Talk:Modus operandi

message: M.O.'s are also used to describe non-criminals.  An m.o. is simply the way someone does things - it's a habitual action or process.
   I concur. Anyone want to add this info? I might do it myself if I get some time. Sycocowz 00:31, Oct 21, 2004 (UTC)
"Almost always used in abbreviated form MO"????????
That is just not true.
: I added the non-criminal info, and changed "sometimes abbreviated" to "often abbreviated".  This brings up a question about Wikipedia wording.  Since I only know usage in the US, and at that just the Middle Atlantic region, could I have worded that better than "in the US"?  I certainly don't mean to be US-centric, but I also don't want to say some word usage is commonly done when I don't know beans about usage in other English-speaking places.
: Oh, and also I linked to the statistics meaning of mode rather than the disambiguation one, since I assume that's where the meaning in this case comes from , as in "most common".  Spalding 15:00, Feb 19, 2005 (UTC)
:: I think that mode shouldn't really be linked at all (except maybe to the wiktionary page) because the meaning of the word "mode" in "mode of operation" is more like method, I don't think it has anything to do with the statistics meaning, and none of the other pages on the disambiguation page seem to be relevant either. Jackjasmine 13:34, 10 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  I agree with June here.  Modus operandi is a Latin expression that has been adopted into English and essentially has the meaning of "method of operation"  Linking it to an article on the statistical concept of mode doesn't make a whole lot of sense.74.210.6.9 (talk) 04:52, 31 August 2009 (UTC)
replies: text:  I have always translated Modus as mode. Method and mode do not have the same meaning. In the vernacular, when people use MO today, I believe that method is the best word to use. However, that does not mean that the translation most closely matches original Latin. A capuccino machines has two modes: making espresso and frothing milk. The method for both is the same (steam), but the modes are quite different because of the intent. In the legal arena MO is referrring to the process a criminal uses (breaks in the second story, steals only jewels, leaves by the back door, etc.) A mode however, would describe the criminal's basic intent, such as theft, arson or murder. Words can take on different meanings based on their context or within a commonly used phrase. However, I wonder if we have any examples of modus operandi used in antiquity that might shed some light on it's original meaning. Where's Erich Auerbach when you need him? Ryan (talk) 16:31, 7 December 2009 (UTC)

text:  The term refers to the approach taken by one or more individuals (e.g. an organisation) in achieving their goals.
i.e. remove the phrase "particularly in the context of business or criminal investigations". This also removes the word "habits" as one's modus operandi is generally more conscious. - kt (talk) 08:50, 10 May 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  Non-criminals 

message: Doesn't this article have the plural and singular forms the wrong way around ?--Ordew 06:17, 1 November 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: I wondered about that, so I checked in the OED, which says the plural is indeed modi operandi. Operandi is not a nominative, it's a singular genitive gerund. There is no need to make it plural, just as in English we don't say *modes of operatings. --Heron (talk) 17:40, 22 October 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Plural 

message: --CopyToWiktionaryBot 07:11, 8 February 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  2007-02-8 Automated pywikipediabot message 

message: Dictionary or acronym reference are poor sources. Blogs (ethiopundit) are not good sources per WP:V. Maybe this is just a dictionary word if after nearly five years this is all there is.   --Mattisse 18:54, 17 September 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Article started in 2003 & still has no good references 

message: I'm fairly confused by the section regarding the distinction between MO and signature.
Can this be explained more clearly or simply?  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Zixor (talk • contribs) 22:19, 30 March 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: MO would mean the way someone operates, while signature refers to the trace or clue that tells someone or something has been there or happen before.ADouBTor (talk) 16:34, 2 May 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  The distinction between MO and signature 

message: The article's definition "Modus operandi (plural modi operandi) is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as 'mode of operation' " uses the word "mode" to define the word "modus. Shouldn't the sentence read "Modus operandi (plural modi operandi) is a Latin phrase, translated as 'manner or way of operation' "?Lestrade (talk) 00:39, 19 October 2011 (UTC)
thread_title: Poor wording

message: Could someone please explain why "mode of operation" is a backronym? Roundtheworld (talk) 11:41, 10 January 2012 (UTC)
replies: text: “M.O.” stands for “modus operandi”. “Mode/method of operation” has the same initials, so “M.O.” (which derived from the Latin term) could also stand for that. It’s a backronym because that’s not how it originated. —173.199.215.5 (talk) 02:08, 5 January 2014 (UTC)
replies: text: As for how the article used the word at the time: That didn’t make any sense. Glad it was removed. —173.199.215.5 (talk) 02:15, 5 January 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  Backronymed 

message: Isn’t “modus operandi” common enough in English that italicization is unnecessary? This doesn’t seem to have been discussed here, so if there are no objections, I’ll take it upon myself to de-italicize it. —173.199.215.5 (talk) 02:12, 5 January 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  Italics 

message: Where is the value in having an article about a dictionary definition? —173.199.215.5 (talk) 02:24, 5 January 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  Why an article?