A caller has client who uses what sounds like a strange, three-syllable word: indice. The caller knows that the plural of index is indices. But, he wonders…indice? And should he talk about it with his client?
When ever this happens to me, I just use the correct form over and over again in multiple sentences. The caller should not correct the client. He should use “index” as much as possible and passively educate him/her on the correct term. “I noticed that the DOW index was trading higher today, while the S&P index and the Nasdaq index were both lower. It is a good thing that your index fund follows the DOW index.”
Zeno, you raise an excellent point, one that comes up again and again in our work. When IS the right time to correct someone, and what’s the right way? Of course, first you have to make sure you’re right, and bear in mind McKean’s Law. I also think there has to be an important reason for doing so, and that any correction should be done graciously and in private. I think it’s sort of like whether and how you should tell someone they have toilet paper trailing from their high heel or their fly open or something along those lines. Your thoughts?
9:38PM Jul-30-08
Joie de Vivienne
Nineveh, Indiana
posts 31
4
Martha, thank you!!! I LOVE McKean’s law and, as someone who talks to the overeducated for a living, find it unequivocally (and unfortunately) true.
>>>> as someone who talks to the overeducated for a living<<
Now THIS sounds like an interesting line of work!
And Joie, if you loved McKean’s Law, you’ll love her blog, too. Erin rocks.
7:05AM Jul-31-08
Bill Jackman
Guest
6
The discussion on index and indece was interesting. It surprised me when the indice term was indicated as not being real, (my unabridged dictionary agreed on it not being real, durn it) I have commonly used index as a fixed number or the result of a study, and indice as the immeadiate or approximate value, which when recorded would become an index. Index had more impact than indice. I will probably continue using the two terms, but, hopefully will only use “index” in reports or presentations.
Interesting, Bill. What kind of work is it? Is that what your co-workers use as well?
6:29AM Aug-01-08
Glenn Atkinson
Guest
8
I work for one of those companies that calculate financial indices. They should have guessed what kind of employee they were getting when, during my interview, I asked if the company standard plural was “indexes” or “indices.” Our documentation is consistent in using “index” / “indices.” However, in less formal contexts, you will hear “indexes” and you do hear *”indice” from time to time.
By the way, in college, my roomates and I used the plural “kleenices” as well.
To avoid the awkwardness at Starbucks — I can’t stand the looks I get when I buy a biscotto — I usually turn the phrase to “one of your biscotti” or “one of the panini.” My wife is used to my asking for a taste of a raviolo from the meal she has ordered.
To avoid the awkwardness at Starbucks — I can’t stand the looks I get when I buy a biscotto — I usually turn the phrase to “one of your biscotti” or “one of the panini.”
Thanks, Glenn, I’m stealing that trick!
10:56AM Aug-01-08
Glenn Atkinson
Guest
10
It took me a while. After my “biscotto” phase, I started ordering two biscotti, even when I only wanted one. Then I would order two biscotti, and quickly add “Make that one!” That led me naturally to this most recent, and satisfactory end.
1:37PM Aug-01-08
ken
Guest
11
I know McKean’s Law as Muphry’s Law, which is more fun to spell. Glad to see that it can be attributed to a real person.
Thanks, Glenn, for “Kleenices.” I’m using it from now on.
I like “Kleenices” a lot. Also Muphry’s Law — a most excellent typo!
9:42AM Aug-12-08
Bill Jackman
Guest
13
Sorry for taking so long to answer, I think I started using “indice” when I was working for a company with a large contingent of French engineers about thirty years ago. The engineeering group I am in now, use the word “reading” in the places I used “indice”, and “record” where I used “index”.
12:36PM Aug-14-08
Glenn Atkinson
Guest
14
I have been noticing an interesting pronunciation of “indices” from some of my colleagues who are not native English speakers — as if something were imbedded into finely cubed vegetables: in dices (rhymes with ices). Everyone seems to know what they are talking about, but as the new guy, it took me a while to put it together.
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