Pistonheaders and their First World Problems.
Discussion
Jimmy Recard said:
SpudLink said:
I agree with Nimby. Only one gate is broken, so the grammar would seem to be correct.
My first world problem today is that my lunch break has been spoiled by a pointless grammatical argument on a web forum.
It's not because there is one gate. It's because there is only one half. "Half of the group is in agreement" is correct even for a group of a billion people.My first world problem today is that my lunch break has been spoiled by a pointless grammatical argument on a web forum.
If you have 6 classes of university students in a debate over Brexit. If half of the classes were (was?!) in agreement and half against, then what would you say?
Half of the classes is in agreement?
Half of the classes are in agreement?
OpulentBob said:
You say "gate". The original post said "gates".
If you have 6 classes of university students in a debate over Brexit. If half of the classes were (was?!) in agreement and half against, then what would you say?
Half of the classes is in agreement?
Half of the classes are in agreement?
Half of the classes are, but one half of the classes isn't.If you have 6 classes of university students in a debate over Brexit. If half of the classes were (was?!) in agreement and half against, then what would you say?
Half of the classes is in agreement?
Half of the classes are in agreement?
marshalla said:
OpulentBob said:
You say "gate". The original post said "gates".
If you have 6 classes of university students in a debate over Brexit. If half of the classes were (was?!) in agreement and half against, then what would you say?
Half of the classes is in agreement?
Half of the classes are in agreement?
Half of the classes are, but one half of the classes isn't.If you have 6 classes of university students in a debate over Brexit. If half of the classes were (was?!) in agreement and half against, then what would you say?
Half of the classes is in agreement?
Half of the classes are in agreement?
OpulentBob said:
You say "gate" and "group" - both singular. The original post said "gates" - pluralised.
If you have 6 classes of university students in a debate over Brexit. If half of the classes were (was?!) in agreement and half against, then what would you say?
Half of the classes is in agreement?
Half of the classes are in agreement?
He pluralised 'gates', that is irrelevant. The half has to agree with the verb, not the gates. The gates aren't nominative in the sentence.If you have 6 classes of university students in a debate over Brexit. If half of the classes were (was?!) in agreement and half against, then what would you say?
Half of the classes is in agreement?
Half of the classes are in agreement?
"Regarding our gates, one half is broken."
If this were almost any other language, it would be accepted and obvious that the word order doesn't connect the gates with 'is'. Our 'subject, verb, object' strict word order effectively creates this odd misunderstanding.
Edited by Jimmy Recard on Tuesday 12th July 13:26
Monkeylegend said:
Guvernator said:
First world problem no 232 - I find it quite annoying when threads on internet forums get derailed by pointless discussions about spelling\grammar\semantics. It's a casual forum, not a English language dissertation. 
............. an English language dissertation 
Jimmy Recard said:
OpulentBob said:
Keep on studyin'.
One is is. The gates are.Collective nouns seem to be misunderstood. It's hard to count how many times I hear "Mercedes are taking the new car around the Nürburgring" or "Portugal are winning the football match."
They just sound so wrong.
Although, strictly speaking, that is not poor grammar, just plain ignorance.
canucklehead said:
Speaking of poor grammar, it keeps driving me nuts when I see even the BBC talking about someone heading into "unchartered waters". "Uncharted waters", please.
Although, strictly speaking, that is not poor grammar, just plain ignorance.
The BBC wound me up this morning by talking about an "Afghan warlord", as if to impart some legitimacy to a murderous, corrupt maniac.Although, strictly speaking, that is not poor grammar, just plain ignorance.
M3ax said:
hairyben said:
My B2C coffee machine goes through a rinse/shutdown cycle after a couple of hours of inactivity. The trouble is this reminds you its there and makes you think "oh I'll have a coffee" but of course now you have to switch it back on and wait for its power up/rinse cycle.
Ideally it would beep or something 5 minutes before it shuts down
My Nespresso machine has stopped working. At least you'll eventually get a coffee.Ideally it would beep or something 5 minutes before it shuts down
Luckily the phone rang and I grudgingly said Id go do some work so that was a crisis narrowly averted.
McAndy said:
McAndy said:
I have to wait until Friday to go and see the car I've put a retainer on as the dealer couldn't get it prepped by Wednesday as originally agreed. 
I now have to wait until next Tuesday! 
However, my wife's car is in for service and logistics mean that I have to drive around in the crappy, underpowered courtesy car today.
The guy who runs our office tea boat/club/swindle/noideawhatitscalled has been out all week and nobody else thought to buy any milk so now we've run out. I tried a black one this morning but they use fairly cheap supermarket beans so it's not that great black. Now I'm starting the feel the post lunch sleepiness and either need to work through it, have a rather bitter cup of black coffee, or walk across to the other building for an overpriced latte from the coffee shop.
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