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Data Base or database?

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Randall Cooper

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May 2, 1994, 10:23:28 AM5/2/94
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Is there such a word as database (one word)? In dictionaries that are not
very old (e.g., the Webster's New World Second Edition), the word isn't
there. Oddly, in Word for Windows 6.0, the spell checker doesn't reject
the word, but the thesaurus can't find it.

I'd think that data base (two words) is correct. If database is now
correct, can anyone tell me how long that's been true?

Thanks.

Lee Rudolph

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May 2, 1994, 11:20:23 AM5/2/94
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>I'd think that data base (two words) is correct. If database is now
>correct, can anyone tell me how long that's been true?

Correct, I dunno. Current, at least since Knuth's TeXbook
("database" is one of the exceptions he has to explicitly make
for the hyphenation algorithm), what's that, a dozen years or more?

Lee Rudolph

PS There may be people who distinguish between nominal "data base"
and adjectival "database" ("Betty used to be a number theorist but
now she's a database honcho").

Chris Malcolm

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May 3, 1994, 11:09:03 AM5/3/94
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In article <2q32d0$j...@netaxs.com> ra...@netaxs.com (Randall Cooper) writes:

>I'd think that data base (two words) is correct. If database is now
>correct, can anyone tell me how long that's been true?

Data base refers to the data. Database refers to a particular kind of
computer program for handling data bases.
--
Chris Malcolm c...@uk.ac.ed.aifh +44 (0)31 650 3085
Department of Artificial Intelligence, Edinburgh University
5 Forrest Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2QL, UK DoD #205
"The mind reigns, but does not govern" -- Paul Valery

Truly Donovan

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May 3, 1994, 4:08:28 PM5/3/94
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In article <Cp8FF...@festival.ed.ac.uk> c...@castle.ed.ac.uk (Chris Malcolm) writes:

>In article <2q32d0$j...@netaxs.com> ra...@netaxs.com (Randall Cooper) writes:

>>I'd think that data base (two words) is correct. If database is now
>>correct, can anyone tell me how long that's been true?

>Data base refers to the data. Database refers to a particular kind of
>computer program for handling data bases.

As in "my database just hosed my data base"? This distinction doesn't exist
in today's literature, or at least not to the degree that anyone could safely
assume that the majority of one's readers would appreciate it.

Truly Donovan (tr...@lunemere.com)

John A Lambert

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May 2, 1994, 7:09:18 PM5/2/94
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--
You need a good citation index to determine when 'database' became an accepted
spelling -- which it certainly is.

On a related change: In the AGPS Style Manual, third edition, 1988, chapter 2
was called 'Copy editing'; in the fourth edition, 1994, the spelling has
changed to 'Copyediting'. I guess that I can now date the change in accepted
spelling as falling somewhere in the range 1988 (or perhaps 1987) to 1993.

John A Lambert
Centre for Literary and Linguistic Computing
The University of Newcastle NSW 2308 Australia
Phone National (049)21 5751 Fax National (049)21 6916
International +61 49 21 5751 International +61 49 21 6916
e-mail cc...@cc.newcastle.edu.au

Relana Colleen Pinkerton

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May 5, 1994, 11:09:01 AM5/5/94
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Aren't we discussion "closed compounds" here? And doesn't this
problem originate in the recent electronic typesetter's effort
to reduce expenses by reducing effort?

Checking the Chicago Manual (14th) leads me to the conclusion
that, when the hyphen has been dropped (for whatever reason)
and the words in question are generally used a one, they may be
(perhaps should for clarity?) be spelled as one.

For instance: daycare, healthcare, online.

This may be especially acceptable if both are mono-syllabic?

Watdayatink?

Dale Adler (using a friend's account)

Truly Donovan

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May 7, 1994, 7:27:48 PM5/7/94
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>Watdayatink?

I think that this one never had a hyphen in the first place.

Truly Donovan

MISS NR MABELANA

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May 9, 1994, 6:47:29 AM5/9/94
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In article <CpC4r...@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> rc...@darwin.clas.Virginia.EDU (Relana Colleen Pinkerton) writes:
>From: rc...@darwin.clas.Virginia.EDU (Relana Colleen Pinkerton)
>Subject: Re: Data Base or database?
>Date: Thu, 5 May 1994 15:09:01 GMT

Rhodi M. Chambliss

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May 9, 1994, 2:38:31 PM5/9/94
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Database is the proper spelling. I major in information systems and all
of my textbooks refer to "relational databases." Data base is not a
word, really.

Rhodi Chambliss

Truly Donovan

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May 9, 1994, 11:00:44 PM5/9/94
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No, it is not a word, it is two words that convey the same meaning as the
neologism that replaced them, "database." "Data base" could never be
wrong; the only question that has ever had to be resolved is whether
"database" is correct.

Truly Donovan

Shack Toms

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May 11, 1994, 10:46:04 AM5/11/94
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Several months ago I tried to answer this question in the following way. I
logged in to the computer system of the local public library, the Cleveland
Public Library, and tried a keyword search of their online card catalogue.
My reasoning was that proper usage is determined by actual usage by
educated speakers, so I thought this would be a good primary source for
my research.

I found "database" to be used about as commonly as "data base".

I think that both "database" and "data base" are words. Yes, they
are words formed from two other words. So what? Aren't compounds
words?

szh...@hamlet.ucdavis.edu

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May 13, 1994, 5:21:44 PM5/13/94
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: No, it is not a word, it is two words that convey the same meaning as the
: neologism that replaced them, "database." "Data base" could never be
: wrong; the only question that has ever had to be resolved is whether
: "database" is correct.

: Truly Donovan

Hmmm. I extracted from my data base of statistics from "Ethnic Regionalisms"
figures which I catagorized and input into my pc database. At least I
thought I did.

--
Mykl

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