The Vicissitudes of the Latin Plural in English

The Vicissitudes of the Latin Plural in English The Vicissitudes of the Latin Plural in English The Vicissitudes of the Latin Plural in English By Maeve Maddox A recent forum question asks about the word data. The dictionary says the word data can be treated as a singular. But strictly speaking the word is a plural. How does such a thing happen in language? You wouldnt say, the cars is fast. How does a plural gain acceptance as a singular? The answer is, A plural gains acceptance as a singular because language is always changing to suit the comfort of the people who speak it. In the case of data, the singular form datum has been rejected by most English speakers as not sounding right. Hence data is and data are. When the study of Latin was standard in the curriculum of English- speaking children, no one thought twice about using datum as the singular form of data. Now that Latin is a rarity in American education, datum sounds foreign and has been abandoned in general usage. The distinctions between Latin singulars and plurals is still observed for some English words in some contextsscientific or academicbut for the most part, either the singular or the plural Latin form, depending upon which sounds less English, tends to be dropped. Here are some words that started out with Latin singular and plural forms. In some cases both survive. In others, the plural has been anglicized or taken over as the singular. alumna/alumnae; alumnus/alumni Literally foster daughter and foster son, these words refer in American usage to graduates of an educational institution. Most universities tend to use the masculine forms only. Alumnus is still in use as a singular, but I have heard people use alumni as if it could be either singular or plural. datum/data In common usage the plural, data, has become accepted as either singular or plural. medium/media The parts of this pair have taken on different meanings. The plural, media, has come to mean methods of communication such as newspapers, television, radio, and film. Medium can mean the material used by an artist to produce an artistic creation. It can also mean any method for accomplishing something. Ex. As a reporter, hes a member of the media. Which of these mediums do you prefer, watercolor or oil? By means of what medium do you expect to accomplish this? And yes, another kind of medium is a person through whom spirits speak. appendix/appendices The Latin plural is still in use, but one also hears appendixes. formula/formulae The Latin plural persists in scientific contexts, but one often hears formulas. encyclopedia/encyclopediae The English plural encyclopedias is more common than the Latin. index/indices The Latin plural is used in academic contexts, but one commonly hears indexes. axis/axes I dont think Ive ever heard anyone say axises. Its not a word that commonly comes up in conversation. crisis/crises I have heard crisises but in this case the Latin plural crises [cry seez] is easier to say and will probably persist. criterion/criteria Here is a pair that persists in both the Latin singular and plural. One judges the worth of a book according to a set of criteria. One criterion might be style. Another criterion might be accuracy. phenomenon/phenomena A tornado is a phenomenon of Nature. Other phenomena are earthquakes, thunderstorms, and floods. Both the singular and plural forms of this word are alive and well. agendum/agenda Here the singular form has dropped out and people speak of both an agenda and agendas. memorandum/memoranda Both of these forms are still in use, but Ive heard memorandums. cactus/cacti Some people still use the Latin plural, but one hears cactuses. fungus/fungi[fun dzhai] Both forms are in use, but one also hears funguses. hippopotamus/hippopotami Since most people now call them hippos, the Latin plural is not much in use. The plural hippopotamuses is a mouthful and when used tends to sound humorous. Some other unusual singular/plural pairs that may seem to derive from Latin come instead from Greek. They are sometimes mistakenly given invented Latin plurals. octopus You may hear someone use the plural octopi for this word, but the Latin plural would be octopodes. The English plural is octopuses. stigma Heres a word whose original plural has taken on a different meaning with the result that stigmata and stigmas mean different things. A stigma is some kind of negative mark. It is usually used figuratively. Ex. In the 1950s a woman was ruined by the stigma of an illegitimate child. The politician was never able to overcome the stigma of having embezzled state funds. The plural of stigma is stigmas. The original plural stigmata refers to the crucifixion wounds of Christ and to the marks of these wounds as they have appeared on the bodies of certain Christian mystics. Ex. Mystics known to have experienced stigmata include Francis of Assisi and Catherine of Siena. dogma The original plural was dogmata, but dogmas has prevailed. The older plural, however, gives us the adjective dogmatic. There are several other Latin and Greek singular/plural pairs still in use, but these are probably the most common. 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How to Get a Corrected Social Security Card

How to Get a Corrected Social Security Card By law, your Social Security card must show your current legal name. If you legally change your name because of marriage, divorce, court order or any other legal reason, you must inform Social Security as soon as possible so they can issue you a corrected Social Security card. Fast Facts Federal law requires that Social Security cards display the cardholder’s current and correct legal name.In the event of a name change resulting from marriage, divorce, court order or any other legal reason, the cardholder must notify the Social Security Administration as soon as possible and apply for a corrected Social Security card.Applications for a corrected Social Security card cannot be submitted online. Applications may only be submitted at a Social Security field office or by conventional mail.There is no charge connected with applying for a corrected Social Security card. Failure to inform Social Security of your name change could cost you money by delaying your tax refunds and preventing your wages from being added to your Social Security account record, which could reduce your future Social Security benefits. There is no charge for getting a corrected Social Security card, however, because of the documentation you  must provide, you cannot apply for one online. Apply To get a corrected Social Security card, you need to: Download and print out a Form SS-5 – Application for Social Security Card.Fill out the application and assemble the required proof of identity documents (see below).Take or mail the application and all required documents to your local Social Security office. Documents Serving as Proof of a Legal Name Change You will need proof of your current legal name. In some cases, you may also need to show proof of your current U.S. citizenship or legal permanent resident (green card) status. Documents Social Security will accept as proof of a legal name change include original or certified copies of: Marriage licenses;Divorce decrees;Certificates of naturalization showing a new name; orCourt orders for a name change. Note: All documents submitted must be either originals or copies certified by the agency issuing them. Social Security will not accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents. A â€Å"certified† copy of a document will typically have a raised, embossed, impressed, or multicolored seal placed on the document by the issuing agency. Some agencies will offer a choice of certified or non-certified copies and may charge an extra fee for certified copies. When needed for Social Security purposes, always request a certified copy. If Your Documents Are Too Old It is important that you notify Social Security of your name change as soon as possible. If you legally changed your name more than two years before applying for a corrected Social Security card, or if the documents you provide do not give enough information to fully identify you, you may also be required to provide two additional identifying documents including: At least one document showing your old name; andA second document with your new legal name. Proof of Citizenship If Social Security tells you that you need to prove your status as a U.S. citizen, they will accept only an original or certified copy of your U.S. birth certificate or U.S. passport. Foreign-born citizens, including naturalized citizens and immigrants with legal permanent resident status, may be allowed to use: Certificate of NaturalizationCertificate of CitizenshipCertificate of Report of BirthConsular Report of Birth Abroad Proving Your Identity If you do need to provide Social Security with further proof of your identity, they will accept only current documents showing your current legal name, date of birth or age, and a recent photograph. Examples of such documents include: U.S. drivers license;State-issued identification card; orU.S. passport. If you do not have any of those documents, Social Security might accept other documents, such as: Employee identification card;School identification card;Health insurance card (other than a Medicare card); orU.S. military identification card. Your Number Will Not Change Your corrected Social Security card – which will be mailed to you will have the same Social Security number as your old card but will show your new name. Protect Your Social Security Number Speaking of Social Security numbers, they are the main thing identity thieves need to rob you blind. As result, Social Security has long advised that it is rarely necessary to show anybody your Social Security card. â€Å"Do not carry your card with you. Keep it in a safe place with your other important papers,† advises the Social Security Administration.