[Fwd: text messaging]

[Arnold M. Zwicky]

On Aug 2, 2007, at 2:43 PM, Wilson Gray wrote:

> This posting contains the first use of _phenomena_ as a singular that
> I've ever come across in either writing or speech.

welcome to the modern world.  google on {"a phenomena is"} (or
various other formulae).  MWDEU has sg. "phenomena" from the OED from
1576, and from their own files from the mid 1920s.  and lots of other
cites.

all of the following patterns are attested:

A1.  sg. phenomenon, pl. phenomena [based on the Greek]

A2.  sg. phenomenon, pl. phenomenon [above – zero plural]

A3.  sg. phenomenon, pl. phenomenons [regularization]

B1.  sg. phenomena, pl. phenomena [spread of pl. to sg. – zero plural]

B2.  sg. phenomena, pl. phenomenas [spread of pl. to sg. plus
regularization]

the B patterns are very common.  B2 seems to have been a favorite of
the scientist Robert Boyle.

arnold

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