Grammar....which is correct?

Question

"The data is" or "the data are"?

Answer 1

It is definitely "the data are", I write aircraft flight manuals and that is the correct term grammatically. To most people it doesnt sound right until you think about it.

Answer 2

The data "are" is correct, because "datum" is technically the singular version of the word, but policing it is a lost cause. But what the hell, Latin is a dead language and English is still very much alive, vibrant and always growing and changing.

Winston Churchill, one of my heroes and a writer and speaker of English whom I've always admired, violated most of the so-called rules many times without a moment's pause or backward glance. If it doesn't degrade the language by creating ambiguity where once there was clarity, then I'm not willing to man the ramparts to repel it.

Answer 3

The word 'Data' is plural, so it is the data are.

Datum is the singular but so rarely used most people don't know the word. In practical usage both are correct.

Answer 4

well...
language evolves...
datum is single "the datum is"
data is plural "the data are"
but over time we have come to use data as a singular.
so even on tv or the radio you will hear
"the data is" or "the data shows"
it's not quite clearcut but in common modern usage
data is mostly singular.
the datum/data thing is mostly historical.

Answer 5

Technically, data is plural. Datum is singular.

"Data are"

However, this is so widely ignored that virtually no one will question you if you say "data is"--most people will think the correct usage sounds wrong.

Answer 6

The data is

Answer 7

"The data is... " OR "These data are..."
(noun plural but singular or plural in construction)

1.Data leads a life of its own quite independent of datum, of which it was originally the plural. It occurs in two constructions: as a plural noun (like earnings), taking a plural verb and plural modifiers (as these, many, a few) but not cardinal numbers, and serving as a referent for plural pronouns (as they, them)

2. AND as an abstract mass noun (like information), taking a singular verb and singular modifiers (as this, much, little), and being referred to by a singular pronoun (it). Both constructions are standard. The plural construction is more common in print, evidently because the house style of several publishers mandates it.

Answer 8

Data is plural thus it would be the "data are". The singular is datum. Happily one rarely discusses a single unit of datum, relieving us the need to sound so formal.
-MM

Answer 9

''are'' is used as plural. ''is'' is used as singular. like...if you're taking a survey of hella folk, rite? and you say ''we compiled the survey results and what the data IS telling us is that...'' you compiled it into one thing. that one thing is. but like, gee...i guess it's not that common to refer to the plural of data. best i can think of is ''i transfered all the data from your computer onto this external drive. all the data are secure.'' all of the things, plural, are secure. data is like deer. all the deer in the forest are on fire. awww...

Edit:
okay, so it turns out those other guys who say ''datum is singular' are right. give them the best answer.

Answer 10

Which makes more sense to you?

This data on this computer is really outdated.

Or

This data on this computer are outdated.

is, is the answer LOL
you would have to use the word with a plural with 'are'