Data is plural, so what's the issue? It's more an issue of data and datum becoming muddied together. Grammar is dumb, don't obey the rules if the rules are dumb. But do keep being intelligible to those with whom you communicate
It's "these" for data because conceptually (to scientists I guess) data are a formless blob of information, whereas to the regular person data is just a bunch of facts.
In standard written English I think "they were hurt" is the clear winner.
Closest point of comparison I can think of is "you were hurt", which uses the same verb form regardless of whether "you" is singular or plural.
Your edit won me over
Counterpoint: These data
Sounds wrong, but is correct (and sounds correct if you were taught it that way). Maybe this is the same kind of situation?
Data is plural, so what's the issue? It's more an issue of data and datum becoming muddied together. Grammar is dumb, don't obey the rules if the rules are dumb. But do keep being intelligible to those with whom you communicate
Oh grammar is definitely dumb, but also, seemed like kind of a fun question
If this is fun for you, check out "Tense, Present" by David Foster Wallace. Ultra, turbo nerd shit specifically about grammar
It's "these" for data because conceptually (to scientists I guess) data are a formless blob of information, whereas to the regular person data is just a bunch of facts.
I thought it's because it's a plural
Oh I thought it was a split between whether it was countable or uncountable mass noun.
Apparently not, math is just fucked up yo