• ✍️ WORDS ✍️

    Welcome Guest!

  • Words Moderators: Mysterier

Question When did the word Data become plural?

Dropperneck

Bluelighter
Joined
Oct 27, 2020
Messages
3,792
All my life this phrase was the norm;
“The data is good”
Now some time in the past few years this is the new standard;
“The data are good”

Am I crazy or just dumb? What gives
 
It's actually always been that way as datum is the singular, ie Datum singular, data plural.

Since one measurement is seldom enough to actually be meaningful the term actually refers to a collection of measurements, thus just about always data not just one datum point.
 
is from Intel/Intelog.

Inteligent Log = Digital.

data for that.. idk either. "Dates" is multiple already, you saw this you said 4 things in 10 context with one word.

like a whale stomach = 8 cavities for digestion / 1 bird = 4 pockets.

so said "data" could be an extension for files and that's why is a jargon
 
still confused af
blame it on da wood.
and other
should be about to go my ass to sleep but we will see.
data
it's half the war
is this in the lounge?
:eek:
 
It’s just by coincidence that you never heard of the word “data” being used as a plural noun until after the pandemic, but that had nothing to do with it. I’ve long since rolled my eyes at this fact, especially when someone uses it to correct someone else. From the prescriptivist view, “data” is plural and “datum” is singular. This is how the word is prescribed. From the descriptivist view, the most common way people use the word “data” is as a singular form noun. “The data backs up my claim” sounds better than “The data back up my claim”, which sounds vaguely idiotic.

Caveat: unless one is writing an academic paper… in which case you’d damn sure better use the latter example, as the former will make you come across as an uneducated moron and this could bias your reader and/or a person grading your paper.

But no, it’s just one of those things you didn’t learn until later, one of those factoids that snuck by you for years. Personally, I didn’t put together the fact that Ecuador is called Ecuador because it sits on the equator until I was well into my 30s. Or, for example, there are a ton of words I simply don’t know how to pronounce bc I’ve only ever read them and never heard someone else say them. Some I’ve finally heard now, like “indefatigable”, “detritus”, “Basquiat”, “oeuvre”, “ancillary”, and “posthumously”, and then others I still don’t know how to pronounce exactly like “floccinaucinihilipilification”, “Kratom”, “Lophophoro williamsii”, “iboga” and “ibogaine” ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Or I learn it and then forget it later…
 
It’s just by coincidence that you never heard of the word “data” being used as a plural noun until after the pandemic, but that had nothing to do with it. I’ve long since rolled my eyes at this fact, especially when someone uses it to correct someone else. From the prescriptivist view, “data” is plural and “datum” is singular. This is how the word is prescribed. From the descriptivist view, the most common way people use the word “data” is as a singular form noun. “The data backs up my claim” sounds better than “The data back up my claim”, which sounds vaguely idiotic.

Caveat: unless one is writing an academic paper… in which case you’d damn sure better use the latter example, as the former will make you come across as an uneducated moron and this could bias your reader and/or a person grading your paper.

But no, it’s just one of those things you didn’t learn until later, one of those factoids that snuck by you for years. Personally, I didn’t put together the fact that Ecuador is called Ecuador because it sits on the equator until I was well into my 30s. Or, for example, there are a ton of words I simply don’t know how to pronounce bc I’ve only ever read them and never heard someone else say them. Some I’ve finally heard now, like “indefatigable”, “detritus”, “Basquiat”, “oeuvre”, “ancillary”, and “posthumously”, and then others I still don’t know how to pronounce exactly like “floccinaucinihilipilification”, “Kratom”, “Lophophoro williamsii”, “iboga” and “ibogaine” ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Or I learn it and then forget it later…

You ain't seen nothing yet, Brother. Just wait until you trace the etomylogies for 'Skanderbeg' or worse, 'Barbarosa'.

The plot thickens. Even dictionaries have the definitions of words such as 'desparado' not only wrong, but misspelt. You know, in the age of spellcheck innit?
 
All my life this phrase was the norm;
“The data is good”
Now some time in the past few years this is the new standard;
“The data are good”

Am I crazy or just dumb? What gives
R u kidding me ?

The data is good !

It's in the context. Right. It's being specific to what you are speaking of or about.
With a paragraph that can include at least three sentences, (though rarely more than ten.)

Like in school. In "Grammar" class. 👍

btw Your posts scare me ;) ;) ;)

Lol. That was a good one ! <3 :) 👍👍
 
R u kidding me ?

The data is good !

It's in the context. Right. It's being specific to what you are speaking of or about.
With a paragraph that can include at least three sentences, (though rarely more than ten.)

Like in school. In "Grammar" class. 👍

btw Your posts scare me ;) ;) ;)

Lol. That was a good one ! <3 :) 👍👍
Lol why do my posts scare you hun?
 
Lol why do my posts scare you hun?
;);)
I'm just kidding with you. ;) You know like the mismatched sock.
Like the sweater that no one ever wore. There's is comfort in dependable things.

Actually you are a mean ass nice person. <3

A mental mind #### can be nice every once in a while. ( a good one ) ❣️


XX4ATKJ.gif
os5wXuh.jpg
:)
DB4ym6H.jpg
 
All my life this phrase was the norm;
“The data is good”
Now some time in the past few years this is the new standard;
“The data are good”

Am I crazy or just dumb? What gives

I think that's PEOPLE becoming dumber, not you.

TBH as long as they aren't pronouncing it "datta" I'm relieved enough to care care whether they pluralize it or not.
 
Top