"Are" and "Is"

[TorqueVR]

I've noticed that press, TV and radio time and time again seem to have no idea about the use of "is" and "are" and constantly muddle singular and plural.

The cricket is a good example - it's always "England are", but if we've only one team it should be "England is" or do we have two teams?

The government is another good one - time and again the media seems to think we have two or more governments, because it's nearly always "the government are". The BBC last month had "are" in the headline and then "is" in the first line of the article, FFS make your mind up.

Here's one from yesterday - https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advi... So was it one plane load of passengers or more than one plane load?

I know I'm a bit OCD ( The "these photos make my teeth itch" thread gets me going as well) but did anybody learn basic grammar at school?

[silentbrown]

TorqueVR said:

time and again the media seems to think we have two or more governments

The media seem to think, surely? Media is plural of medium. 😎

Collective nouns. They can work either way depending on context and intent. Although I'd agree the "planeload" one is wrong.

[GetCarter]

They can be either:

https://www.quora.com/Is-the-word-government-singu...

[Randy Winkman]

GetCarter said:

They can be either:

https://www.quora.com/Is-the-word-government-singu...

I agree. I don't think there's a right and wrong. I would always say "Man Utd are going to win the league" (clearly true) but it's not wrong to say "Man Utd is going to win the league". (Clearly also true.)

[Spare tyre]

This are an interesting subject

[2xChevrons]

Randy Winkman said:

GetCarter said:

They can be either:

https://www.quora.com/Is-the-word-government-singu...

I agree. I don't think there's a right and wrong. I would always say "Man Utd are going to win the league" (clearly true) but it's not wrong to say "Man Utd is going to win the league". (Clearly also true.)

Exactly. It's one of those things that comes down to personal or 'house' style. If a tiny local newspaper with a staff of five and a circulation of barely 2000 can have a style guide informing its writers that they have to write "Mercedes-Benz is introducing a new line of compact SUVs" because corporations are single entities, then you can bet that the BBC has several pages of style guide dedicated to enforcing "Mercedes-Benz are introducing a new line of compact SUVs" because M-B isn't a person but a collective entity.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Was always taught sports teams are always plural. So England is the best country in the world, but England are the best team in the world. I'm probably wrong.

[davhill]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Was always taught sports teams are always plural. So England is the best country in the world, but England are the best team in the world. I'm probably wrong.

England are the best team? Are it really?

[Ari]

How very quaint!

Haven't you heard? People getting basic grammar wrong isn't a thing anymore. It's 'the language evolving'.

See the 'Can I get' thread for full details, and don't forget to pick up your participation medal on the way out.

[TorqueVR]

And don't get me started on "Has" and "Have". Does the government "have" or "has" a policy on this or that?

[Randy Winkman]

Ari said:

How very quaint!

Haven't you heard? People getting basic grammar wrong isn't a thing anymore. It's 'the language evolving'.

See the 'Can I get' thread for full details, and don't forget to pick up your participation medal on the way out.

I'd like to correct you by saying that it's always been part of language. It's not an new thing.

[Jonboy_t]

Spare tyre said:

This are an interesting subject

This are isn’t

[Ari]

Randy Winkman said:

Ari said:

How very quaint!

Haven't you heard? People getting basic grammar wrong isn't a thing anymore. It's 'the language evolving'.

See the 'Can I get' thread for full details, and don't forget to pick up your participation medal on the way out.

I'd like to correct you by saying that it's always been part of language. It's not an new thing.

People being uneducated and using the wrong words isn't a new thing.

Passing off blatantly wrong use of the language as 'it's the language evolving mate, innit' certainly is.

The 'can I get' when asking someone to serve you something is a prime example, but there are many others ('I could care less' in place of 'I couldn't care less' is the most obvious - that's not 'language evolving', it's simply wrong).

[TonyRPH]

I often receive emails form recruitment agencies, that go along the lines of "my client are looking"...

It just makes no sense!

EDIT: Fixed typo.

Edited by TonyRPH on Saturday 3rd August 23:03

[Cudd Wudd]

Spare tyre said:

This are an interesting subject

Are it really?

Is you sure?

[FredClogs]

Threads like this is always st.

[Europa1]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

To me, it is. And it is something I have started noticing/questioning with regard to the news media, where it seems to be becoming increasingly casual.

I know people state "language evolves", and they're undoubtedly right, but when I hear or read journalists getting things wrong (to my ear), I get cross. These are people who one would expect to know this stuff: accuracy is important in journalism.

[Chubbyross]

The data are...

[TorqueVR]

The one that really got me going was "The Attorney General are..." That's not evolution it's just plain wrong