#96808
02/24/2003 12:13 AM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866 |
There is conjecture that....
or
There are conjecture that....
I've always used the former but heard the latter used on radio this morning. Wondering now if the 'are' refers to plurality of conjecture???
stales
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#96809
02/24/2003 1:35 AM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,101 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,101 Likes: 2 |
I would have said that "conjecture" as a noun is singular.
To use it as a plural would be a singular use indeed.
If it's to be a plural, what is proposed for its singular form? (Something like "operum" being the singular of "opera"?)
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#96810
02/24/2003 2:18 AM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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#96811
02/24/2003 2:46 AM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 11,613 |
To use it as a plural would be a singular use indeed.  I think y'all oughta start worrying about me--I actually understood that! ;-) stales [blwoing kiss e], conjecture are sounds VERY strange to my ears. But then so does family are and team are. P'raps conjecture are is a Brit-speak thing?
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#96812
02/24/2003 2:54 AM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I have a conjecture. The etymology of "conjecture" is from Latin "conjicare" = tp throw together.
Since you would need two things to throw together, "conjecture" has to be plural.
Do I hear applause, or razzberries? (I can't hear either)
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#96813
02/24/2003 3:01 AM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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A singular raspberry, Dr. Bill! You can mix whiskey and beer, and you have a boilermaker. Or join a husband and wife in holy matrimony, and you have a couple. I'm glad to know the origin, though--thank you.
Oh no--I just typo'ed another coinage, though this one may not be new: matrimoney.
This morning I was writing to a friend about how beautiful it was to wake up and find snow had fallen, and my original typage read, "...every leaf and tiniest branch, limned with snot."
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#96814
02/24/2003 3:50 AM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
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That's what comes of sleeping with the window open when you have a cold.
Bingley
Bingley
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#96815
02/24/2003 12:58 PM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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#96816
02/24/2003 1:08 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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In reply to:
Since you would need two things to throw together, "conjecture" has to be plural.
More on plural forms:
You would need at least two people to have a conversation (or two voices of some description), but conversation is singular.
I would use conjecture ordinarily with a singular verb unless it had somewhere been established in previous text that the conjectures had been reached independently of each other and that the 'conjecture' represented independent views. But this case would have had to have been clearly established in the preceding text. Even then, I don't like the sound of conjecture followed by a plural verb. However, I could train my ear to eventually accept that sound, if necessary.
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#96817
02/24/2003 2:16 PM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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my conjecture (a conclusion reached by surmise or guesswork) is that what you heard was nothing more than a misspeak.
a. F. conjecture, or its original L. conjectra, a throwing or casting together, a conclusion derived from comparison of facts, an inference, conclusion, guess, etc., f. conject- ppl. stem of conjicre, conicre to throw together
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#96818
02/24/2003 5:03 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 872
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Sep 2001
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Your conjectures are interesting. But I think my conjecture is correct. 
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#96819
02/25/2003 6:13 AM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 315
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 315 |
is commonly used in maths, and I have ever seen is as singular.
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#96820
02/27/2003 3:47 PM
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692 |
P'raps conjecture are is a Brit-speak thing? ~ JackieForget that conjecture. We too are singular .
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#96821
02/27/2003 3:58 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Heard the one about the newlyweds who disrobed and threw their garments in heap,
so they could get their things together?
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