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Discussion Groups / British English / May 2007Plural form for "Organization"
Hello! I am writing a thesis within Information Retrieval. In the thesis I am evaluating retrieval within different ways of organizing document representations in spaces (axis systems). I have a number of different types of such ways to organize document representations, to each of which I refer to as a "data organization". Recently one of my colleagues said that it would be wrong to use the noun "organization" in plural ("organizations"), as organization has a plural for the institutional sense only. I am dependent on being able to talk about those organiztions in plural (as I compare their properties). My question is: 1. Is it correct that "organization" has a plural for the institutional sense only? 2. Would "Arrangements" be any better? 3. Any other suggestions Kind regards Michael > Hello! > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > 1. Is it correct that "organization" has a plural for the > institutional sense only? Yes. Organization in the sense, "I need more organization in my life' is always in the singular, like 'information' and other words. That sis 'I need to organise my life better'.In the institutional sense there is no problem for there it means more structures/organizations rather than the 'attitude' organization. > 2. Would "Arrangements" be any better? > 3. Any other suggestions You don't need any, in the sense "data (or information) organization" you'll always be in the 'singular' (collective if you like). >> Hello! >> [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > You don't need any, in the sense "data (or information) organization" > you'll always be in the 'singular' (collective if you like). Yes, but he was misusing the term in "a data organization" when he meant "a data structure" or "a data arrangement" (it is a bit of a puzzle as to why "arrangement" shouldn't be open to the same sort of criticism as "organization"...)  SignatureJohn Briggs > My question is: > 1. Is it correct that "organization" has a plural for the institutional > sense only? > 2. Would "Arrangements" be any better? > 3. Any other suggestions Data organization systems ? SignatureBlue Sow > Hello! > > I am writing a thesis within Information Retrieval. > > In the thesis I am evaluating retrieval within different ways of > organizing document representations in spaces (axis systems). In the UK, "organise" is spelled with an 's'. There are many other differences in the way the language is used, and in the ways that we communicate between ourselves in the UK, so this is the wrong place for you to ask such a question. Seek an appropriate group. >> Hello! >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > In the UK, "organise" is spelled with an 's'. Not always - but I always do, if only to annoy Americans :-) SignatureJohn Briggs John Briggs schrieb: >>>Hello! >>> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Not always - but I always do, if only to annoy Americans :-) I believe that, among others, The Times, Oxford University Press and the OED prefer the "-ize" spelling. As a teacher of English as a second language I prefer the "-ise" spelling because the rules are simpler. Regards, Einde O'Callaghan In uk.culture.language.english, Einde O'Callaghan wrote: >I believe that, among others, The Times, Oxford University Press and >the OED prefer the "-ize" spelling. As a teacher of English as a second >language I prefer the "-ise" spelling because the rules are simpler. All you wanted to know, and more, here: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-ise1.htm http://alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxizevsi.html http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19991206 SignatureMike Barnes > In uk.culture.language.english, Einde O'Callaghan wrote: >> I believe that, among others, The Times, Oxford University Press and [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > http://alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxizevsi.html > http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19991206 At least two of those are wrong. SignatureJohn Briggs In uk.culture.language.english, John Briggs wrote: >> In uk.culture.language.english, Einde O'Callaghan wrote: >>> I believe that, among others, The Times, Oxford University Press and [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >At least two of those are wrong. In what respect? SignatureMike Barnes > In uk.culture.language.english, John Briggs wrote: >>> In uk.culture.language.english, Einde O'Callaghan wrote: [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > In what respect? "Recognize" is not the usual British spelling. We are not "more and more" using the -ize ending. SignatureJohn Briggs >> In uk.culture.language.english, John Briggs wrote: >>>> In uk.culture.language.english, Einde O'Callaghan wrote: [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > We are not "more and more" using the -ize ending. We appear to be in this thread. Let's nay let the -ize have it! In uk.culture.language.english, John Briggs wrote: >> In uk.culture.language.english, John Briggs wrote: >>>> In uk.culture.language.english, Einde O'Callaghan wrote: [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > >"Recognize" is not the usual British spelling. Where does any of them state that it is? >We are not "more and more" using the -ize ending. How do you know? SignatureMike Barnes > In uk.culture.language.english, John Briggs wrote: >>> In uk.culture.language.english, John Briggs wrote: [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > How do you know? Pick up an English newspaper; they're where bad habits first rear their ugly heads. I see no indication of "~ize" being used more frequently, or with different words, than before. > 1. Is it correct that "organization" has a plural for the institutional > sense only? > 2. Would "Arrangements" be any better? > 3. Any other suggestions "Different schemes of data organisation", "methods of...", "patterns of...", or even the dreaded "paradigms of...", would be my choice. I take it that "data structures" would be far too specific, and you are talking about networks of interlinked data structures. Paul Burke > Hello! > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > 2. Would "Arrangements" be any better? > 3. Any other suggestions ad 3: array, disposition, formation SignatureNoel > ad 3: array, disposition, formation Would "formations" be correct? >> ad 3: array, disposition, formation > > Would "formations" be correct? I don't see why not. I can imagine a sentence like "The Red Arrows demonstrate a variety of formations in their flying display: diamond, delta, swallowtail, square and so on." So if your 'organizations' are at all analogous to the different ways of arranging nine aircraft in flight, then 'formations' would surely convey the concept you are trying to put across. I would nonetheless prefer 'arrays'. Another word which comes to mind is 'configurations'. Perhaps if you were to post back with a sample sentence or two from your dissertation, someone would be able to pinpoint the most appropriate term. SignatureNoel > Hello! > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > 2. Would "Arrangements" be any better? > 3. Any other suggestions As a former academic (many years ago), I think that the use of a word in a new sense defined in an academic paper (which appears to be what you are doing) stands aside from previous uses of the word in more familiar settings and may well have its own rules. But, IMO, you would be better to coin a new phrase that avoids the problem, or use a word that doesn't present the problem. How about "data tree"? I common parlance, the word "algebra" probably doesn't have a plural. To algebraists it certainly does. My PhD these was called "On certain varieties of Universal Algebras" and would have been pretty meaningless without the plural "Algebras". SignatureMike Stevens narrowboat Felis Catus III web-site www.mike-stevens.co.uk Defend the waterways. Visit the web site www.saveourwaterways.org.uk >> Hello! >> [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > varieties of Universal Algebras" and would have been pretty > meaningless without the plural "Algebras". "these"? SignatureJohn Briggs >>> Hello! >>> [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > >"these"? Singular derived from the plural "theses"? SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in uk.culture.language.english) >>>> Hello! >>>> [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > > Singular derived from the plural "theses"? Or from the French? (thèse) SignatureJohn Briggs >>>>> Hello! >>>>> [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > > Or from the French? (thèse) Someone else should write a those on it. |
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