Data Is or Data Are and Media Is or Media Are
Media Is or Media Are?
Data has been around for a long time. It was taken from Latin, but has been used in the English language for almost 400 years. Since it’s a Latin word, data is the plural, and datum is the singular, and it has been used that way for a long time, especially by the media and scientific communities. That’s why you often hear things like “The data are in.”
The dictionaries still list it as plural, but some of them are finally recognizing the demands of the people. Let’s look at a few.
Data Is or Data Are
Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary lists data like this:
- da·ta noun, plural in form but singular or plural in construction \ˈdā-tə, ˈda-, also ˈdä-\
- factual information (such as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation
>- information output by a sensing device or organ that includes both useful and irrelevant or redundant information and must be processed to be meaningful
- information in numerical form that can be digitally transmitted or processed
Data leads a life of its own quite independent of datum, of which it was originally the plural. It occurs in two constructions: such as a plural noun (like earnings), taking a plural verb and plural modifiers (such as these, many, and a few) but not cardinal numbers, and serving as a referent for plural pronouns (such as they and them); and as an abstract mass noun (like information), taking a singular verb and singular modifiers (such as this, much, and 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.
I need to at least mention that Merriam-Webster’s explanation left a lot to be desired. I think many of the dictionaries need to send their writers to a “plain English” class so they can learn to communicate better. Now let’s take a look at the definition from a few other dictionaries and whether we should be saying data is or data are or media is or media are.
Oxford English Dictionary
data
data /ˈdeɪtə /
▸ noun [mass noun] facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis:
there is very little data available.
▪ the quantities, characters, or symbols on which operations are performed by a computer, which may be stored and transmitted in the form of electrical signals and recorded on magnetic, optical, or mechanical recording media.
Usage (from OED)
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, it is generally not treated as a plural. Instead, it is treated as a mass noun, similar to a word like information, which takes a singular verb. Sentences such as data was collected over a number of years are now widely accepted in standard English
As you can see, even the OED, a long-time staunch defender of the English language, is a proponent of using data and media and (other such words) with singular verbs.
From Collins
Although data is now usually treated as a singular noun, it was originally a plural and is still treated as such in much scientific and technical writing
LMDict – English Dictionary
da‧ta /ˈdeɪtə, ˈdɑːtə/ ●●● S1 W1 AWL noun
1 [plural, uncountable] information or factsThe research involves collecting data from two random samples.
GRAMMAR: Singular or plural verb?
• In everyday English, data is usually followed by a singular verb:The data is collected by trained interviewers.
• In academic or very formal English, a plural verb is used:These data are summarized in Table 5.
When talking about one fact or piece of information, you say a piece of data:
This is a useful piece of data.
✗ Don’t say: datas
Despite the media, and those in the scientific community, insisting on using data as plural only, the majority of people use words like data and media and other Latin words in the singular sense. Take a look at this Ngram from Google’s site. It shows the usage of data and media over the past two hundred years. As you can see media is or media are is a toss up, with both being used about the same.
Google’s Ngram showing usage for “data is” and “data are.”
Close examination shows the singular and plural are about the same, but it shows “data are” as having plummeted in use since the 80s. Remember, though, this information shows results of how the words are used in books, not everyday speech, and the publishing industry is close behind the media and the scientific community in defending the more traditional use.
Using Verbs with Data, Media, and Other Latin Words
Let’s look at what I think is a reasonable suggestion. When using data with facts, keep it plural, but when using it with information use a singular verb. To do this properly, the key is knowing what kind of data you’re talking about.
When data is a count noun (items that can be counted), the plural makes sense. In that type of sentence, you could replace data with another count noun such as facts. However, when data is treated as a noncount noun (items cannot be counted), the singular makes sense. In those cases, you could substitute the word information.
If you are submitting sales reports to your boss, you might say “The data (facts) are ready.” But if you’re referring to marketing information, you could say “The data (information) is ready.” Both would be correct.
🐗 Remember to substitute facts or information for data. If facts works, use are (plural), but if information works, use is (singular).
Since the Chicago Manual of Style is the standard for most novel writers (AP Stylebook is used by most journalists), let’s see what their take is on usage.
From CMOS
> Although traditionalists stick to the plural uses {the data are inconclusive} {the media are largely misreporting the event}, the new singular uses—using the terms in a collective sense rather than as count nouns—exist alongside the older ones {the data shows the hypothesis to be correct} {the media isn’t infallible}. (In the sciences, data is always plural.) In formal contexts, the most reliable approach is to retain the plural uses unless doing so makes you feel as if you’re being artificial, stuffy, and pedantic. Consider using alternative words, such as information and journalists. Or simply choose the newer usage. But make your play and be consistent—vacillating will not win the admiration of readers and listeners.
In the same way you’d use the substitution for data, you’d use it for other words like media. If you’re referring to media as a group of journalists, then you should use a plural verb, but if you’re referring to the media as a collective group (like the communications industry), you should use a singular verb. Examples follow.
– The journalists (media) are always first to arrive at the scene of the crime.
– The industry (media) is mostly made up of TV and the papers.
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