That should be “a laser-cut Cupid automaton”. It has Greek roots, like “phenomenon”.
Kinda cutting it close to the Valentine wire, ain’tcha?
Well said. I was about to post the same comment!
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.
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.
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
“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. (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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