On "data" pronunciation

The first. /deita/ At least in the U.S.

Some people haven't caught on yet!

In the data processing community (where I have worked more years than I care to admit!) we all say "day-ta", and have been saying it that way just about forever.

There are people outside this specialist community who say it differently, and I have heard TV anchors say it in different ways, but people who work with "day-ta" day in and day out say "day-ta".

(And we treat is as a singular: "The data is ready to load.")



P.S. But just recently I heard someone use dat -a (where "dat" rhymes with "sat") again and again!

Anonymous wrote:

A Psychology professor at UC Berkeley said that dah-ta (like "dad") is the singular, while day-ta (like "today") is the plural. In other words, you would say "these day-ta", but "this dah-ta." I haven't heard this from any other source, and I've also heard another Psychology professor at UC Berkeley say "day-ta" for singular. When I've worked with people who process data on a regular basis (in Psychology research labs), we almost always use the plural form, so I haven't had much chance to see how someone would pronounce the singular form. Honestly, this is some petty stuff that doesn't matter, though it's one of those things that makes you curious because you want to know what is "correct". I have the same feelings toward the who/whom controversy--it doesn't matter enough for me to know how to use it, but I still want to know which is "correct". I think the only way to resolve this issue is to hit up the Oxford English Dictionary or a professor of English who really knows the nitty gritty.

Honestly, this is some petty stuff that doesn't matter, though it's one of those things that makes you curious because you want to know what is "correct". I have the same feelings toward the who/whom controversy--it doesn't matter enough for me to know how to use it, but I still want to know which is "correct".

So true!  Suffice to say it can be pronounced either way.

From askoxford: Strictly speaking, data is the plural of datum, and should be used with a plural verb (like facts). However, there has been a growing tendency to use it as an equivalent to the uncountable noun information, followed by a singular verb. This is now regarded as generally acceptable in American use, and in the context of information technology. The traditional usage is still preferable, at least in Britain, but it may soon become a lost cause.

Anonymous wrote:

I have the same feelings toward the who/whom controversy--it doesn't matter enough for me to know how to use it, but I still want to know which is "correct".

  There are some rather solid "rules" governing their usage.  They may be unclear to some people, but I wouldn't say at all that they are controversial.