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From: neutron@hpfcla.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: "Data points"
Message-ID: <82300001@hpfclg.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Aug-85 14:31:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: hpfclg.82300001
Posted: Mon Aug 19 14:31:00 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Aug-85 21:08:11 EDT
References: <214@tekig4.UUCP>
Organization: 19 Aug 85 12:31:00 MDT
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>> Data and datum are not adjectives.  Thus, it is either "a point of data,"
>> or "a datum," not "a data point" [sic].

"Bread" is a noun, not an adjective.  Hence, it must be a "knife for bread"
and not "a bread knife".  Same with "a barn door" or "a piano recital"
or "a computer programmer".

Actually, it seems common in english to turn nouns into adjectives in
the above fashion.


							-Jack Applin