Re: Debian 5 -- "data" is plural.
On Tue 20 May 2014 at 17:03:16 +0100, Lisi Reisz wrote:
> On Tuesday 20 May 2014 16:00:42 Ken Heard wrote:
> > Please note everybody that the word "data" is plural. The beginning
> > of the last line quoted above should consequently read "all the
> > scientific data *are* backed up." Other posts in this thread make the
> > same error. The singular of data is datum.
>
> This is of course, gramatically correct. But I would argue that, although in
> formal writing it should certainly be treated as a plural, in colloquial
> speech it no longer is. I would also argue that emails are colloquial speech
> not formal writing.
>From our correspondent in London, UK.
Yesterday representatives of the Trade Union Congress, the Mother Union,
the Charity Commission and the Royal Society of Pedants met to discuss
issues of common concern. In a press release a spokesperson said:
"In tweny years there may be less people whose data is not in our
records. Our important criteria is to plan for the future. If we are
unable to make a sound judgement then the dice is cast."
Pick the bones out of that.
Roll on colloquial speech, particularly in the media!
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