HOWTO make a laser-cut Cupid automata

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That should be “a laser-cut Cupid automaton”. It has Greek roots, like “phenomenon”.

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Kinda cutting it close to the Valentine wire, ain’tcha?

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Well said. I was about to post the same comment!

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No, it’s a neologism used by automata creators – they use the latinate plural form as a singular, and have done for at least a decade.

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Maybe that form is more popular with British builders. I’m only familiar with the traditional automaton (singular) and automata (plural) forms but I know that automata building is popular over there. It used to be an interest of mine, along with puppetry and puppet building.

That cupid is a cool design, in any case - thanks. I think I need to get a laser cutter now before I get a 3D printer. Arthritis would be much less of a barrier with either of them. I owe you a laser-cut cupid if I ever get one. :smiley:

It would surprise me if that were intentional. It rather looks like an example of the broader development where English speakers are losing the distinction between singular and plural in Greek/Latin-based words: criteriumon/criteria, phenomenon/phenomena, visum/visa, fungus/fungi, etc.

Greengrocers have been using apostrophes in plurals for longer than that :slight_smile:

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“Criterium” is a particular kind of bike race. I think you’re looking for “criterion.”

Woops, you’re right. Criterium is the version in Dutch, my native language. Welp. At least we know a plural when we see one. :slight_smile: (Except for data, sorry to say.)

I could be way off base here, but I would take issue with it being called an Automata/on at all. after all, is it self operating? I would think it would need to have some sort of mechanism to continue operation without manual input.

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