Re: Latin Plurals

["McDonald, Nancy (The Registry)" <McDonalN -at- LCI -dot- COM>]

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From: McDonald, Nancy (The Registry)
To: Jennifer Hubbard
Subject: RE: Latin Plurals
Date: Wednesday, October 08, 1997 11:46AM

Well, Jennifer, you're opening a can of worms......
What's correct now is because of USE, not something else... and use
changes "correctness"  such a cycle...

ok, I'll leave the philosophical discussion of word meaning/use.... back
to Latin!
"data" can be thought of as a collective noun, thus used w/ singular
verb (e.g. "everyone is")
"media" is one of my pet peeves, one is "medium." e.g., tv. or radio. or
painting. or newspaper. depends on context.  but newspaper AND radio
are "media."
Errata are two or more errors, and Erratum is only one error.  Simple.
If you use the terms correctly, then maybe someone or other (and maybe
more--I hope so) will notice the use, and if enough notice that use,
then they'll use it too, thus convention.  If you just give up and go
with the errata of the masses... then the conventions change!
There.  I've said it.  I've got to get back to my work again... sigh....
 Hope this rant helps.
Nancy McDonald.
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From: Jennifer Hubbard
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
Subject: Latin Plurals
Date: Wednesday, October 08, 1997 1:24PM


Sometimes what's correct is replaced by what's popular, and then the
popular becomes correct.
In my work, the terms "data" and "media" are used frequently.  Usually
people treat them as singular, even though they are technically plural.
According to Webster's, this is now accepted usage for "data."
(Webster's gives me no help on "media.")
What's common, accepted usage for "media," "errata," and other plurals
that don't sound plural just because they don't end in s?  Should we
have different standards for technical writing and everyday usage?  (I
tend to say "data are" in technical reports, but "data is" in
conversation.)

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