Use of the plural *VAXEN* from the singular VAX

[steve shellans]

Here at Tektronix in Oregon, an informal survey of software engineers
showed that about 60-70% used the word *VAXEN* as the plural form of VAX.

This is an extremely rare plural construction in the English language.
The only other word I know of that forms the plural in this way is oxen.
(I am not counting words like *women*, where the root also changes.)

In German, the *en* suffix is the standard way of forming a plural.

Here are my questions:

1. Is this construction something peculiar to Tektronix?
To the Pacific Northwest?

2. Does anyone really *know* the origin of this rare plural form?

I will summarize for the net.

Steve Shellans
Tektronix, Beaverton, Oregon
{decvax, ihnp4, ucbvax, uw-beaver}!tektronix!tektools!steves