Bob
maybe you would like to analyze this (metonymical) use of information in
Shakespeare's Coriolanus
(...) But reason with the fellow,
Before you punish him, where he heard this,
Lest you shall chance to whip your information,
And beat the messenger who bids beware
Of what is to be
-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of John Collier
Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 10:12 AM
To: Michel PETITJEAN; fis@listas.unizar.es
Subject: Re: [Fis] information(s)
At 04:35 PM 12/6/2008, Michel PETITJEAN wrote:
Hello FISers.
Recently, one of my colleagues
Hello FISers.
Recently, one of my colleagues attract my attention on the following point.
In French, we often use information as a countable quantity,
so that we can write informations.
In English, it seems that it is unusual, if not incorrect, to do that.
(1) Please can some English native
Michel -- Of course, a countable quantity certainly inheres in one
aspect of information -- the Shannon version. But in English we
would not say 'many informations'. Rather 'much information' could
be used. 'Many' does have a countable sense of individual pieces,
while 'much' is a holistic
:35 PM
Subject: [Fis] information(s)
Hello FISers.
Recently, one of my colleagues attract my attention on the following point.
In French, we often use information as a countable quantity,
so that we can write informations.
In English, it seems that it is unusual, if not incorrect, to do that.
(1
Michel
this is an interesting question and you can find a plausible answer for
if you take a look at the etymology of this word.
http://www.capurro.de/infoconcept.html
Latin informatio as a noun is used, as far as I know, only in the
singular and means giving form to something in a 'material'
