Correct Usage of "Myriad"?

Question

In another newsgroup that I read, someone was recently chided for posting this sentence: "I agree for a myriad of reasons."

The person calling them to task cited this reference: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/myriad.html
I thought I'd post the issue here and see what the 'experts' think.

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]In another newsgroup that I read, someone was recently chided for posting this sentence: "I agree for a myriad of reasons." The person calling them to task cited this reference: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/myriad.html I thought I'd post the issue here and see what the 'experts' think.[/nq]
"Myriad" stands for "ten thousand". I'd be surprised if the chap had ten thousand reasons to agree.
CW

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]In another newsgroup that I read, someone was recently chided for posting this sentence: "I agree for a myriad of reasons." The person calling them to task cited this reference: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/myriad.html I thought I'd post the issue here and see what the 'experts' think.[/nq]
I'm not an 'expert' but I have a dictionary. The Oxford English Dictionary categorises the word as both noun and adjective, and its citations include instances both with "of" and without it. There is no usage comment.

Alan Jones

Usenet · Answer

Mardon (Email Removed)'s wild thoughts were released on Thu, 7 Aug 2008 16:35:57 +0200 (CEST) bearing the following fruit:
[nq:1]In another newsgroup that I read, someone was recently chided for posting this sentence: "I agree for a myriad of reasons." The person calling them to task cited this reference: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/myriad.html I thought I'd post the issue here and see what the 'experts' think.[/nq]
"Usage Note: Throughout most of its history in English myriad was used as a noun, as in a myriad of men. In the 19th century it began to be used in poetry as an adjective, as in myriad men. Both usages in English are acceptable, as in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Myriad myriads of lives." This poetic, adjectival use became so well entrenched generally that many people came to consider it as the only correct use. In fact, both uses in English are parallel with those of the original ancient Greek. The Greek word murias, from which myriad derives, could be used as either a noun or an adjective, but the noun murias was used in general prose and in mathematics while the adjective murias was used only in poetry"
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/myriad

Jan Hyde (VB MVP)
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Jan.Hyde

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]In another newsgroup that I read, someone was recently chided for posting this sentence: "I agree for a myriad of reasons."[/nq]
It's not wrong; but "I agree for a myriad reasons" is a more elegant use of the language.

Andrew
http://www.wordskit.com/
http://www.flayme.com/

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]In another newsgroup that I read, someone was recently chided for posting this sentence: "I agree for a myriad of reasons."[/nq]
[nq:1]It's not wrong; but "I agree for a myriad reasons" is a more elegant use of the language.[/nq]
Now we know your taste in such matters. I consider "for a myriad of reasons" far more elegaqnt. Now you know my taste in such matters.

Not much more to say, is there?

Bob Lieblich
Delicious poster

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]"Myriad" stands for "ten thousand". I'd be surprised if the chap had ten thousand reasons to agree.[/nq]
Archaic Ten thousand.
These days it usually means a 'very large but indeterminate number' How reasonable that might be would probably depend on the context.
Andrew
http://www.wordskit.com/
http://www.flayme.com/

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]In another newsgroup that I read, someone was recently chided for posting this sentence: "I agree for a myriad of reasons."...[/nq]
[nq:1]"Myriad" stands for "ten thousand". I'd be surprised if the chap had ten thousand reasons to agree.[/nq]
It seems to be a reasonable metaphorical use, rather like "I have a ton of work to do today."

History teaches that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure. (Thurgood Marshall)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]It's not wrong; but "I agree for a myriad reasons" is a more elegant use of the language.[/nq]
[nq:1]Now we know your taste in such matters. I consider "for a myriad of reasons" far more elegaqnt. Now you know my taste in such matters. Not much more to say, is there?[/nq]
Not much. A little though!
There are loads of 'loads of's. 'A myriad reasons' is unusual. At least, I don't hear it very often nowadays. Don't often see red squirrels in my neck of the woods either. Even if I preferred their grey usurpers I'd be sorry to lose all the red ones.
Anyway, your taste in such matters is interesting. A bit. One of my reasons for following this group is to see what people think of English usage.
Peter

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]In another newsgroup that I read, someone was recently chided for posting this sentence: "I agree for a myriad of reasons."[/nq]
[nq:1]It's not wrong; but "I agree for a myriad reasons" is a more elegant use of the language.[/nq]
Is this not a typo? I thought the two choices were a myriad of reasosn and myriad reasons.
If you are inclined to email me
for some reason, remove NOPSAM :-)

Correct Usage of "Myriad"?

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