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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage
Dice - die
Hi AUE,
I hope you can help me with this issue which we've been discussing in alt.fan.douglas-adams. We've looked it up in 3 different dictionaries with no helpful result and I've read the FAQ on your site, not finding the answer there either.
The thing we've discussed is the singular of "dice" which is a bit confusing to us because my own dictionary (Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, 4th edition) says that the usage of "die" as singular for "dice" is dated and that "dice" should be the same in both plural and singular. Another member of afda, who has 6th edition of same dictionary, says that, according to his dictionary, the usage of "die" as singular form of "dice" is American English. However, more than one member from England, with a British education, say that they were taught to use "die" as singular for "dice". Finally, I looked it up at www.m-w.com where it seems that both usages are listed with no special note or emphasis on either of them (unless I misunderstand them).
Now I'm asking you: Can you help us solve this one? Is one more correct than the other one, or is it simply a question of some sort of regional difference or some other kind of difference?
Nikitta a.a. #1759 Apatriot(No, not apricot)#18
ICQ# 251532856
Unreferenced footnotes: http://www.nut.house.cx/cgi-bin/nemwiki.pl?ISFN Hi, I'm the .signature virus. Copy me into your .sig file and help me spread!
I hope you can help me with this issue which we've been discussing in alt.fan.douglas-adams. We've looked it up in 3 different dictionaries with no helpful result and I've read the FAQ on your site, not finding the answer there either.
The thing we've discussed is the singular of "dice" which is a bit confusing to us because my own dictionary (Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, 4th edition) says that the usage of "die" as singular for "dice" is dated and that "dice" should be the same in both plural and singular. Another member of afda, who has 6th edition of same dictionary, says that, according to his dictionary, the usage of "die" as singular form of "dice" is American English. However, more than one member from England, with a British education, say that they were taught to use "die" as singular for "dice". Finally, I looked it up at www.m-w.com where it seems that both usages are listed with no special note or emphasis on either of them (unless I misunderstand them).
Now I'm asking you: Can you help us solve this one? Is one more correct than the other one, or is it simply a question of some sort of regional difference or some other kind of difference?
Nikitta a.a. #1759 Apatriot(No, not apricot)#18
ICQ# 251532856
Unreferenced footnotes: http://www.nut.house.cx/cgi-bin/nemwiki.pl?ISFN Hi, I'm the .signature virus. Copy me into your .sig file and help me spread!
Top answer
[nq:1]Hi AUE,[/nq] snip re: die as singular of dice [nq:1]Now I'm asking you: Can you help us solve this one? [/nq] Perhaps regional. I'd never drum someone out of court for using "die" might even use it myself but anyone who says that "dice" cannot properly be singular is trying to define usage by etymology the weakest usage argument that exists.
- [nq:1]Hi AUE,[/nq] snip re: die as singular of dice [nq:1]Now I'm asking you: Can you help us solve this one?
- [/nq] Perhaps regional.
- I'd never drum someone out of court for using "die" might even use it myself but anyone who says that "dice" cannot properly be singular is trying to define usage by etymology the weakest usage argument that exists.
- ) From Burchfield ( The New Fowler's ): dice (noun).
- In origin (14C) the p.
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128 Answers
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[nq:1]Hi AUE,[/nq]
snip re: die as singular of dice
[nq:1]Now I'm asking you: Can you help us solve this one? Is one more correct than the other one, or is it simply a question of some sort of regional difference or some other kind of difference?[/nq]
Perhaps regional. I'd never drum someone out of court for using "die" might even use it myself but anyone who says that "dice" cannot pr
snip re: die as singular of dice
[nq:1]Now I'm asking you: Can you help us solve this one? Is one more correct than the other one, or is it simply a question of some sort of regional difference or some other kind of difference?[/nq]
Perhaps regional. I'd never drum someone out of court for using "die" might even use it myself but anyone who says that "dice" cannot pr
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[nq:1]On 26 Oct 2003, MEow wrote[/nq]
Conversely, I'd never criticize someone, during a games of Risk, who said "Whoops, I dropped a dice on the floor", but I would be looking for a die on the floor.
In some board games, and in Cribbage, we use a single die to determine who goes first. I would never refer to that as a dice. You roll a die, and not a dice.
Conversely, I'd never criticize someone, during a games of Risk, who said "Whoops, I dropped a dice on the floor", but I would be looking for a die on the floor.
