs. Mouse and family are the Mouses, Mr. & Mrs. Foot and family are the Foots, etc.
Rosie F
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You definitely wouldn't say "the Mice," it sounds like actual mice. You could say "the Mice family" or "Mr. Mice and his family."
John Canon
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If you are referring to the unmarried females of the family the correct form used to be " the Misses Mice" but I doubt that anyone uses that these days. It still appears in books of etiquette. – JeremyC Dec 22 '19 at 22:37
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2@JeremyC that is correct but it is not limited to names that happen to sound like a plural. You would do the same thing with any family name- leave it unpluraled after a plural identifier. Such as “The Doctors Smith” or “the Brothers Karamazov” – Damila Jan 21 '20 at 05:41