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When and why did data start being pronounced with a short 'a' instead of a long 'a', as in day. I've noticed that older people tend to use the 'dayta' pronunciation. Oh, the arguments I've with people over this! And after all, that character's name in Star Trek was pronounced with the long 'a'. Seems like proof enough for me!
Thanks,
Joanna
I had an older colleague who majored in Classics, and who insisted that Status and Data be pronounced with long A in English /steɪtəs, deɪtə/ (as in TNG). The pronunciation of Latin is a hotly debated topic. I believe his conviction places him squarely in the Italianate school of Latin pronunciation. Current scholarship favors the ah /dɑtə, dɑtɑ/ pronunciation as being closer to the pronunciation of the time.
[edit: added the IPA above and the following]
The two most common pronunciations I hear in English are /deɪtə/ and /dætə/.
An intersting diversion on church Latin can be found here:
Church Latin
Consequently, when he heard some of the clergy singing in sighcula sighculorum, his first impression was that this must be a Cockney pronunciation of Latin; and when the preacher went up into the pulpit – it was a feast of the Blessed Virgin – he expected to hear him describe Our Lady as 'Our Lidy'.
There is a software company here in my hometown named "DataCount," and the owner of the company pronounces the company name with a long A, but in the same breath he will use the short A in the word "data."
I've often heard such utterances as: "We deal with tons of dah-tuh here at DAY-tuh Count."
I'm with the long-A crowd. I taught classes for several years on database management and began each class by stating my preference for day-tuh and day-tuh-base, but assured the class that I would not be offended by however they chose to pronounce it. Interestingly, as with my friend's company, I often heard the mix of dah-tuh and day-tuh-base from the same person.
Probably most people heard the word data at a young age and did not encounter database until much later (at least back in the 80's when I was teaching).
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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