tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Jan 22 08:07:11 2003
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Re: "to be" and plurals
- From: "Sangqar (Sean Healy)" <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: "to be" and plurals
- Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 14:13:24 +0000
>Also consider the English when using adjectives:
>
>"Most of his family is German."
>"Some of his ancestors are German."
>
>"Most of his family is tall."
>"Some of his ancestors are tall."
>
>...Paul
muj.
"Most ARE", vaj "Most of his family ARE"
chovnatlhvam yIqel:
Q: "What's the nationality of his family?"
lugh:
A: "Most are German."
muj:
A: "Most is German."
"Most of his family IS" jatlh HochHom "America"ngan. jIjatlh jIH je, pab
jIbuSbe'. 'ach muj.
I'm decriptivist only to a certain point. I can accept that "family" is
treated as a singular in American English, but a plural in British English.
But a little consistency, please: "Most" is plural and "of X" is simply a
modifier, so "Most of X" is plural, no matter what X is, the vagaries of
relaxed speech notwithstanding.
-Sangqar
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