Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> You know, I do interact with *other people*. I've spoken to a couple of 
> them, and they were completely unaware of what a "die" is either. :-P

  Isn't it something you use to colorize fabric?

-- 
                                                          - Warp

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> Random fact of the day: According to Wiktionary, "dice" is supposedly
> the plural of "die".
>
> Let me tell you, I have been alive for over 3 decades, and I have
> *never* heard anybody call it that.
>
> At best, I have seen one math textbook which asserts that
> "mathematicians use the word 'die' as a shorthand for 'dice'". The book
> then proceeded to use the words "die" and "dies" whenever it meant
> "dice". Even if Wiktionary is correct, this textbook seems to be
> flat-out wrong.
>
> The *only* actual usage of "die" meaning "dice" that I can find is in
> the subject line - the obscure phrase "the die is cast". I've never
> heard any other reference to "die" meaning "dice".

IIRC, my old AD&D books spent some time talking about it.  but that was 
back in '82...

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Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote:
> Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> > You know, I do interact with *other people*. I've spoken to a couple of
> > them, and they were completely unaware of what a "die" is either. :-P
>
>   Isn't it something you use to colorize fabric?

that's a dye.

should we let this discussion die?

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On 7/6/2011 4:24 AM, Mike the Elder wrote:
>
> die(2) - noun
>
> 1  singular form of dice
>
> 2 (plural dies)a device for cutting or moulding metal into a particular
> shape an engraved device for stamping a design on coins or medals.
>
> 3 Architecture - the cubical part of a pedestal between the base
> and the cornice; a dado or plinth.
>
Of course, there is another complication. You can "cast" a "die", with 
the intent of molding metal into a shape. The result becomes a "fixed" 
form, which doesn't later change. The result is the same as rolling a 
die, and being unable to change the number once it comes to a stop (in 
principle). One tends to suspect that one or the other definition arose 
as an analog to the other, so as to express the condition, either of a 
bet, once played, or a mold, once formed and fixed.

In either case, #1 and #2 are interchangeable, within the context of the 
phrase being used.

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On 7/6/2011 2:00 PM, nemesis wrote:
> Orchid XP v8 escreveu:
>>
>> I'm wondering if this is because non-native speakers learn what words
>> are supposed to mean according to the dictionary, not according to how
>> "most people" actually use the words. Just a theory of course...
>
> Methinks thou may hath a point in there.

Sort of like Nepommuck's comment on Eliza's pronunciation in Pygmalion I 
guess.  Nevertheless, I'm pretty sure that in almost all the 
conversations I've had "die" has been correctly used as the singular 
form of "dice", and I'm not sure I've ever heard "dice" used as a 
singular noun (I'm a native English speaker).  Maybe it's a 
British/American thing?

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> I'm wondering if this is because non-native speakers learn what words
 > are supposed to mean according to the dictionary, not according to how
 > "most people" actually use the words. Just a theory of course...

I'm a native english speaker (American, in case there's a cultural 
difference here) and I've known this since I was a kid. I was actually 
quite baffled by your post; I thought you had never heard the word 
"dice" before, since it didn't even occur to me that you couldn't have 
heard "die" before.

If you're playing a game with one die, this is the word you use. "Roll 
the die."

  - Slime

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On 7/6/2011 19:33, Slime wrote:
> I'm a native english speaker

Ibid.


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    driving without turn signals."

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>
> Ibid.
>

I am not with the understanding of which you say.

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Slime <pov### [at] slimelandcom> wrote:
> If you're playing a game with one die, this is the word you use. "Roll 
> the die."

  Maybe it's a British quirk. For example this Briton clearly says "roll
the dice" even though there's only one die:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-Lx_g47kKs

-- 
                                                          - Warp

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Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote:
> Slime <pov### [at] slimelandcom> wrote:
> > If you're playing a game with one die, this is the word you use. "Roll
> > the die."
>
>   Maybe it's a British quirk. For example this Briton clearly says "roll
> the dice" even though there's only one die:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-Lx_g47kKs

Could be. I think I'd say that too, albeit in the slightly guilty knowledge that
I'm saying it wrong. But then if nobody else said it first, I'd probably plump
for 'die'.

I'm going to correct everyone I know now :)

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