Yes, and you can make a good argument that the way a word is commonly used in language is in fact the correct way to use it. “Data” is often singular in common speech.
However, in technical writing it is always plural. The singular of “data” is “datum.” Or sometimes “data point.” So after using it as a plural daily for decades the singular form sounds wrong.
@inparadise and I had a similar discussion on a different board a while back. If the boss thinks it is plural, it is plural. When I become boss, it was plural because that’s the way I always did it. And the old ways are best. (cough, wheeze).
In American English, the correct form is my family is. In British English the correct form is my family are.
An odd disconnect is in pop music journalism, where the British rule is often used in America. e.g. The Who are on tour as opposed to the Who is on tour. Rolling Stone and MTV use the first version and newspapers and such use the second.
But again, I think the way it is normally used is the correct way. I’m still having trouble getting past “healthful” vs. “healthy” though.
The unemployment numbers are not the cause of this bout of inflation. In fact the labor numbers are increasing GDP growth which is a deflationary force longer term.
Input costs and supply chain problems, plus an overblown capital formation policy are the reasons for the inflation.
Remember the PPP and more were capital formation policies moreso than industrial policies. That is the cause of inflation no one wants to acknowledge.
We are seeing some corporate profits shift downward taking with it capital formation inflation. We are seeing the bond buys backs begin to optimize the banking system as the banking system normalizes.
I’d forecast a corporate/business recession with consumers less impacted. I think this goes in the soft landing category.
Inflation grinds lower and back to trend over the next 6-9 months (historical data shows it takes about 1 year to go from peak inflation back to trend, so we can use that as a guide). Most of this inflation decline is from supply and demand normalizing after the variety of covid shocks, but Fed policy also has an impact.
Consumers muddle through with low unemployment offsetting consumer spending being impacted by now higher prices. Consumers pull back to a degree to staples and lower cost brands and bigger purchase are deferred, so less of an inflationary impact. Unemployment is low, but employers are reporting more applicants and many new jobs being filled appear to be in lower paying categories such as hospitality, so less of an inflationary impact.
Because of consumer pullback and higher input costs, business earnings are reduced through lower revenue and lower margins.
