The Nordic model, often touted as a paragon of progressive social policies, has long been the envy of many nations. Finland, in particular, has been praised for its generous parental support programs, designed to encourage and facilitate family growth. Yet, despite these well-intentioned efforts, the country has witnessed a startling decline in its birthrate, plummeting by nearly a third since 2010.

non member link: https://medium.com/@chrisjeffrieshomelessromantic/the-birthrate-in-finland-has-plummeted-by-nearly-a-33-since-2010-despite-parental-support-7fd60220b109?sk=90d8976af82ed29268286a3d6e79b633

  • frightful_hobgoblin@lemmy.ml
    ·
    4 months ago

    the data tells a different story

    The data tell a different story.

    That's my ration of pedantry spent. You'd swear these people never went to school.

    • ProfessorOwl_PhD [any]
      ·
      edit-2
      4 months ago

      The issue with pedantry is you have to make sure you're right - data here is the collective noun for a group of individual data, so is used correctly.

      Plus "plummeted by a 33%" was literally right there

    • ComradeSalad@lemmygrad.ml
      ·
      edit-2
      4 months ago

      The phrase is “The data tells a different story”

      Data itself is singular as it’s a defined entity. It is the sum of its parts.

      If it said “data points”, then you would be right.

      • frightful_hobgoblin@lemmy.ml
        ·
        edit-2
        4 months ago

        Data itself is a singular

        It's clearly plural, in form and meaning. That's my point. If it were singular it'd be 'datum'. It has a second-declension plural ending.

        data points

        This also bothers me. Why say 'data point' instead of 'datum'? Illiterate bloody philistines.

        • BakedBeanEnjoyer
          ·
          edit-2
          4 months ago

          It's clearly plural, in form and meaning. That's my point. If it were singular it'd be 'datum'. It has a second-declension plural ending.

          They're referring to data as a single unified whole.

          Family is singular despite being made of multiple members. Data is singular despite being composed of multiple data points.

          • frightful_hobgoblin@lemmy.ml
            ·
            4 months ago

            They’re referring to data as a single unified whole.

            That makes as much sense as "Countries says the story is different. I'm referring to countries as a single unified whole"

    • ClimateChangeAnxiety [he/him, they/them]
      ·
      4 months ago

      You’re technically correct but it’s one of those “technically correct”s that I would say is so far from people’s actual usage and the way other words work that it’s actually wrong and makes you sound stupid.

      You wouldn’t say “The student body are…” or “the rat colony are…” They’re single bodies made up of smaller parts, so they get referred to as singular.

      My PI always says “the data are” and it grates on me like nails on a chalkboard. It doesn’t make you sound smarter and more serious, it makes you sound like an out of touch, Reddit brained dipshit.