Re: Singular Data

Subject: Re: Singular Data
From: rmedinger -at- LUCENT -dot- COM
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 1997 08:08:46 -0500

Dan Wise stated:

Colleagues,

Tweren't always so. When I started in the business 40 years ago data was
indeed a latin plural of datum. It always called for a plural verb. Then the
engineers got ahold of it. Within 10-15 years it was a bastardized group
singular. Today it has been legitimated as a group singular. As we say so
often, English is a dynamic language.

Today we tilt at the windmills of if and whether becoming synonyms and other
weighty matters.

Who know what tomorrow will bring?

Dan Wise
dewise -at- ix -dot- netcom -dot- com
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Along this save vein, has anyone heard the phrase "on accident"? My kids
are using it to replace "by accident", and it drives me completely nuts.
I have also heard some younger college grads using the same expression.
Is this a new, evolving phrase or what?

Just asking!

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Bob Medinger
Technical Service Bureau, Inc. Technical Documentation Specialists
8150 W. 111th St., Suite 5 Specializing in Electronic Publishing
Palos Hills, IL 60465 Utilizing Frame, Interleaf & Word
708-430-7300 708-430-7306 (FAX) E-mail: tsb -at- flash -dot- net

"Providing Technical Documentation from Concept to Completion."
Technical Writing Consultant to Lucent Technologies
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