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Some linear algebra algorithms used for computing statistics or storing datasets deal with matrices on a column-by-column basis. As such, they can be referred to as being columnar. What would be the equivalent adverb for algorithms that work on a row-by-row basis? A similar question on Answers.com seems to indicate that no such adverb exists, and all I can think of is really not satisfying (to say the least):

  • Rowar (neologism) looks and sounds ugly

  • Rownar isn't much better

  • Linear could be misconstrued

  • Linar (pronounced lahy-ner) might be the least worst of them

Any better idea?

Ben Kovitz
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Ismael Ghalimi
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    Given that matrices are used throughout mathematics (they're not restricted to statistics!), and that this is a question of English usage of adverbs to refer to a mathematical object, you may get more traction on either math.SE or english.SE. I'd suggest flagging the question and asking the mods to move it. –  Dec 23 '14 at 22:46
  • Sounds good. I'll give it a shot. –  Dec 23 '14 at 22:48
  • I think belongs better on the non-learner site, or on Math.SE. Or at least my answer does – shadowtalker Dec 24 '14 at 14:44
  • I 100% agree with @ssdecontrol - I am mystified why this was taken to ELL rather than english.stackexchange or math.stackexchange - either of which would be a better fit. – Glen_b Dec 24 '14 at 22:21
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    I agree with @ssdecontrol. We might even consider moving it back to stats.SE. – Ismael Ghalimi Dec 25 '14 at 03:53
  • It seems you really are looking for an adjective. Columnar is an adjective. – Brian Hitchcock Feb 27 '15 at 11:08

2 Answers2

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WARNING: this is my opinion, but I consider myself educated on the topic. I was a straight-A Latin student for most of a decade, and geeking out over language and etymology is one of my hobbies.

The correct counterpart is tabular.

tabulatum, tabulati N N 2 2 N [XXXCX]
floor, story; layer, row; tier formed by the horizontal branches of a tree;

source: http://www.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/wordz.pl?english=row

But the word you actually want, an adverb that means "operates on columns," is in fact column-wise, and its row-oriented counterpart is row-wise. The words "columnar" and "tabular," at least the way I see them used, more properly refer to data than to an algorithm.

This is because the suffix -ar (as in familiar) is derived from the Latin -aris, in turn derived from -alis (see, e.g. the "origin" section here) which is where we get the suffix -al (as in familial). Both suffixes mean the same thing as their Latin roots: "of or related to." Consider the difference in connotation between familiar, familial, and family-wise. Note also that, of these three, family-wise is the only one that makes sense as an adverb rather than an adjective.

Data

  • tabular: arranged in rows
  • columnar: arranged in columns

Algorithms:

  • row-wise: operates on rows
  • column-wise: operates on columns.

Also, my thanks to Glen_b for reminding me about the term "row-wise."

shadowtalker
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  • Where did you get the information that "-aris" derived from "-alis"? Can you provide a reference? Can't they be just parallel suffixes that existed in the language and happened to have the same meaning? – Giorgio Dec 24 '14 at 09:06
  • @Giorgio edited. I was always under the impression that they were in fact parallel suffixes, until I went to write this answer – shadowtalker Dec 24 '14 at 14:56
  • Since the question specifically asked about *adverbs*, not *adjectives*, and "tabular" and "columnar" are adjectival (as you point out), the correct adverb could not be tabular, and the one being sought would be row-wise. Further, while you describe well the origin of *tabular*, if we're to avoid the genetic fallacy, we'd have to consider how the word *tabular* is presently understood in statistical applications (where it means "organized as a table" -- i.e. into *rows* and *columns*).[1][2][3] ... (ctd) – Glen_b Dec 24 '14 at 22:14
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    @Glen_b good point about the adverb. I made an edit to reflect that – shadowtalker Dec 24 '14 at 22:17
  • (ctd)... As such tabular doesn't work - neither its present meaning nor its status as an adjective would let it qualify. Refs: 1. definition 1 [here](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tabular); 2. definition 2 [here](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tabular); 3. definition 3 [here](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/tabular). None of those references include a meaning like row-wise. Good knowledge of Latin (and no doubt yours is better than mine) doesn't always help us when seeking present meanings. While I disagree with the conclusion I think this answer is very interesting. – Glen_b Dec 24 '14 at 22:18
  • @Glen_b typically I think "columnar" implies both columns and rows as well. So the issue is reciprocal. Of course tabular really means "arranged in a table" but what is a table without rows? – shadowtalker Dec 26 '14 at 16:42
  • Perhaps it usually does (I can't say I've seen it more than a couple of times) - but the original post is specifically asking about using it as "an adverb for column". – Glen_b Dec 26 '14 at 22:25
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I'd suggest "row-wise" or "by rows". As in "R stores a matrix in columnar fashion, while some other languages store them row-wise" (though I usually wouldn't usually use 'columnar' myself; I'd more likely say "R stores a matrix column-by-column" or something equally descriptive).

Glen_b
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    In that case, would you also use "column-wise" for consistency purposes, or would you stick to "columnar"? –  Dec 23 '14 at 22:42
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    It depends on the context. If I was responding to someone else's use of *columnar*, I would say it as above (not all English adverbs are regular, so they don't necessarily correspond to each other). If I was writing it from scratch I'd change 'columnar'. –  Dec 23 '14 at 22:43