I think it's unlikely that life would be pluralised for that phrase. If it were it would be "Lives' little wonders".

Fascinating discussion.

I have always been confused by the rooves/roofs thing and avoid writing it at all costs.


I still am a bit confused. ;D

We often have that effect here at FT!

Just confirming that I was taught 'rooves' as the plural. But this was an Aussie school (before the 1980s), to support Copago's original statement. I would now never write 'rooves' but always pronounce the plural of roof in that fashion (as per lindamarie and others).

Silly (and totally irrelevant) thought for the day: Does that mean 'doof doof' music should really be called 'dooves' music??

I just thought to check oxforddictionaries.com for "rooves," and, sure enough, it provides this: "Spelling help
The most usual plural of roof is roofs, although rooves is sometimes used." On the other hand, dictionary.com did not find "rooves" in its listings.

As for "doof doof," Oxford only says that it is "...stupid..." (about one doof).

Interesting and funny

I, too, was taught "hooves" and think "hoofs" looks funny--but the language seems to change depending where you are these days. And, about the dictionaries, I find it hard to believe that the writers think that eliminating a word means it suddenly disappears from everybody's vocabulary.

Speaking of which, and off topic, I find it insulting how some people make fun of another for using "big words." The one day, my mother was singled out an ridiculed by her coworkers for using the word "intrinsic." Yesterday (though I'm sure it was a joke), she laughed at me when I used the word "indicative" in a sentence (for some reason, I do this a lot--I'll just insert a word not often used in everyday conversation into my vocabulary--and the crazy thing is, sometimes I can't even define it, but somehow know it works in that context!)

I agree with that last, Jazmee - it's baffling to me that people criticise others' use of "big words", as if a book is the only place "big words" belong! I find that those words are not commented upon when the would-be criticizer knows what they mean... food for thought.

I googled roofs/rooves and arrived here, only because I had seen rooves (gets red wiggly underlining in my Chrome spell-checker btw) on a WWII website, and it had looked a tad odd.

Blasted thing doesn't like "tad" either!

Welcome postrophe

I love seeing this thread pop up I find this kind of thing very interesting.