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THE WRITE STUFF
Writing & Grammar Blog
 
DIANE HUGHES • NASHVILLE, TN
WRITER, EDITOR, CREATIVE PROFESSIONAL

Myriad ways to use the word myriad (well, at least two)

4/15/2012

17 Comments

 
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I'm going to start things off with a contentious subject among some grammarians: the proper use of the word myriad.

Perhaps you've been told — and I believe, incorrectly — that you can never refer to "a myriad of" something. I contest this so-called "rule" and refer you to Merriam-Webster to back my claim. 

Those who insist on using myriad only as an adjective (as in: New car buyers have myriad options this year), either fail to recognize — or perhaps simply discount — the early use of myriad as a noun. Works as far back as Milton and Thoreau include use of the word as a noun, and that's good enough for me.

Perhaps this disagreement stems from the Greek origins of the word myriad, which literally means 10,000. But the word is also defined as "a great number." And even when used as an adjective, rarely does the writer or speaker literally refer to 10,000 of anything.

Personally, I use the word both ways, sometimes as a noun and sometimes as an adjective. I generally let my ear rule when deciding which usage best suits the sentence. I might say: 

"Authors Tess Hardwick and Tracey Hansen, inspired by the myriad voices in the world, compile a melting pot of life paths from over a dozen unique writers." (used as an adjective)

But I might also say: 

"The menu at the new restaurant offers a myriad of options." (used as a noun)

I advocate usage of the word in both its forms. And I contend it's time to stop giving writers or speakers literal or virtual "red marks" for using it one way when you happen to prefer the other. Myriad is an adjective AND a noun. Let's allow its use in both forms.

What about you? Were you taught to only use myriad as an adjective? Have you been corrected for using it as a noun? Feel free to share your thoughts in the Comments. Just remember: Disagreement is welcome, incivility is not. If you have a writing, grammar or language question, please share it here for consideration on this blog.

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17 Comments
Rick
4/16/2012 10:03:00 am

Thanks. Glad to see the return of the grammar blog. My question, is "quote" a verb? Must quotation always be used when referring to the actual quotable words quoted?

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Diane Hughes link
4/17/2012 01:24:30 pm

Your question has been added to my growing list! Look for the answer in an upcoming post. Thanks for stopping by!

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misty provencher link
4/19/2012 06:44:36 am

I've been cracked in the mouth with the myriad ruler a few times in my life. I love that you can set me straight on a myriad of things. In myriad ways, too. Otherwise, all my myriads would be tucked in the dark spidery parts of the cupboard - the place where the rubber garden boots reside.

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Diane Hughes link
4/23/2012 04:46:15 am

Misty, you never fail to make me laugh. Send me more questions ... I'm queueing them up and knocking them off.

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Cindy Higdon
4/23/2012 03:00:58 am


Dare I call myself a fellow "grammarian"?? Mistakes in word usage set my teeth on edge. Glad you're tackling this thorny subject.

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Diane Hughes link
4/23/2012 04:49:33 am

Thanks for stopping by, Cindy! Do tell ... which side of the myriad fence do you fall on? (I'm sure some grammarians would say that should read: "On which side of the myriad fence do you fall?" But that is the sort of English up with which I will not put.) :-)

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AC-Wookie
4/23/2012 03:43:42 am

So, Minnesota's license plate could thus be :
" Land Of A Myriad Of Lakes " ... !

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Diane Hughes link
4/23/2012 04:21:35 am

Ha, ha, AC. As I said, I let my ear be my guide. I'd go with the original "Land of 10,000 Lakes," but "Land of Myriad Lakes" doesn't have a bad ring to it.

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G. Milo Farineau
3/3/2015 10:48:02 pm

People hate the verb is because it still sounds terrible. Encouraging people to use it because you don't mind it still makes them sound silly to me. When I hear it used as a verb, I wonder why that person chose to use it in a way that is oft criticized. It sounds terrible always to me.

Reply
Edward Hughes
10/9/2016 10:56:28 pm

I was doing some research in response to my editor in the UK insisting that I change the use of the word 'myriad' in the following passage:
... And so, for Katherine, a myriad of unattractive traits could be overlooked for the security of fidelity.

She changed it to: 'a myriad unattractive' (leaving out the 'of') and also suggested replacing with the term 'numerous', I prefer: '...Katherine, myriad unattractive traits...'

(I had previously listed a handful of this gentleman's charms and graces, faults and foibles.)

While I agree that either is acceptable, she insists that 'a myriad of' is the correct usage. As I said to my editor in response to her edit:

In my opinion Myriad is better because in the gray area of attached meaning, the word 'myriad' carries the subtle implication of not only ‘many’, 'numerous' or ‘multiple’, but also varied. Misogynistic and racist would both be similar flaws, while misogynistic, and he has bad breath would be the start of myriad.

Any thoughts?

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HonestAbe
4/6/2017 09:31:11 pm

I was taught that it was basically a simplification of "a variety of". Therefore if that is true -- and I'm not certain it is -- then saying "a myriad of options" is redundant, as the same could be said more simply as "'myriad options".

However, its usage in "High Hopes" by Pink Floyd may have slightly biased me too!

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Warren Cereghino link
8/13/2017 01:34:26 am

Myraid dictionaries can be edited by myriad poseurs whose credentials are no better nor worse, than yours and mine. People on either of myriad sides in this debate will cite whatever dictionary supports his/her viewpoint. I took Usage as a senior year course at Arizona State and the most memorable utterance by the professor was "usage dictates acceptance." I disagreed with him back in 1961 and I disagree with him today. Writing "a myriad of opinions on this just grates on me" says it all. I look forward to reading myriad replies.

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    DIANE HUGHES

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