Conference thebay::joyoflex

523.0. ""The Complete Plain Words"" by MUDIS3::JONES (INSFUSRIQ Insufficient User IQ) Wed May 25 1988 18:06

Hi,
I've just come across this notes conference and have been browsing through some
of the entries. In particular discussions about whether "data" is singular or
plural (Note 521).

I have a book called "The Complete Plain Words" written by Sir Ernest Gowers and
published by Pelican books.
"Plain Words" first appeared in 1948. The Treasury invited Sir Ernest Gowers, a 
distinguished civil servant, to write it as a contribution to what they were 
doing to improve official English. It made an immediate impact, which was by no 
means limited either to officialdom or to the UK. It was followed in 1951 by 
"The ABC of Plain Words" and in 1954 by "The Complete Plain Words", in which
Gowers brought together in one volume, with additions and alterations, what he 
had written in the previous two.

I find the book extremely useful, particularly since I've now been away from the
UK for 16 years and sometimes confuse several languages.

By the way, Gowers has this to say about "data" in the chapter "The Handling of 
Words":
'Data', unlike 'Agenda', remains the plural word that it is in Latin. If a 
singular is wanted, it is usually 'one of the data', not 'datum'.

Hope this is of interest.
Mitch

    > ... particularly since I've now been away from the
    > UK for 16 years and sometimes confuse several languages.

    Ah, so *that's* what their problem is over there.  >   <
    							 |
    						space for smiley face
    						but I wouldn't want
    						Mr. PssstT to think
   						I was laughing at
    						my own jokes.