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14 Day Rule


mark99

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So are data plural, or it is singular?

 

Plural, naturally.

 

Actually, I refuse to get overly exercised by those whose lack of a decent classical education (Latin O-Level, grade C) prevents them from forming a correct plural, but I do try myself to stick to forming proper Latin or Greek plurals that respect the meaning of the words in the original language, and to form ordinary English plurals where the pluralisation of the loan word in its source language causes a deviant meaning.

 

What does set my teeth on edge is "Youse" as the plural second person pronoun.

 

No, no, NO!

 

You is plural, so youse is a nonsensical double plural.

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What does set my teeth on edge is "Youse" as the plural second person pronoun.

 

.

Of course. As anyone from the U.S. Southern States will tell you, it should be "y'all".

Would it not be written as "yous"?

Edited by Athy
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In what circumstances?

Sorry Athy, a trick question!

 

MEDIA noun, plural mediae

[mee-dee-ee]

 

1.

 

Greek Grammar. a voiced plosive, as β, δ, γ.

 

 

2.

 

Anatomy. the middle layer of an artery or lymphatic vessel.

 

 

3.

 

Entomology. a longitudinal vein in the middle portion of the wing of an insect.

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Plural, naturally.

 

Actually, I refuse to get overly exercised by those whose lack of a decent classical education (Latin O-Level, grade C) prevents them from forming a correct plural,

So which is current English usage: "These data are corrupt" or "This data is corrupt"?.

 

Note I didn't day 'correct'. Not for nothing is it 'Fowler's English Usage' and not 'Fowler's Correct English'.

 

The compilers of the Oxford English Dictionary may quite rightly take exception to your casting aspersions on their education.

 

Edited to add a . I'm being super careful!

Edited by Mac of Cygnet
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Plural, naturally.

 

Actually, I refuse to get overly exercised by those whose lack of a decent classical education (Latin O-Level, grade C) prevents them from forming a correct plural, but I do try myself to stick to forming proper Latin or Greek plurals that respect the meaning of the words in the original language, and to form ordinary English plurals where the pluralisation of the loan word in its source language causes a deviant meaning.

 

What does set my teeth on edge is "Youse" as the plural second person pronoun.

 

No, no, NO!

 

You is plural, so youse is a nonsensical double plural.

 

 

What about using datii for the plural of datum, Dave? Is that ok?

(No latin 'O' level edumacation for me Dave.)

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Surely ok is not ok?

The Oxford dic allows that spelling as well as "okay". Oddly, they put it in capitals. As its origin is rumoured to be an abbreviation, I always spell it o.k. So it looks as if there are (at least) three acceptable ways of writing it, any of which should be, er, o.k.

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What about using datii for the plural of datum, Dave? Is that ok?

(No latin 'O' level edumacation for me Dave.)

 

No.

 

The -ii plural is restricted to nouns of the second declension that end -ius or -ium in the nominative singular.

 

If the singular form were datium, that datii would be a correct plural.

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For Latin readers, can I recommend Dissertatio De Utilitate, Possibilitate, Et Modo conjunctionis Danubij cum Odera, Vistula, & Albi Fluviis, per Canalem Navigabilem. Cum duobus Paradoxis demonstratis de motu aquæ in Fluminibus ; Authore Lothario à Vogeso Monte. It was published in 1700 and describes proposals for a canal system linking the Danube to the Oder and Vistula. If you can't read Latin, Vogemont produced a German version in 1713. Both can be found as pdfs. Possibly a bit more interesting than just discussing word endings, though also more challenging.

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For Latin readers, can I recommend Dissertatio De Utilitate, Possibilitate, Et Modo conjunctionis Danubij cum Odera, Vistula, & Albi Fluviis, per Canalem Navigabilem. Cum duobus Paradoxis demonstratis de motu aquæ in Fluminibus ; Authore Lothario à Vogeso Monte. It was published in 1700 and describes proposals for a canal system linking the Danube to the Oder and Vistula. If you can't read Latin, Vogemont produced a German version in 1713. Both can be found as pdfs. Possibly a bit more interesting than just discussing word endings, though also more challenging.

