Re: Debian 5 -- "data" is plural.

["Dan B." <danb@kempt.net>]

Ken Heard wrote:> ...
> Some people however do use the word "medias".  On the other hand does
> anyone use the word datas?  If not, it is logical to conclude that
> they give word "data" a plural meaning.

Wrong--what is logical to conclude is that they consider "data" what
another poster called a "mass noun"--like the word "information" in English.

If you say "a piece for data" for one piece of information, then data is a
mass noun, and therefore grammatically singular.

If you actually say "datum" for one piece of information, only then can
you argue that "data" is plural.

Daniel