Reflections on the Rules of English

"Why don’t we go out to Tybee," he suggested.

"The beach?" she asked. "Didn’t you see the news last night?"

"No," he inquired with a chuckle. "The ocean’s not gone or something, is it?"

"No, silly, it’s the Portuguese Man-Of-Wars, they’re washing up on the beach."

"Man-Of-WARS? That can’t be right," he replied aghast.

"I saw it on channel three," she insisted. "They look like big jellyfish, but more dangerous."

"But, man-or-wars isn’t right," he repeated.

"I even looked it up online," she affirmed stubbornly. "Want me to show you?"

"The plural form should be Portuguese Men-Of-War," he declared smugly.