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subject
Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2003 10:21 am
by mwert
The management and staff wish you Happy Christmas.
Is the above 3 rd person singular subject hence -wishes ?
what is the rule of 2/3 words subject??
Thanks a lot
Michelle
Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2003 7:45 pm
by Stephen Jones
Management and staff are boht collective nouns and os can take the singular or plural depending on whether you see them as a unit or a collection of individuals.
However here you have two nouns joined by and so you have a plural.
The general rule for two singular nouns is:
A and B Plural
A or B Singular
A nor B Singular or Plural.
Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2003 6:26 pm
by wjserson
Exactly,
'Stephen (hates) Eddie Murhpy movies.'
'Roger (hates) Eddie Murphy movies.'
'Stephen and Roger (hate) Eddie Murphy movies.'
which would be conjugated the same way as :
'They (hate) Eddie Murphy movies.'
not
*'Stephen and Rogers (hates) Eddie Murphy movies.' or
*'They (hates) Eddie Murphy movies.'
WJ
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2003 12:36 am
by Harzer
I would not object too strongly to "the management and staff wishes
you ........"
When two subjects joined by 'and' are not disparate entities as they are in a case like 'Stephen and Roger', but are just components of a greater whole (here a corporation) then it is not unreasonable to use the singular.
Harzer
Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 7:25 pm
by mwert
I think you understood what I meant.Thanks Harzer.
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2003 8:56 am
by Harzer
Nichts zu danken!