Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site cbscc.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!cbosgd!cbscc!rsg
From: rsg@cbscc.UUCP (Bob Garmise)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Grammer Quiz (Try it if you dare!)
Message-ID: <3068@cbscc.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 15-Jun-84 08:03:26 EDT
Article-I.D.: cbscc.3068
Posted: Fri Jun 15 08:03:26 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 22-Jun-84 03:02:54 EDT
References: <428@bunker.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories , Columbus
Lines: 13

Several singular nouns such as "committee" and "team" and "data" can be
considered "collective singular" nouns. For example, to most Computer
Scientists, to say: "The data is clear..." sounds just fine, but to
say: "The data are clear..." sounds wrong. Since "data" is a collective
singular noun, the first example is just as grammatically correct as the
second one.

Where this gets messy is with words that act as collective singulars for
one profession, and not for other professions. Again, "data" is a good
example. To English majors the second example sounds better. This is how
you can always tell who did the final editing on articles about Computer
Science.
...bob garmise...at&t bell labs, columbus...