Plural of the word - INFORMATION

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Red5

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Vivian said:
Is there the word "informations"??? :lol:

Although the philosopher Francis Bacon referred to ‘immediate informations of the sense’, common usage always employs the collective plural form ‘information’.

The word informations is almost never used, and is regarded as incorrect.

I hope this helps - if you have any further questions, please feel free to ask them here.

:)

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MikeNewYork

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infromations

I agree with Red. "Information" is an uncountable noun. It is normally not pluralized and is not used with an indefinite article.
 

Tdol

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Vivian said:
Is there the word "informations"??? :lol:

There is no plural in contemporary English. The only example I have found in a search of databses was from the writer Jonathan Swift, who lived a few hundred years ago and died mad. :lol:
 
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ozron1

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Re: infromations

MikeNewYork said:
I agree with Red. "Information" is an uncountable noun. It is normally not pluralized and is not used with an indefinite article.


Will general misuse transform 'data' into an uncountable noun while 'datum' slips through the floorboards?
 

MikeNewYork

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datum/data

Ozron wrote:

[/quote]Will general misuse transform 'data' into an uncountable noun while 'datum' slips through the floorboards?
That's a great question. I think that is already happening. Scientists still use data as a plural noun. They are focused on data as a series of observations, values, figures, etc. You will hear "These data are very convincing." Others, particularly those in the computer and other information fields, use data as a singular mass noun. In those areas, data refers to a mass of information.
 

Tdol

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I think data already has slipped through, except in certain areas such as science. :D
 

misterventuno

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That's a great question. I think that is already happening. Scientists still use data as a plural noun. They are focused on data as a series of observations, values, figures, etc. You will hear "These data are very convincing." Others, particularly those in the computer and other information fields, use data as a singular mass noun. In those areas, data refers to a mass of information.

I hope i didn't misunderstood the meaning of the message (I'm not an expert liguist), but both the words,datum and data, are latin words and, precisely. datum is the singular and data the plural. I belive they should be used as the original manners
 

Avalon

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I was just telling my class before coming back home that if they wish to pluralize the information they should say PIECES or BITS of information...the same goes for EQUIPMENT (commonly pluralized in other languages), LUGGAGE/BAGGAGE,BREAD, ADVICE etc...
 

wcoronel

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Hello. First-time poster. Pleased to be here.

I have a question about the usage of "information" in the following:

1) This information is correct.
2) That information is correct.
3) These information is correct.
4) Those information is correct.

I was told that 1 & 2 are the only correct ways to talk about "information" -- as well as other mass nouns, such as "furniture" and "data."

When I asked my friends why 3 & 4 were incorrect, they just said that it "sounds wrong."

"These/those data..." also sounded incorrrect to them. They feel that since "information" and "data" are already plural, they just need either "this" or "that."

Are they right? I am very adamant about thinking that "These/Those information..." is grammatically correct.
 

Philly

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"These/those data..." also sounded incorrrect to them. They feel that since "information" and "data" are already plural, they just need either "this" or "that."
Are they right? I am very adamant about thinking that "These/Those information..." is grammatically correct.
Hi wcoronel
.
"These/Those information..." is wrong. The word information is always grammatically singular.
You can only use these and those with plural nouns.
.
The word data can be used as both a singular and a plural noun. I'd say data is probably treated more often as a mass (singular) noun than as a plural noun.
.
 

wcoronel

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Philly, thank you for the specific info on the nature of "information." I was very stubborn with my friends in not comprehending why "These/Those information are..." (oops, I forgot to put "are" in my previous posts -- plus I mistakenly put "is") is wrong.

This is going to be a difficult habit to break. I have always been saying "These/Those information are..." and I was wondering if there are other words that can't be prefaced with "These/Those ___ are..."?
 

MikeNewYork

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Philly, thank you for the specific info on the nature of "information." I was very stubborn with my friends in not comprehending why "These/Those information are..." (oops, I forgot to put "are" in my previous posts -- plus I mistakenly put "is") is wrong.

This is going to be a difficult habit to break. I have always been saying "These/Those information are..." and I was wondering if there are other words that can't be prefaced with "These/Those ___ are..."?

No singular noun can fit in These/Those ___ are...
Only plural nouns can go there.
For singular nouns use. This/that ____ is....
That includes "information".
 

dshollings

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In law, the word "information" is an official document containing a criminal charge presented, usually by the prosecuting officers of the state, without the interposition of a grand jury. This use of the word may be pluralized.
 

justinwschang

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Certain uncountable nouns can be both singular and plural, some with different meanings.
For example: rain, sugar, experience.
His experiences from his travels are something unforgettable.

Collective nouns can be both singular or plural, depending on whether we are referring to the group or its members.
Our team is the best in the country.
Our team are putting on their best boots.
 

Naamplao

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Philly, thank you for the specific info on the nature of "information." I was very stubborn with my friends in not comprehending why "These/Those information are..." (oops, I forgot to put "are" in my previous posts -- plus I mistakenly put "is") is wrong.

This is going to be a difficult habit to break. I have always been saying "These/Those information are..." and I was wondering if there are other words that can't be prefaced with "These/Those ___ are..."?

If the information is not homogeneous then you may want to use "these" and "those" to separate the information. The way to do that was suggested earlier and that was to use "bits" or "pieces" of information

These bits of information go to John, while those pieces of information should be sent to Jim.

Of course you could use "this and that" information instead.
 
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