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?

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.

>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.

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.

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!

Shouldn't that be one small part of Rome that hasn't been overrun by gall?

Bingley

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.