Erroll 80 #1 December 5, 2007 I hope that Lori won't mind me quoting her, but I didn't want to hijack the thread this comes from, and this quote is a good example of my query. QuoteWe're seeing a patient right now who has paraplegia from a spinal cyst. Unknown etiology. Although they're not a skydiver, I'm now more aware of what may have caused their condition. (they presented initially with complete quadriplegia, which finalized in paraplegia by the end of their acute stay). I see this quite frequently in the forums, and mostly by American posters. I'm curious :- why the plural? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #2 December 5, 2007 Interesting, I'd never really noticed that before. It is a way of keeping the subjects gender undisclosed. It's not too easy to not repeat using "the patient" (in this case) or he/she. We're seeing a patient right now who has paraplegia from a spinal cyst. Unknown etiology. Although they're not a skydiver, I'm now more aware of what may have caused their condition. (Initially presenting they presented initially with complete quadriplegia, which finalized in paraplegia by the end of an their acute stay). (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kbordson 8 #3 December 5, 2007 QuoteIt is a way of keeping the subjects gender undisclosed. Yup. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #4 December 5, 2007 Quite common these days in all English speaking countries. English simply doesn't have a third person gender neutral pronoun, so there's little other choice. It's nothing new mind - we've used this construction since Middle English. Modern English used to use "he", but today that's considered sexist and frankly it's just plain confusing. Grammatically speaking, it's no more incorrect than a split infinitive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SansSuit 1 #5 December 6, 2007 One Hippopotami (Parody of "What Kind Of Fool Am I?" by Sammy Davis Jr.) One hippopotami cannot get on a bus, Because one hippopotami is two hippopotamus. And if you have two goose, that makes one geese. A pair of mouse is mice. A pair of moose is meese. A paranoia is a bunch of mental blocks. And when Ben Casey meets Kildaire, that's called a paradox. When two minks fall in love, with all their heart and soul, You'll find the plural of two minks is one mink stole. Singulars and plurals are so different, bless my soul. Has it ever occurred to you that the plural of "half" is "whole"? A bunch of tooth is teeth. A group of foot is feet. And two canaries make a pair--they call it a parakeet. A paramecium is not a pair. A parallelogram is just a crazy square. Nobody knows just what a paraphernalia is. And what is half a pair of scissors, but a single sciz? With someone you adore, if you should find romance, You'll pant, and pant once more, and that's a pair of pants! -Alan Sherman (of "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah" fame)Peace, -Dawson. http://www.SansSuit.com The Society for the Advancement of Naked Skydiving Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erroll 80 #6 December 6, 2007 Quote English simply doesn't have a third person gender neutral pronoun, so there's little other choice. In the example quoted above, why would one need a neutral pronoun? Why wouldn't one want to disclose the gender? The patient was either male or female. Simple. That, and the fact that there was only one patient any way! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #7 December 6, 2007 This has nothing to do with yours.. but for years I've struggled with the fact that the word "data" is plural. When I write reports I always have to double check my grammar by replacing the word "data" for "tables". I'm weird, huh? "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #8 December 6, 2007 You may not want to disclose the gender for HIPPA reasons, perhaps? Although I don't think that it is considered identifying information, perhaps in certain situations it could be. "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #9 December 6, 2007 Weird? no. Freak? maybe. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erroll 80 #10 December 7, 2007 Quote This has nothing to do with yours.. but for years I've struggled with the fact that the word "data" is plural. Makes one wonder what the singular of data would be. Quote I'm weird, huh? Nope. It is a good thing. I am almost anal about correct grammar and spelling, and I frequently find myself proof-reading someone's report, rather than reading the content. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #11 December 7, 2007 Quote Makes one wonder what the singular of data would be. Datum. I use to wind my old boss up by writting "These data" in all of my documents Quote 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. (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erroll 80 #12 December 7, 2007 Quote Quote Makes one wonder what the singular of data would be. Datum. I use to wind my old boss up by writting writing "These data" in all of my documents I have been working in IT for 30 years and I never knew that! In Afrikaans (my first language) datum means date. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
