h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Many older Irish men have Mary as their middle name.

About one in every 3,000 births results in a baby with both male and female genitalia.

In the Middle Ages they didn't throw rice at weddings - they threw eggs at the bride and groom

I haven't posted to this thread since May

Welcome back...never knew I'd miss ya so bad

>>datum and agendum....Both these are plurals (of datum and agendum

Stuff and nonsense, Big Al . This is the sort of pedantry up with which I'll not put! This probably belongs on 'Language and Linguistics....but what the heck.


'Data' is *etymologically* related to the single 'datum' - meaning 'given'. But 'Data' in common English usage. Common usage dictates dictionaries, not vice versa. It is generally used in the singular (technically, I guess as a noun of quantity, but agreeing with singular verbs). When we want to refer to one number in the data, we say 'item of data' or 'record' or something (don't we?). On the other hand, you *can* have a datum - a fixed point from which measurements are made.

Similarly, 'Agenda' - from Latin 'agere' - to act. Nobody but an auld tosser in a tweed jacket refers to an 'agendum'. We all say 'agenda item'. From Dictionary.com: 'Usage Note: It is true that Cicero would have used agendum to refer to a single item of business before the Roman Senate, with agenda as its plural. But in Modern English a phrase such as item on the agenda expresses the sense of agendum, and agenda is used as a singular noun to denote the set or list of such items, as in The agenda for the meeting has not yet been set. If a plural of agenda is required, the form should be agendas: The agendas of both meetings are exceptionally varied.'
<\Informative Rant>

There, that's you tellt. By the way...on the 'never end a sentence with a preposition' nonsense...I always liked the lines from 'The Golden Girls':
'That's a nice hat. Where did you get it from?'
'Oh, my dear, we must never end a sentence with a preposition.'
'Sorry! That's a nice hat. Where did you get it from - bitch!'

'Agenda' I'll agree with but 'data' is still a plural and is still referred to as such, particularly in scientific writing. For examples just read some of the science publications. "The data are remarkable." Not "the data is remarkable". These are the people who use this word as a tool of their trade (and know the difference between data and information). The opinion of the 'man in the street' notwithstanding.




F

As the lexicographers say, 'Usage is king'

(as it happens, I - a scientist - tend to use the plural, but regard the singular as a valid alternative. But: what about 'the data has been corrupted'? Here, 'data' is synonymous with an electronic file *containing* data.)

Scientists may treat data as plural, but the computer industry treats it as singular. Data is a substance like water - you wouldn't talk about one data just as you wouldn't talk about one water. You could say large amounts of data, a single piece of data and so on.

This is because:

a) 'data' doesn't have an 's' at the end so doesn't resemble an English plural.

b) 'data' is frequently seen to be entirely synonymous with 'information'.

People don't make this mistake with words ending in 's' but very frequently do with other irregular plurals. Only the other day I heard a doctor on TV say "MRSE is another bacteria like MRSA but not as serious". Does a common mistake have to become the norm simply because it is common? Not only is the data corrupted but so is the media. We need to target those responsible.

Why is it that 'the beans is too hot' or 'the coffees has gone cold' or even 'the mice is smelly' are (generally) immediately recognised as incorrect while 'the print media has run out' wouldn't raise an eyebrow amongst the most educated of people?

F

We are strongly conditioned to stick to the rules. It comes natural to us to speak grammatically, although the built-in rules are quite the same as the ones taught in schools (if any are taught these days). Treating 'beans' as singular takes an effort. Treating 'media' as singular just takes ignorance.

I meant to say 'are not quite the same'.

data in the singular is not a 'mistake'. It's a different pattern of usage.

Similarly, 'Them beans is hot' is not a mistake. It is a perfectly consistent structure within, for example, AAVE (African-American Vernacular English).

There are two views of language. One is that it is all laid out in books, an donly the clever amongst us are capable of learning to talk proper. The other is that it's what people say, a small part of which tends to be recorded in books as a standard. Many people are 'bidialectic' - ie can speak and/or understand both Standard English and another variety.

>>Does a common mistake have to become the norm simply because it is common?

Well, yes. We got our 'to have' used to make past tenses from the French, who started doing it when people first started separating their endings from Latin first conjugation verbs and then got these confused with the verb 'habere'. Why, sometimes we even get totally mistaken over the meaning of Latin words. For example, we forget that a 'file' is really a line of soldiers and that 'fascinating' refers to an erect penis. How terribly uneducated of us! But that's what language does - does it not? Or should I have used the common English (but not Scots) mistake, 'doesn't', there?

And the fact that the plural of data does not end in S proves nothing. Ask any shepherd!

>>It comes natural 'Naturally' surely, G? You know - we really should move this discussion over to here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/F19585?thread=508032&latest=1

They talk English real good where I come from.

Back to impracticable data...



Ever wonder how flies can 'land' on ceilings? They don't fly upside down... They grab the ceiling with their front legs and swing themselves up.

I heard that they do a 'barrel roll', folding their wings at the critical moment.

Nope, I've seen the slo-mo video.


The best way to swat them if you don't mind getting your hands a bit messy is to clap just above and behind them. When you start to clap they'll notice the movement and take off. As they do they invariable start off going backwards for a few inches first.

Actually it should look kinda like this:

This has just reminded me that geckos can walk up walls, and they adhere to it by a process completely different to static electricity or velcro'. They have microscopic hairs on theirr feet which adhere to particles making up the wall (on the molecular level) vy van der Waals forces. In view of this a manufacturer has marketed an adhesive tape which works on the same principle which rejoices under the sobriquet of 'gecko tape'. Because it uses no adhesives, it never ceases to functionn (as would sellotape, 'post-it' notes etc etc).