Well each to their own. As you may gather I find words endlessly fascinating - a lot more than old canals.

 

For fellow logophiles, may I recommend "Accidence Will Happen" by Oliver Kamm, who has a regular Pedants' column in the Times. Before I read it, I was just as much a stickler as Dave Mayall, and even wrote to the Times puzzle editor to complain that one of the crossword clues conflated 'infer' and 'imply'. I got a reluctant apology. But since reading Kamm's book I feel a new sense of freedom. smile.png

Edited by Mac of Cygnet
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"Romulus and Remus are a couple of babies who founded the city of Rome chiz if only they had abstained there would be no lat and no-one could sa hunc hank hoc without being put in a sty with the skool pig and rightly too."

 

- Nigel Molesworth.

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For fellow logophiles, may I recommend "Accidence Will Happen" by Oliver Kamm,

If he fiercely attacks a word or usage, that'll be a Kamm shaft, no doubt.

"Romulus and Remus are a couple of babies who founded the city of Rome chiz if only they had abstained there would be no lat and no-one could sa hunc hank hoc without being put in a sty with the skool pig and rightly too."

 

- Nigel Molesworth.

Now THAT'S litterature.

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The Oxford dic allows that spelling as well as "okay". Oddly, they put it in capitals. As its origin is rumoured to be an abbreviation, I always spell it o.k. So it looks as if there are (at least) three acceptable ways of writing it, any of which should be, er, o.k.

I was once told it stood for "orl korrect" (and not by MtB I hasten to add).

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The Oxford dic allows that spelling as well as "okay". Oddly, they put it in capitals. As its origin is rumoured to be an abbreviation, I always spell it o.k. So it looks as if there are (at least) three acceptable ways of writing it, any of which should be, er, o.k.

Raymond Chandler spelt it "okey" in the Philip Marlowe novels, and he was a former pupil of Dulwich College.

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Tut i am married to my cat so bugger off you crt monsters.

 

I only play on your shallow waters 3 days a week pfffft.

 

I like my boat

I like the life on the canal's

I dont like undefined legislation on movement either constant cruiser or someone with a marina mooring.

 

Crt makes me paranoid to use my boat

 

 

 

Am sat on it now thinking.

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ohmy.png

Not a fan of Nigel Molesworth?

I was once told it stood for "orl korrect" (and not by MtB I hasten to add).

That is korrekt, yes, though the Oxford stops short of confirming that origin.

Now I read that 'Okey' as a shortened form of 'Okey-Dokey'.

Which Americans have also been known to spell as "Okie Dokie" (as in Clarence Gatemouth Brown's record 'Okie Dokie Stomp'). The plot thickens.

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Hadn't thought of that, neat one. Good piece here about the origin of OK as an expression:

 

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-oka1.htm

I like the abbreviations - and some people thought that they only began as part of text-speak!

 

Perhaps we can start our own Bell Ringing Society (ticks that trigger someone's bell) and here are some suggestions that might help get around any bans on 'political' comment:

 

GTDHD: Johnson on Trump

RTBS: May on Brexit

OFM: Brexiteers (or, if that does not ring you bell then Remainers or even, as by Chris Bryant, rejoiners)

SP: Johnson on Farage

 

Only joking!

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I like the abbreviations - and some people thought that they only began as part of text-speak!

 

Perhaps we can start our own Bell Ringing Society (ticks that trigger someone's bell) and here are some suggestions that might help get around any bans on 'political' comment:

 

GTDHD: Johnson on Trump

RTBS: May on Brexit

OFM: Brexiteers (or, if that does not ring you bell then Remainers or even, as by Chris Bryant, rejoiners)

SP: Johnson on Farage

 

Only joking!

 

I am sure that, if anyone understood what they were supposed to mean, they would be happy to share the joke.

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