Re: the Data are (is)

["McMARTIN, Robert" <rmcmarti -at- BAEA -dot- COM -dot- AU>]

I may be wrong, but isn't Data a latin word.  If that is so the singular
for data is datum and the plural is Data.  Bit like the difference
between status and statii, stadium and stadia.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Taylor, Steve [SMTP:steve -dot- taylor -at- ALLEGIANCETELECOM -dot- COM]
> Sent: Friday, 3 July 1998 6:06
> To:   TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject:      Re: the Data are (is)
>
> It's collective like group or team. So the data is whatever we made it
> up to
> be. MS style of manual says it can be either plural or singular, and
> never
> use datum. I agree on the datum bit, but I think data as a collective
> noun
> sounds best...
>
> So our data is correct, right?
>
> IMHO.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Steve Taylor
> Consultant for Technical Directions, Inc.
> On location at:
> Allegiance Telecom, Inc.
> Dallas, TX
> (214) 853-7182
> steve -dot- taylor -at- allegiancetelecom -dot- com
> http://www.alegiancetele.com
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Pilipovich, Kathleen
> [SMTP:Kathleen -dot- Pilipovich-1 -at- KMAIL -dot- KSC -dot- NASA -dot- GOV]
> > Sent: Thursday, July 02, 1998 1:21 PM
> > To:   TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> > Subject:      Re: 2 questions
> >
> >         > Should it be "data were" or "data was"
> > -------------
> >         Data is considered a collective noun. A collective noun
> >         is a word that is singular in form but represents a group
> >         of persons, animals, or things such as board, committee,
> >         and jury.
> >
> >         If the group acts as a unit, use a singular verb.
> >         Example: The committee has agreed....
> >
> >         If the members of the group are thought of as acting
> >         separately, use a plural verb.
> >         Example: The committee are not in agreement on....
> >
> >         I got this info from the Gregg Reference Manual. It
> >         doesn't specifically state data as a collective noun.
> >         But, my last TW seminar from Solutions says that
> >         it is.
> >
> >         So, I would say singular. I hope this helps!
> >
> >
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