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06-17-2010, 10:58 AM | #16 |
I hear them call the tide
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right, because there the "were" applies to affidavits, which is clearly plural
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06-17-2010, 11:02 AM | #17 | |
Radical Centrist
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It's a singulare tantum, according to the plurale tantum Wikipedia page.
Quote:
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06-17-2010, 11:04 AM | #18 |
I can hear my ears
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One of our salesmanagers pages for "2 available sales personnel"
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06-17-2010, 11:04 AM | #19 |
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okay, yes--I now think it is a collective noun, and thus can take a singular or plural verb depending on the context and sentence structure.
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06-17-2010, 11:16 AM | #20 |
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Glad to know everyone's paying attention in class this morning! Just to mess you up, here's another excerpt:
there is a scintilla of evidence that limitations was tolled . . . and in this case "limitations" is singular, because it's shorthand for "statute of limitations." Doncha just love grammar?
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06-17-2010, 11:17 AM | #21 |
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The only evidence were the affidavits.
The only evidence was the affidavit. Were/was depends on whether the object is singular or plural.
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06-17-2010, 11:30 AM | #22 |
Encroaching on your decrees
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"The only evidence was the affidavits."
The affidavits were the only evidence. I don't see why the sentences have to work the same both way round, you can have a subject in the singular and an object in the plural, or vice versa. The only food left was five loaves. The five loaves were the only food left. "there is a scintilla of evidence that limitations was tolled . . . " In this instance was is correct if everyone understands the jargon, that "limitations" is singular, because it's shorthand for "statute of limitations."
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06-17-2010, 12:11 PM | #23 | |
Wearing her bitch boots
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Dammit, made me go look it up...
So here's another explanation: If I was If I were Quote:
So I'm wrong (above).
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06-17-2010, 12:22 PM | #24 |
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but that rule doesn't apply here though--this is not a case of the subjective tense. That rule applies to something like this:
"If I were to go on a cruise, I'd choose the Bahamas."
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06-17-2010, 12:50 PM | #25 |
Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya?
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Or even subjunctive mood.
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06-17-2010, 12:54 PM | #26 |
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"subjunctive" yep. a bit subjective if you ask me . . .
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06-17-2010, 12:56 PM | #27 |
Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya?
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It made me tense.
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06-17-2010, 01:35 PM | #28 |
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Them there afferdavids was the only evidense
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06-17-2010, 01:40 PM | #29 |
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And now a joke:
A businessman from Boston had been away from his hometown for nearly 20 years and dearly missed the local seafood. On a trip back east he landed at Logan and was no sooner in a cab when he urgently told the driver "I MUST get Scrod!" The cabbie turned to look at the man and said, "I've heard it said a lot of ways but never in the Past Pluperfect Subjunctive."
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06-17-2010, 01:48 PM | #30 |
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(lafs). and THAT is why we all love the English language so much!
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