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FFS! Now even the BBC doesn't know English ...

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    #11
    Originally posted by Old Greg View Post
    'The Corporation doesn't know' is correct, so 'the BBC doesn't know' is correct. It is becoming more acceptable to use a plural form verb with a singular group noun subject (it is particularly common with nouns like 'the police'), but SAS is by no means incorrect.

    HTH
    He's not referring to the Corporation though, the Corporation does not write articles, the staff do.
    "I hope Celtic realise that, if their team is good enough, they will win. If they're not good enough, they'll not win - and they can't look at anybody else, whether it is referees or any other influence." - Walter Smith

    On them! On them! They fail!

    Comment


      #12
      Originally posted by Incognito View Post
      He's not referring to the Corporation though, the Corporation does not write articles, the staff do.
      That has no impact on the grammar (except as per my first post on group nouns). 'Corporation' is a singular noun, no matter what it may represent in meaning.

      Comment


        #13
        Originally posted by Old Greg View Post
        That has no impact on the grammar (except as per my first post on group nouns). 'Corporation' is a singular noun, no matter what it may represent in meaning.
        You are incorrect, his phrasing was referring to the BBC as the body of staff. Correct grammar is that the BBC is a proper noun (singular). As I have pointed out though, the BBC do not write articles, the body of staff do hence in this context it is being used as a collective noun; i.e. the 'Corporation'. His use of the plural personal pronoun 'they' indicates that is the case.

        Does is used with third person singular pronouns (he, she, it) and with singular noun forms. Do is used with other personal pronouns (you, we, they) and with plural noun forms.

        The child does not; the children do not.

        His grammar was incorrect.
        "I hope Celtic realise that, if their team is good enough, they will win. If they're not good enough, they'll not win - and they can't look at anybody else, whether it is referees or any other influence." - Walter Smith

        On them! On them! They fail!

        Comment


          #14
          Originally posted by Incognito View Post
          You are incorrect, his phrasing was referring to the BBC as the body of staff. Correct grammar is that the BBC is a proper noun (singular). As I have pointed out though, the BBC do not write articles, the body of staff do hence in this context it is being used as a collective noun; i.e. the 'Corporation'. His use of the plural personal pronoun 'they' indicates that is the case.

          Does is used with third person singular pronouns (he, she, it) and with singular noun forms. Do is used with other personal pronouns (you, we, they) and with plural noun forms.

          The child does not; the children do not.

          His grammar was incorrect.
          You are confusing semantics with grammar.

          Comment


            #15
            Originally posted by Old Greg View Post
            You are confusing semantics with grammar.
            I don't know what you mean.

            "I hope Celtic realise that, if their team is good enough, they will win. If they're not good enough, they'll not win - and they can't look at anybody else, whether it is referees or any other influence." - Walter Smith

            On them! On them! They fail!

            Comment


              #16
              Originally posted by Incognito View Post
              I don't know what you mean.

              Perhaps you are teasing, but I will do my best.

              Here is a question. Is the following sentence gramatically (or syntactically, if you prefer) correct?

              The orange corporation eats unhappy infrastructure.

              Comment


                #17
                Originally posted by Old Greg View Post
                Perhaps you are teasing, but I will do my best.

                Here is a question. Is the following sentence gramatically (or syntactically, if you prefer) correct?

                The orange corporation eats unhappy infrastructure.
                but the concept of edible unhappy infrastructure is not possible..

                Comment


                  #18
                  Originally posted by PinkPoshRat View Post
                  but the concept of edible unhappy infrastructure is not possible..
                  But is it grammatically correct?

                  Comment


                    #19
                    Originally posted by Old Greg View Post
                    Perhaps you are teasing, but I will do my best.
                    Semantics, meaning, don't know what you mean.... <sigh>.

                    His grammar was incorrect, a Pronoun should agree with its antecedent in person, number and gender.

                    If as you insist his usage of The BBC is singular then the correct personal pronoun should have been singular, 'it'. If, as I am suggesting, his intentional usage of The BBC was as a collective common noun then he should have used the third person plural verb form 'do' when using the plural personal pronoun.

                    Either way his grammar was incorrect which is quite amusing considering the subject.
                    "I hope Celtic realise that, if their team is good enough, they will win. If they're not good enough, they'll not win - and they can't look at anybody else, whether it is referees or any other influence." - Walter Smith

                    On them! On them! They fail!

                    Comment


                      #20
                      Originally posted by Incognito View Post
                      Semantics, meaning, don't know what you mean.... <sigh>.

                      His grammar was incorrect, a Pronoun should agree with its antecedent in person, number and gender.

                      If as you insist his usage of The BBC is singular then the correct personal pronoun should have been singular, 'it'. If, as I am suggesting, his intentional usage of The BBC was as a collective common noun then he should have used the third person plural verb form 'do' when using the plural personal pronoun.

                      Either way his grammar was incorrect which is quite amusing considering the subject.
                      I have conceded that there is a prooblem with the second sentence, but your arguments about the first sentence remain incorrect because you confused semantics and grammar.

                      Comment

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