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Topics => General Board => Topic started by: LadyVirginia on September 30, 2013, 03:28:25 PM

Title: grammar question
Post by: LadyVirginia on September 30, 2013, 03:28:25 PM
Is it:

None of the injuries is considered serious?

OR

None of the injuries are considered serious?
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Pandora on September 30, 2013, 03:31:47 PM
Is 'none' plural or singular?  Can 'not any' be a proper replacement for 'none'?  I believe so, so let's say 'none' is plural and 'are' is correct.

eta:  Then again, 'none' may mean 'not one', in which case, singular, and it's 'is'.

On the third hand, I figure it depends on the context.

Dagnabbit.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: pisskop on September 30, 2013, 03:38:56 PM
The word 'injuries' is plural, so 'are' is correct.  None modifies injuries.  Pandora is correct to say 'are'.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Pandora on September 30, 2013, 03:42:45 PM
The word 'injuries' is plural, so 'are' is correct.  None modifies injuries.  Pandora is correct to say 'are'.

True.

But ....

... remove 'of the injuries' and look again:  "None is/are considered serious".
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: RickZ on September 30, 2013, 03:46:16 PM
Well, look at 'his injury is not serious' vs. 'his injuries are serious'.  Stick 'none of' in front of that last example.   'Injuries' is a plural noun, so the verb should be plural, too.

http://englishwithjennifer.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/student-stumper-none-is-v-none-are/ (http://englishwithjennifer.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/student-stumper-none-is-v-none-are/)

Quote
Student Stumper 16: NONE IS v. NONE ARE?

QUESTION: Should I say none is correct or none are correct?


ANSWER: A good number of sources confirm the use of a singular verb after the indefinite pronoun none. However, as I began to search for follow-up exercises on subject-verb agreement for one of my students, I became aware that we English language teachers and materials writers are not united when it comes to explaining the grammar of none. I understood that to help my student, I would have to choose a camp. Camp 1: Those who believe none is always followed by a singular verb. Camp 2: Those who believe none can be used with either a singular or plural verb.

In the end, I decided to set up my own offshoot of Camp 2, and I hope others will join me.

Point 1: In most cases none is followed by a singular verb. No grammar source I’ve found states that it’s incorrect to use a singular verb after none, so when it doubt, choose the singular verb over the plural.

a. Different students offered possible solutions to the math problem, but none was correct.

b. The detective grew frustrated as he listened to the conflicting accounts from witnesses. None of this is making any sense, he thought.

Point 2: Use of none with a plural verb may be considered completely incorrect by some, but others at least acknowledge that it’s a common practice in informal English. Betty Azar writes: “Subjects with none of are considered singular in very formal English, but plural verbs are often used in informal speech writing” (Azar 89)[1]. I would argue that the trend is moving toward acceptance of the plural verb in both oral and written use. I’ve found evidence in formal writing:

a. “26 residential students at the college had to be moved from their accommodation nearby, but none were injured.”  [From “Firemen injured fighting Belfast blaze.” RTE News. Dublin: Nov. 14, 2009.]

b. “None of the wheelchair users injured in incidents associated with improper or no securement were associated with passenger cars, as might be expected.” [From “Wheelchair Users Injuries and Deaths Associated with Motor Vehicle Incidents.” U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA Safety Note: September 1997.]

Point 3: Plural pronouns and possessive adjectives seem most appropriate in reference to the subject none when the full subject is none of + plural object, or at least the of + plural object is implied.

a. I was angry. None of my housemates were able to pay their share of the rent last month.

[Let’s say that I have three housemates of mixed genders. Wouldn’t it be laborious to say that none was able to pay his or her share of the rent? And none was able to pay their share lacks agreement between verb and possessive adjective.]

b. The workers were uneasy and confused. They looked at one another for answers. None (of them) knew why they had been summoned for an emergency staff meeting.

 --SNIP--

http://data.grammarbook.com/blog/singular-vs-plural/none-were-vs-none-was/ (http://data.grammarbook.com/blog/singular-vs-plural/none-were-vs-none-was/)

Quote
“None Were” vs. “None Was”
 
Rule: With words that indicate portions–some, all, none, percent, fraction, part, majority, remainder, and so forth –look at the noun in your of phrase (object of the preposition) to determine whether to use a singular or plural verb. If the object of the preposition is singular, use a singular verb. If the object of the preposition is plural, use a plural verb.

Examples:
 None of the pie was eaten.
 None of the children were hungry.

--SNIP--

I'm sorta maybe half correct.  I think which verb you use really depends on how it sounds out loud with the noun and its prepositional phrasing.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: LadyVirginia on September 30, 2013, 03:49:35 PM
Is 'none' plural or singular?  Can 'not any' be a proper replacement for 'none'?  I believe so, so let's say 'none' is plural and 'are' is correct.

Story by reporter on several people hurt during a train & car accident. She said IS.  Seems to me it would be ARE. I thought none would be plural in that case.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: oldcoastie6468 on September 30, 2013, 03:52:52 PM
Quote
"None" can be singular or plural, but many people believe it can only be singular.

