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Wiegezentrale
Dec 6, 2005 05:44
18 yrs ago
German term

Your data is / are ?

German to English Tech/Engineering IT (Information Technology)
Hi!

I am translating for internal purposes the follwing sentence:
echo "Leider stimmen die Daten nicht überein. Bitte kontrollieren Sie diese noch einmal.";

with

echo: "Sorry, the data you have entered is not correct. Please check it once more.";
(OK it is not litteral but I think it is nice for my purpose)

I have been told that it may also be:
echo: "Sorry, the data you have entered ARE not correct. Please check them once more.

Easy question : is data singular or plural?

Thank you
Proposed translations (English)
5 +6 are/is
5 +4 IS
3 +4 Depends
4 Alternative solution
Change log

Dec 6, 2005 08:39: Ian M-H (X) changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"

Discussion

Yolande Haneder (X) (asker) Dec 6, 2005:
I hope you could see the rest...awful
I didn't want to translate it but I have been told to have a go and it wouldn't matter since it will probably never be seen.
I have been talking of taking an au-pair translator to cover up the mess and because so many people send me quote request for english (believe me, I just receive more jobs into english than my own mother tongue! even today job on the waiting queue until some american using my too wake up)with only short frame deadline.
Maybe next year. At time being I am not ready for the risk of taking a contractual translator.
Stephen Sadie Dec 6, 2005:
@Yolande: "the data is correct with the one" sounds very foreign, sorry!
Yolande Haneder (X) (asker) Dec 6, 2005:
The programmer has decided to take the plural as he wanted to in the first place.
Inconsistent data would not pass because what is checked is not wether the data entered at the time is correct but if the data is correct with the one which had already been previously entered. I don't think that either using is or are is going to upset a translator, I just wanted to be sure I hadn't made a big mistake (one in many of the last batch until an english person is going to go through the application - maybe later)
Ken Cox Dec 6, 2005:
In that case, you can also avoid the problem by rewording. A typical wording in this context would be 'Inconsistent data entered. Please check the entered data.'
Yolande Haneder (X) (asker) Dec 6, 2005:
In this one not much. I have never seen data replaced with information on the message error of a computer software. I guess that since only translators are going to see this message (if ever) I could use any of them.
Ken Cox Dec 6, 2005:
In many situations, you can avoid the issue by using 'information' instead of 'data'.
Yolande Haneder (X) (asker) Dec 6, 2005:
Thank you I will have to think of it.
Basically it is about the data that the person will enter on the form which will be checked for constituency. I didn't know I would come to such a flow of answers.
Michele Fauble Dec 6, 2005:
"These data are very similar to the backup image data. ..."
www.microsoft.com/technet/itsolutions/cits/dsd/standard/Def...
tanyazst Dec 6, 2005:
want to emphasize that something is plural, rewrite to use a term such as facts or numbers. Do not use datum or data are.


The data shows that 95% of the users prefer a graphical interface.
The data gathered so far is incomplete.
These facts cont
tanyazst Dec 6, 2005:
from Microsoft Manual of Style: Use as either singular or plural in meaning but always with a singular verb. That is, always use "the data is" (or another appropriate verb) whether you mean a collection of facts (plural) or information (singular). If you
Elvira Stoianov Dec 6, 2005:
Here's one discussion: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/470714
Elvira Stoianov Dec 6, 2005:
This is actually more an En monolingual question. You might want to check the glossary, maybe it was dicussed under EN mono.

Proposed translations

+6
1 hr
Selected

are/is

Is 'data' singular or plural?

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.
www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutgrammar/data

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 49 mins (2005-12-06 07:34:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Because these data are not seasonally adjusted, we use data from the secondquarter for each year.
jobwatch.org/

These data are used to:. establish acute toxicity levels of the active ingredient to the test organisms;
www.epa.gov/pesticides/regulating/data.htm

These data are the most direct information available about indoor radon potential, even though the houses that have been sampled may not be typical for the ...
energy.cr.usgs.gov/radon/georadon/4.html

These data are estimates of the actual figures that would have been ... The counties found in these data are as presented as they were for each census year. ...
www.lemoyne.edu/seal/UCDP1.html

