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#6116 09/06/00 07:13 PM
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Some people pronounce the word 'data' as \'day tuh\, while others pronounce it \'dat uh\ (first syllable rhymes with 'cat'. Does anyone know what regional or occupational backgrounds lead a person to use one form or the other?


#6117 09/06/00 07:40 PM
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Some people pronounce the word 'data' as \'day tuh\, while others pronounce it \'dat uh\ (first syllable rhymes with 'cat'. Does anyone know what regional or occupational backgrounds lead a person to use one form or the other?

I have never heard the "cat" pronunciation, but in New Zealand, the most common pronunciation is dah-tuh, just to add to your list. I will be interested to see if there is a "right way" to pronounce this much abused plural.


#6118 09/07/00 05:44 AM
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>this much abused plural<

Max, I assume you mean it is abused because it is used as a singular as well as through 'mis'pronunciation?
I'd pronounce it 'dah-tuh' too.


#6119 09/07/00 05:55 AM
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Max, I assume you mean it is abused because it is used as a singular

Data used as a singular noun? Surely not! I have been very pleased to note that, here in New Zealand, when the word is heard on the all-important television, it is still most often heard as the plural of "datum." One small corner of Gaul that has not yet been overrun by the Romans, as it were.


#6120 09/07/00 02:23 PM
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Welcome to you, shale. Hope to hear more from you!

Being in the middle of the country, more or less, I hear both of your pronunciations, but mostly dat-(cat)a.

It never occurred to me that it could be pronounced dah-tuh!


#6121 09/08/00 04:40 AM
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Shouldn't that be one small part of Rome that hasn't been overrun by gall?

Bingley


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#6122 09/08/00 04:49 AM
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Shouldn't that be one small part of Rome that hasn't been overrun by gall?

The thought had occurred to me, but I was too enamoured of my Asterix reference to risk obscuring it by inversion.




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