re: #329 Cato the Elder

Wrong. Simply wrong.

Criterion - criteria.
Millennium - millennia.
Phenomenon - phenomena.

Latin and Greek nouns that end in -um or -on in the singular virtually always take the plural in -a.

If “phenomena” were a singular noun (which it never is), “phenomenae” would be correct as the plural (it’s not).

I gave up on the NYT as a style guide when they started using the word “millenniums”. What’s next? “Phenomenons”?

You don’t parse Latin with Cato, and Cato won’t piss on your science. Hmmkay?

;^)

Hey I asked it as a question! Well the phenomenae part. I accept your ruling though. It has been years since I was beaten by the headmaster when conjugating verbs in Latin.

I do stick to the point that phenomena even though it is not a correct usage gets used as singular by many folks - and I ma not certain when an “incorrect” usage gets common enough to become the usage.