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Discussion Groups / English Usage / February 2010Behaviours (pl.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello, I found this expression in an article: "Nice behaviours!" ("The advantages of being called NICE", Journal of Public Health Dec 2008) May the word "behavio(u)r" be pluralized? If so, is there any change in meaning (behaviour - behaviours)? Thanks in advance. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > in meaning (behaviour - behaviours)? > Thanks in advance. I think it's used in that way in some scientific work - you can read about behaviours that are associated with this or that health outcome, or list specific behaviours that you will be studying. Without taking the time to Google, I suspect that it comes from behaviourism, in which scientists defined 'behaviour' as a single specific observable and measurable act.  SignatureCheryl Sun, 21 Feb 2010 03:39:14 -0800 (PST) from Maria P. <mariavpagano@gmail.com>: > I found this expression in an article: "Nice behaviours!" ("The > advantages of being called NICE", Journal of Public Health Dec 2008) > May the word "behavio(u)r" be pluralized? If so, is there any change > in meaning (behaviour - behaviours)? "Behavior" (mass noun) is the general manner in which one behaves. "A behavior" (countable noun) is a particular action. The context that I know is is educationese: "After this lesson, children will display the following behaviors". The idea, which I agree with, is that the only way you can measure what new knowledge or skills children have acquired is to determine what they do when presented with various situations (including written tests). But this use of "behavior" as a countable noun does grate on me because it seems inescapably jargonish (jargony?). SignatureStan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA http://OakRoadSystems.com Shikata ga nai... > Sun, 21 Feb 2010 03:39:14 -0800 (PST) from Maria P. > <mariavpagano@gmail.com>: [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > use of "behavior" as a countable noun does grate on me because it > seems inescapably jargonish (jargony?). Fowler's term "[popularized technicality" seems to fit this, as does his attitude (which wasn't favorable). SignatureBob Lieblich Willing to let jargon be jargon > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > ---------- > > Hello, > I found this expression in an article: "Nice behaviours!" ("The > advantages of being called NICE", Journal of Public Health Dec 2008) Presumably about the UK's 'National Institute for Clinical Excellence'? DC -- Django Cat <notareal@address.co.uk>: >> Hello, >> I found this expression in an article: "Nice behaviours!" ("The >> advantages of being called NICE", Journal of Public Health Dec 2008) > >Presumably about the UK's 'National Institute for Clinical Excellence'? Some five years ago they changed their name to "The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence". But they've kept the abbreviation NICE and the domain name <nice.org.uk>. SignatureMike Barnes Cheshire, England > Django Cat <notareal@address.co.uk>: >> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > for Health and Clinical Excellence". But they've kept the abbreviation > NICE and the domain name <nice.org.uk>. You don't waste a good acronym. SignatureSome say the world will end in fire; some say in segfaults. [XKCD 312] Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:02:40 +0000 from Mike Barnes <mikebarnes@bluebottle.com>: > Some five years ago they changed their name to "The National Institute > for Health and Clinical Excellence". But they've kept the abbreviation > NICE and the domain name <nice.org.uk>. Has no one there read C. S. Lewis's /That Hideous Strength/? (The National Institute for Co-ordinated Experiments was an evil institution.) Or perhaps they *have* read it and are enjoying the joke. SignatureStan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA http://OakRoadSystems.com Shikata ga nai... >Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:02:40 +0000 from Mike Barnes ><mikebarnes@bluebottle.com>: [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >institution.) Or perhaps they *have* read it and are enjoying the >joke. Yes, that was my first thought when the thing was introduced. Not a good omen, it seemed to me. SignatureKaty Jennison spamtrap: remove the first two letters after the @ >Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:02:40 +0000 from Mike Barnes ><mikebarnes@bluebottle.com>: [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >institution.) Or perhaps they *have* read it and are enjoying the >joke. And perhaps they are the type of which Lewis's version was the antitype. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >May the word "behavio(u)r" be pluralized? If so, is there any change >in meaning (behaviour - behaviours)? It's jargon used by psychologists, and shouldn't be used outside the field. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk |
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