In some board games, and in Cribbage, we use a single die to determine who goes first. I would never refer to that as a dice. You roll a die, and not a dice.
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[nq:1]In some board games, and in Cribbage, we use a single die to determine who goes first. I would never refer to that as a dice. You roll a die, and not a dice.[/nq]
Thinking about this, I think that's my usage as well.
It does appear, though, that those who "roll a dice" although different to you and me are not wrong.
Cheers, Harvey
Ottawa/Toronto/
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on 26 Oct 2003:
[nq:1]On 26 Oct 2003, Tony Cooper wrotesnip[/nq]
[nq:2]In some board games, and in Cribbage, we use a ... a dice. You roll a die, and not a dice.[/nq]
[nq:1]Thinking about this, I think that's my usage as well. It does appear, though, that those who "roll a dice" although different to you and me are not wrong.[/nq]
You can do it if you put the fingers of
[nq:1]On 26 Oct 2003, Tony Cooper wrote
[nq:2]In some board games, and in Cribbage, we use a ... a dice. You roll a die, and not a dice.[/nq]
[nq:1]Thinking about this, I think that's my usage as well. It does appear, though, that those who "roll a dice" although different to you and me are not wrong.[/nq]
You can do it if you put the fingers of
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Huh? What domain is that? (Sorry if I seem a bit thick. I don't actually want to send you a message, but I am curious.)
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England
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on
26 Oct 2003:
[nq:1]Huh? What domain is that? (Sorry if I seem a bit thick. I don't actually want to send you a message, but I am curious.)[/nq]
netscape instead of nospam.
For e-mail, delete the OBVIOUS intruders and insert the OBVIOUS domain. (NB: This sig will self-destruct within 30 days.)
26 Oct 2003:
[nq:1]Huh? What domain is that? (Sorry if I seem a bit thick. I don't actually want to send you a message, but I am curious.)[/nq]
netscape instead of nospam.
For e-mail, delete the OBVIOUS intruders and insert the OBVIOUS domain. (NB: This sig will self-destruct within 30 days.)
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[nq:1]snip[/nq]
[nq:2]In some board games, and in Cribbage, we use a ... a dice. You roll a die, and not a dice.[/nq]
[nq:1]Thinking about this, I think that's my usage as well. It does appear, though, that those who "roll a dice" although different to you and me are not wrong.[/nq]
So this means that both are equally acceptable?
English isn't my native language, but I'm
[nq:2]In some board games, and in Cribbage, we use a ... a dice. You roll a die, and not a dice.[/nq]
[nq:1]Thinking about this, I think that's my usage as well. It does appear, though, that those who "roll a dice" although different to you and me are not wrong.[/nq]
So this means that both are equally acceptable?
English isn't my native language, but I'm
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[nq:1]So this means that both are equally acceptable?[/nq]
'die' is regarded by some educated people as technically correct, but it's not normally used. You would get some strange looks if you used it in ordinary circles.
Paul
My Lake District walking site (updated 29th September 2003):
'die' is regarded by some educated people as technically correct, but it's not normally used. You would get some strange looks if you used it in ordinary circles.
Paul
My Lake District walking site (updated 29th September 2003):
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[nq:2]snip Thinking about this, I think that's my usage as ... although different to you and me are not wrong.[/nq]
[nq:1]So this means that both are equally acceptable?[/nq]
Both are equally *defendable", but both will not be equally acceptable to people who erroneously consider "a dice" to be wrong.
snip
[nq:1]I'll wait for more people to reply to my qu
[nq:1]So this means that both are equally acceptable?[/nq]
Both are equally *defendable", but both will not be equally acceptable to people who erroneously consider "a dice" to be wrong.
[nq:1]I'll wait for more people to reply to my qu
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[nq:1]On 26 Oct 2003, Tony Cooper wrote snip[/nq]
[nq:2]In some board games, and in Cribbage, we use a ... a dice. You roll a die, and not a dice.[/nq]
[nq:1]Thinking about this, I think that's my usage as well. It does appear, though, that those who "roll a dice" although different to you and me are not wrong.[/nq]
I think that "die" is in current use in AmE, in UK casinos,
[nq:2]In some board games, and in Cribbage, we use a ... a dice. You roll a die, and not a dice.[/nq]
[nq:1]Thinking about this, I think that's my usage as well. It does appear, though, that those who "roll a dice" although different to you and me are not wrong.[/nq]
I think that "die" is in current use in AmE, in UK casinos,
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