Inconsistent pluralization in Nahuatl-borrowed words

The following items...

• Ash Macuahuitl
• Elm Macuahuitl
• Walnut Macuahuitl
• Plumed Oak Macuahuitl
• Darklight Macuahuitl
• Gridanian Macuahuitl

..., which use the Nahuatl-borrowed word macuahuitl, use the plural form macuahuimeh.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Item Search for Ash Macuahuitl

Searching for ash macuahuimeh...
No items found.
Searching for ash macuahuimeh ...
No items found.

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However, the following items...

• Tiny Axolotl
• Hundred-eyed Axolotl
• Shade Axolotl

..., which use the Nahuatl-borrowed word axolotl, do not use the plural form axolomeh.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Item Search for Axolotl items

Searching for tiny axolotls...
No items found.
Searching for tiny axolotls ...
No items found.
Searching for tiny axolotls ...
No items found.
Searching for shade axolotls...
No items found.
Searching for shade axolotls ...
No items found.
Searching for hundred-eyed axolotls...
No items found.
Searching for hundred-eyed axolotls ...
No items found.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Item Help for Hundred-eyed Axolotl

A king among tiny axolotls ...

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fish Guide entry for Tiny Axolotl

... this amphibious creature is most likely a distant relative to the axolotls that reside in lower Eorzea.

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Now, this isn't wrong per se wrong, since axolotl has been successfully absorbed into English, and axolotls for the Nahuatl-borrowed axolotl is as correct as octopuses for the Greek-borrowed octopus, but it is a bit curious considered next to the knowledge that the localizers have gone out of their way to use borrowed plurals macuahuimeh and even octopodes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Item Search for Gigant Octopus

Searching for gigant octopodes...
No items found.
Searching for gigant octopodes ...
No items found.

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So, wrong or not, it would at least be more consistent to use axolomeh when pluralizing axolotl.



tl;dr: The plural of axolotl is axolomeh.

Macuahuitl isn't a loanword. It refers to a particular Aztec weapon design using the original tongue, so the -meħ suffix is correct. You see the same treatment with the Dharug language word Woomera to describe a particular spear thrower having the native language plural form.

Axolotl is a loanword. The correct plural for the loanword is with English rules, in this case a -s suffix. Other Nahuatl loanwords like Chilli and tomato follow the same English rules.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shibi

The correct plural for the loanword is with English rules, in this case a -s suffix.

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I said that?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rongway

axolotls for the Nahuatl-borrowed axolotl is as correct as octopuses for the Greek-borrowed octopus

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Still, octopodes would have a word with you.

I literally said it isn't wrong; but it's inconsistent with what the localization team has done with other words in the same boat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rongway

I said that?


Still, octopodes would have a word with you.

I literally said it isn't wrong; but it's inconsistent with what the localization team has done with other words in the same boat.

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I'd rather them change octopodes to octopuses. But there is no sense in just making the issue worse, by replacing Axolotls with the English-incorrect Axolotlmeħ.