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Path: utzoo!linus!faron!wdr
From: wdr@faron.UUCP (William D. Ricker)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: "Data points"
Message-ID: <330@faron.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Aug-85 14:31:51 EDT
Article-I.D.: faron.330
Posted: Mon Aug 19 14:31:51 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 20-Aug-85 07:23:38 EDT
References: <214@tekig4.UUCP>
Reply-To: wdr@faron.UUCP (William D. Ricker)
Organization: The MITRE Coporation, Bedford, MA
Lines: 30
Summary: A Datum

In article <214@tekig4.UUCP> irenas@tekig4.UUCP (Irena Sifrar) writes:
>Every time I hear somebody say "a data point", something
>doesn't sound right.  I think that "a datum point" would
>in most cases be more correct.
>
>I would like to hear your opinion on it.
>
>Irena Sifrar
>tektronix!tekig4!irenas or tektronix!reed!irena

Data (n.pl.) and  Datum (n.) are nouns, not adjectives.
The American Heritage Dictionary has a usage note under Data (n.pl.)
indicating that 50% of the usage panel accepts treating 'data' as a
singular, apparently as a collective noun (as in a gaggle of geese,
or a pride of lions).

Data and datum are not adjectives.  Thus, it is either "a point of data,"
or "a datum," not "a data point" [sic].
indicating that 50% 

-- 

  William Ricker
  wdr@faron.UUCP						(UUCP)
  decvax!genrad!linus!faron!wdr					(UUCP)
 {allegra,ihnp4,utzoo,philabs,uw-beaver}!linus!faron!wdr	(UUCP)

Opinions are my own and not necessarily anyone elses.
No warranty, expressed or implied, is given about the veracity of any
statements contained herein.  Applicable law in your state may differ.