Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[Pulcinella]

criteria - why is it so often treated as a singular noun?

I would certainly hope we keep the simple distinction between criterion and criteria: this bugs me too!

'cos the media says that's what the data suggests.

But I'm quite happy to see data and media used as singular collective nouns.
I can't think offhand when I'd want to use datum (instead of, say, data point), but (in addition to its Margaret Rutherford/Madame Arcati sense) I would expect still to see medium used in its specific technical/scientific sense: alcohol was used as the dispersal medium, for example.

[Bryn]

It says, "As it stands, we don’t think there’s data in the public domain that can tell us definitively how much of this disparity is down to Ofqual’s moderation process."

So that are[sic] an F regarding their misuse of a certain infamous plural.

[cloughie]

'cos the media says that's what the data suggests.

Any particular datum or medium?

I also prefer minima to minimums in weather forecasts!

[LMcD]

And reliability of prediction against actual result is surely something that should be considered part of a school's past performance, not just the results themselves.

This is now probably the wrong thread if this discussion is to continue: apologies if I sent us off topic with my reply to LMcD's hatred of 'algorithms'.

I'm more peeved at the frequency with which the word 'algorithms' is used rather than what it stands for, and I fully accept that algorithms can't be blamed for the way in which they're written/created/developed/used. I'm sure the government will nevertheless try to pin the blame on them, especially as they can't answer back. Perhaps I wouldn't have failed Eng Lit 'O' level if we'd had algorithms in the early 1960s.

[gurnemanz]

Any particular datum or medium?

do, dare, dedi, datum - Latin verb test about 60 years ago.

[Bryn]

Any particular datum or medium?

I also prefer minima to minimums in weather forecasts!

But referendums, rather than referenda (somewhat different concepts in relation to plebiscites).

[cloughie]

But referendums, rather than referenda (somewhat different concepts in relation to plebiscites).

No!

[LMcD]

do, dare, dedi, datum - Latin verb test about 60 years ago.

I think the first Latin phrase to which we were introduced was 'Discipuli picturam spcectate', shortly followed by the fact that Gaul was 'divisa in tres partes'.I think 'His rebus gestis' was our first ablative absolute.
Definitely referenda/memoranda for me - and I've never attended a meeting at which I was given a copy of the agendum.

[french frank]

But referendums, rather than referenda (somewhat different concepts in relation to plebiscites).

I agree, a distinction is observed (though less marked than in the doublet indexes/indices).

[cloughie]

I think the first Latin phrase to which we were introduced was 'Discipuli picturam spcectate', shortly followed by the fact that Gaul was 'divisa in tres partes'.I think 'His rebus gestis' was our first ablative absolute.
Definitely referenda/memoranda for me - and I've never attended a meeting at which I was given a copy of the agendum.

...and I bet the agenda for the day is, not are!

Caesar adsum iam forte sed Brutus passus sum.

[Pulcinella]

I agree, a distinction is observed (though less marked than in the doublet indexes/indices).

Or appendixes/appendices?
A useful distinction for both editors and surgeons.


PS: Actually, I'm not too sure that the differences are designated to the specific instances of parts of a book and parts of a body; I might be wrong.

[Bryn]

No!

Oh but yes. The use of the Latin plural should be restricted to its Latin meaning, "those which must be referred", not to plebiscites, as such. Taking "referendum" from its usage borrowed from Switzerland, "referendums" avoids mistaking the term for the more general original Latin meaning.

[Bryn]

Or appendixes/appendices?
A useful distinction for both editors and surgeons.

Some decades ago, I worked as a technical editor for a company called Technical Indexes.

[cloughie]

Oh but yes. The use of the Latin plural should be restricted to its Latin meaning, "those which must be referred", not to plebiscites, as such. Taking "referendum" from its usage borrowed from Switzerland, "referendums" avoids mistaking the term for the more general original Latin meaning.

Still don’t buy it - perhaps we need a forum referendum!

[gurnemanz]

Just found a definition to delight anyone with a grammarian tendency: "From Latin agendum, substantive use of the neuter singular of agendus (“which ought to be done”), future passive participle (gerundive) of agō (“I do, act, make”).