Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site uwai.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!godot!harvard!seismo!uwvax!uwai!tom From: tom@uwai.UUCP Newsgroups: net.nlang Subject: Re: The singular form of data Message-ID: <148@uwai.UUCP> Date: Tue, 6-Nov-84 08:37:46 EST Article-I.D.: uwai.148 Posted: Tue Nov 6 08:37:46 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 8-Nov-84 19:00:23 EST References: <550@rayssd.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: U of Wisconsin CS Dept Lines: 33 > Why do people insist on using "datum" even though it sounds terrible? I > know what the dictionaries and William Safire say, it's just that it doesn't > "feel" right. We don't have a plural form of hair, and nobody wants to > invent a latinized form, yet to say "My hair is ..." is technically wrong. The given analogy is very weak: people didn't just make up 'datum' in order to latinize a pre-existing from. Hair isn't Latin and doesn't deserve a Latin plural. In any event, datum at this university seems to be a word limited to those who did not learn American as their first tongue. Yes, that's right: our Australians *do* use datum, as do our Indians (< India). Does it sound terrible? Watch: This datum is erroneous. /* tried and true */ This data is erroneous. /* referring to one point???? */ These data are erroneous. /* the whole set */ This data-point is erroneous. /* kludgey */ Number two does not convey in a sufficiently clear manner the idea of that we're talking about just one spurious point of information. While admitedly biased in favour of the old school, I would opt for the first solution. What does the rest of netland say about this and about Latin forms in general? -- Tom Christiansen University of Wisconsin Computer Science Systems Lab ...!{allegra,heurikon,ihnp4,seismo,uwm-evax}!uwvax!tom tom@wisc-crys.arpa