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Grammar Question: Indexes or Indices?

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by weslinder, Apr 12, 2011.

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  1. weslinder

    weslinder Member

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    Ran into a grammar question today at work, and thought I'd post it for the grammar experts on the board. For the plural of index, Webster's lists both indexes and indices. Is there a correct time to use one or the other?

    The only answers I get from Google are on other boards, and the answers vary wildly.

    In my case, I used indexes to mean lists, but I remember using indices in math and programming in college.
     
    #1 weslinder, Apr 12, 2011
  2. Prince

    Prince Member

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    indexes and mouses are both understood and acceptable the IT world.
     
    #2 Prince, Apr 12, 2011
  3. CrazyDave

    CrazyDave Member

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    to-may-to to-mah-to
     
    #3 CrazyDave, Apr 12, 2011
  4. The Captain

    The Captain Member

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    victuals.
     
    #4 The Captain, Apr 12, 2011
  5. ChievousFTFace

    ChievousFTFace Member

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    Indices 100x out of a 100
     
    #5 ChievousFTFace, Apr 12, 2011
  6. DrLudicrous

    DrLudicrous Member

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    It's 288.
     
    #6 DrLudicrous, Apr 12, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  7. DonkeyMagic

    DonkeyMagic Member
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    nemisises....

    [​IMG]
     
    #7 DonkeyMagic, Apr 12, 2011
  8. durvasa

    durvasa Member

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    I use indices to refer to points in an n-dimensional space.

    Indexes if I'm referring to, for instance, search indexes.
     
    #8 durvasa, Apr 12, 2011
    2 people like this.
  9. Pole

    Pole Lies, damn lies, stats, and peer reviewed studies
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    Tender victuals.........my khat loves them.
     
    #9 Pole, Apr 12, 2011
  10. The Captain

    The Captain Member

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    Flanderseses

    [​IMG]
     
    #10 The Captain, Apr 12, 2011
  11. SwoLy-D

    SwoLy-D Member

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    Your usage is correct. :eek:
     
    #11 SwoLy-D, Apr 12, 2011
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  12. Royals Ego

    Royals Ego Member

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    indii
     
    #12 Royals Ego, Apr 12, 2011
  13. weslinder

    weslinder Member

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    This is what I do, though I normally refer to points in n-dimensional space as coordinates.

    I guess it's settled, then. Thanks, Swoly!
     
    #13 weslinder, Apr 12, 2011
  14. rezdawg

    rezdawg Member

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    These kinds of questions are dangerous...they'll end up going for 25 pages and feelings will get hurt.
     
    #14 rezdawg, Apr 12, 2011
  15. ScriboErgoSum

    ScriboErgoSum Member
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    Indexes if you're using it as a verb. ex: John indexes the files.

    Indices if it's used in plural noun form. ex: John organized the files according to their indices.
     
    #15 ScriboErgoSum, Apr 12, 2011
  16. SwoLy-D

    SwoLy-D Member

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    What about what Webster says in regards to being "plural" of the word "index"? Both are right, methinks. :cool:

    Your description of the usage as a verb is right, but that wasn't his initial question...
     
    #16 SwoLy-D, Apr 12, 2011
  17. ScriboErgoSum

    ScriboErgoSum Member
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    I was indicating for plural of index, I always use indices. That's how it's done in Latin, and indexes is just an incorrect spelling that eventually became commonplace and included in the dictionary. Other examples: normalcy.

    The only time I use indexes is if I'm referring to the present verb form of index, which I don't think I've ever done except in this thread. I have used the past tense form indexed rather frequently since I deal with databases quite a bit.
     
    #17 ScriboErgoSum, Apr 12, 2011
  18. liljojo

    liljojo Member

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    <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bjgypFAAkQk#t=00m45s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
     
    #18 liljojo, Apr 12, 2011
  19. what

    what Member

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    According to Brian A. Gardner: a dictionary of Modern English usage, he prefers Indexes over Indices most of the time. He believes that Indices is pretentious, but does offer an an example of a less pretentious way of using it in the sense of "indicators." E.G.: Various indices, from satellite photos of crops in the third world .... make possible rough estimates ....

    Hope this helps.
     
    #19 what, Apr 12, 2011
  20. what

    what Member

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    What type of writer are you that you have to use such a pretentious-sounding word.

    I'll see your pretentiousness & raise you the fact that out of the countless literary fiction I've read, I've never once come across indices. Not even in the British literature, George Will.
     
    #20 what, Apr 12, 2011
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