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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 7/10/2020 11:08 AM, Lieven L. Litaer
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:fc267ee2-a113-d897-50e9-05486f75efdb@gmx.de">Am
10.07.2020 um 16:09 schrieb mayqel qunen'oS:
<br>
<blockquote type="cite" style="color: #000000;">True ! In fact,
the reason I've wondered about all this in the first
<br>
place, is because in greek the word "information" is countable,
and it
<br>
would sound wrong to say "we obtained valuable information
(singular)".
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
That's very interesting, because in German it's quite normal to
say
<br>
"I've got one important information (singular) here for you." but
also
<br>
"This book contains many informations (plural)"
</blockquote>
<p>In English, the word <i>data</i> occupies a strange place as far
as plurals go. It's a relatively late entry from Latin, where <i>data</i>
is the plural of <i>datum.</i> In English, <i>datum</i> has
largely fallen out of use, with <i>data</i> taking over both
singular and plural, but some people still prefer to use <i>datum</i>
for singular, especially in certain scientific and technical
areas. English plural <i>data</i> can be used both countable and
uncountably, although circumstances you can use the countable
version are limited. You can say <i>these data,</i> but you
cannot say <i>four data.</i> <i>These data</i> (countable) and <i>this
data</i> (uncountable) are interchangeable, though the countable
version is also falling out of use, but less so than the word <i>datum</i>
has.</p>
<p>In English, the word <i>information</i> is strictly uncountable
and has no plural. <i>This book contains much information.</i> (<i>Many</i>
signals a countable noun, <i>much</i> an uncountable noun.)<br>
</p>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
SuStel
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://trimboli.name">http://trimboli.name</a></pre>
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