These data are continuously reviewed and updated when necessary. ... The quality of these data are not as reliable as the data submitted on the standard ...
pmep.cce.cornell.edu/psur/97report.html

Preservation and access to these data are critical to energy security and ... These data are also used for reducing risks from earthquakes and other ...
dpa.aapg.org/gac/papers/core_reposit.cfm



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 51 mins (2005-12-06 07:35:47 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

These data are very similar to the backup image data. ...
www.microsoft.com/technet/itsolutions/cits/dsd/standard/Def...
Peer comment(s):
agree randam
31 mins
thanks
agree BrigitteHilgner : Thank you for your detailed information which is certainly very useful when argueing the case for "data are".
1 hr
thanks
agree Sheila Hardie : being British, I've always used the plural ('data are') - interesting links, thanks Michele:-)
1 hr
thanks
agree Ian M-H (X) : Yes - although you've quoted a line that shows how easy it is to slip up on singular/plural: "The quality of these data are..." ;-)
1 hr
thanks - I should have caught that one
neutral Stephen Sadie : as cited, data are is also evidently used too. i vastly prefer data is
2 hrs
thanks
agree Dr. Georg Schweigart
2 hrs
thanks
agree Shane London : This is a good rundown on the situation. Inside the Australian Bureau of Statistics we are obliged to use data as a plural. But outside of our office the singular is the norm. I certainly don't accept the argument that we have to follow the Latin
3 hrs
thanks
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you"
+4
4 mins

IS

!!
Peer comment(s):
agree Aniello Scognamiglio (X) : of course!
41 mins
thanks aniello
neutral Michele Fauble : Strictly speaking, 'are' is correct since 'data' is the Latin plural of 'datum', but both 'are' and 'is' are acceptable.
1 hr
fair enough, but copmmon "correct" use is is!
agree tanyazst
1 hr
thanx tanya
agree Bianca Jacobsohn : Data as plural is fast becoming redundant. I'm sure we've had this Q before...
1 hr
indeed, although as pointed out not yet fully redundant
neutral Nick Somers (X) : I think the issue is more nuanced than you claim
1 hr
absolutely nick, but is is far more common and better to my english ears
agree CMJ_Trans (X)
2 hrs
thanks
disagree Ian M-H (X) : "Is" is indeed widely accepted, as other answerers have explained, but it is misleading to assert (with high confidence) that it is the only correct option. In Asker's context it is a matter of preference (or possibly house style).
2 hrs
but disagree is then wrong, sound neutral to me with your reasoning, ian!
agree NiamhC : In software applications, Latin and Greek plural forms tend to be avoided in favour of modern English ones , e.g. "formulas" rather than "formulae", "statuses" rather than "stati" and "data IS" rather than "data are".
5 hrs
thanks niamh
neutral Colin Newberry : I recently read (can't remember where) that a scientist will tend to say "are" and an advertising texter, salesman, etc "is". Personally, I prefer to stay a "purist" and always say "are", also because other verbs than "be" sound/look so much better.
6 hrs
Something went wrong...
+4
37 mins

Depends

You will find both and you will also find fierce defenders of both possibilities!

In my experience, (a) purists, (b) some scientists, (c) native speakers of languages in which the equivalent word HAS to be plural insist on "data are".

When data refers to a collective set of information I think "data is" is justifiable. When it refers to individual items, I think "data are" is defensible - much like "the team is" vs. "the team are".

This is just my opinion.
Peer comment(s):
agree IanW (X) : Quite agree - and in the sentence in question, "are" sounds a bit overblown
2 hrs
neutral Stephen Sadie : justifiable YES, the best option IMHO no
2 hrs
agree Ian M-H (X) : Unlike Ian, I'd much prefer "are" in Asker's context. Which supports your answer: both are used and there is no categorically 'right' or 'wrong' answer here.
2 hrs
agree Dr. Georg Schweigart
3 hrs
agree Colin Newberry
9 hrs
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

Alternative solution

"Leider stimmen die Daten nicht überein. Bitte kontrollieren Sie diese noch einmal." translates to:
"Sorry, the data you have entered does not match, please check again"
(übereinstimmen = match, nothing about being correct).
The is/are discussion is the same however, does vs do.
Note from asker:
I agree, I took it easy (since it is not a translation for a client but for ourselves)
Something went wrong...
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