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Re: How funny and a question » JenStar

Posted by AuntieMel on August 26, 2004, at 9:00:05

In reply to Re: Apostrophe Abuse » Miss Honeychurch, posted by JenStar on August 25, 2004, at 15:37:35

That's my pet peeve, too. The misuse of "I." It's so pervasive now, in tv shows, in movies, etc.

By the way, I bought the book. What I've read of it so far is good - and amusing.

Now, to the question. It is about the word "data" and the way Americans use it vs how it is used in England.

In the UK, "data" is defined as the plural of datum, so when it is in a sentence it should be like "the data are consistant." The same applies to countries, because they have more than one person. So when talking about a soccer team it is "England are suffering from injuries this year"

The way I learned grammar, data is (in greek?roman?) the plural of datum, but in the current usage it is a *set* of factoids and sungular. The same with the soccer team - it is one team (set), so it is singular also.

Anyone else on this???

 

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