Data: Countable or uncountable? English for You Hastings' answer is here.

The question I'm going to answer today is from Patrice, who emailed to ask if the word data is countable or uncountable. Here's my answer (which also applies to the word agenda).:

Traditionally, it was countable (because it's a Latin neuter plural), but it is now treated as uncountable. For 'mass noun' below, read 'uncountable noun':

The Oxford English dictionary defines it as follows:In Latin, data is the plural of datum and, historically and in specialized scientific fields , it is also treated as a plural in English, taking a plural verb, as in the data were collected and classified. In modern non-scientific use, however , despite the complaints of traditionalists, it is often not treated as a plural. Instead, it is treated as a mass noun, similar to a word like information, which cannot normally have a plural and which takes a singular verb. Sentences such as data was (as well as data were ) collected over a number of years are now widely accepted in standard English. Technically the singular is datum/agendum, but we feel it sounds increasingly hyper-correct, old-fashioned and pompous to say "the data are".

Dear readers of englishforyouhastings.blogspot.com  please send your comments on my answer (including disagreement with it) to fionamary.cullen@tiscali.co.uk  or theghostlygirl@gmail.com

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One more thing: the above question is for advanced learners. englishforyouhastings.blogspot.com is for all levels and ages. So do send in questions on basic grammar, pronunciation etc too. And let me know if you'd like me to blog simplified versions of The Smugglers' Caves and The Ghostly Girl with language notes.