"None" Is Singular
"None" can mean roughly “not one” and be followed by a singular verb. It also takes a singular verb when followed by a mass noun:

None of the water is polluted.

"None" Is Plural
Sometimes "none" means roughly “not any” or your sentence has a sense of plurality. In such cases, "none" can take a plural verb, and it often sounds more natural.

I talked to the boys, and none of them are coming to the party.

What Should You Do?
You may be chided by the uninformed when you follow "none" with a plural verb, but don’t be afraid to do so if your sentence calls for it.

- See more at: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/none-or-none-are?page=all#sthash.B66HAxi3.dpuf/quote (http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/none-or-none-are?page=all#sthash.B66HAxi3.dpuf/quote)]
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: LadyVirginia on September 30, 2013, 03:56:48 PM
that makes sense to me

Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: oldcoastie6468 on September 30, 2013, 04:02:13 PM
Actually, "of the injuries" is a prepositional phrase, so "injuries" is not the subject of the sentence. "None" is the subject.

Confused yet? I am. It's one of those things where yer damned if ya do and damned if ya don't.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: RickZ on September 30, 2013, 04:04:59 PM
The only grammar rule in the English language is that rules are made to be broken.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: pisskop on September 30, 2013, 04:14:40 PM
All these rules.  Confuzzling.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: IronDioPriest on September 30, 2013, 04:23:10 PM
It's "are". To test it, just take away the "none" and say the sentence.

A) The injuries is considered serious.
B) The injuries are considered serious.

B is the right answer.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: LadyVirginia on September 30, 2013, 04:25:56 PM
Yes, it's a prepositional phrase.  I teach at home and the first rule they know is to cross out all the prepositional phrases before they move on to finding the subject and verb.

Which is why I asked the question because none are serious and none is serious both had potential to be correct but since it was about lots of injuries none seemed to me to be plural.

I love grammar!

My kids had to learn to diagram sentences.  I loved it.  Do they do that in schools any more?
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: oldcoastie6468 on September 30, 2013, 04:28:14 PM
Yes, it's a prepositional phrase.  I teach at home and the first rule they know is to cross out all the prepositional phrases before they move on to finding the subject and verb.

Which is why I asked the question because none are serious and none is serious both had potential to be correct but since it was about lots of injuries none seemed to me to be plural.

I love grammar!

My kids had to learn to diagram sentences.  I loved it.  Do they do that in schools any more?

Nope. Actually, I didn't have to do much of either, way back before history books were written.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Glock32 on September 30, 2013, 09:42:42 PM
You could also look at it from the perspective of set theory. "Injuries" is a set of n members, {I} = [I1...In], and if you interpret "None" to be equivalent to "Zero", zero being defined as an even integer, "None of the injuries are" sounds right.

Here's another example: "None of the band is on stage" vs. "None of the band are on stage". This one is interesting because there's cultural context too. The British tend to look at things like "the band" as a plurality (i.e. a set) and would say "are", whereas many Americans look at "the band" as a single entity unto itself (that happens to be composed of multiple people) and would say "is".

Shall we also bring up "the United States are" vs. "the United States is"? Same concept, and it's a telling question to ask because the USA as plurality was the norm for most of our history. The more modern USA as singularity says much about political development (and mostly for the worse).
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Libertas on September 30, 2013, 09:44:24 PM
The squid says arrrrrgh!   ;D
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: ChrstnHsbndFthr on September 30, 2013, 09:49:07 PM
Every time I had a question for her she always told me to ask grampar..... ::rimshot::
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Pandora on September 30, 2013, 10:29:57 PM
::groan::

Two thirds of a pun .... a P U .
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: ChrstnHsbndFthr on September 30, 2013, 10:36:11 PM
::groan::

Two thirds of a pun .... a P U .

Groaners are me specialty....

I used to be able to make my wife laugh out loud......but even that has stopped now that we turn out the lights before I undress.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Predator Don on September 30, 2013, 11:02:27 PM
How about: ain't no one hurt bad.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Pandora on September 30, 2013, 11:09:26 PM
Ah'm good widdat.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: IronDioPriest on October 01, 2013, 08:39:46 AM
Since we're talking English grammar, perhaps someone has some insight into this puzzle:

Quote
Obama! Yes! Everybody in Cleveland, low minorities, got Obama phone. Keep Obama in president, you know? He gave us a phone! He gonna do more! You sign up. If you on food stamps, you on Social Security, you got low income, you disability. Romney, he sucks! Bad!

Shouldn't it be "Keep Obama in da president"... "He give us a phone"... "If you be on food stamps"... "You be on Social Security"... "You got da low income"... "You is disability"... "Romney, he a crackah"...

 ::whatgives::
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: oldcoastie6468 on October 01, 2013, 08:54:48 AM
Since we're talking English grammar, perhaps someone has some insight into this puzzle:

Quote
Obama! Yes! Everybody in Cleveland, low minorities, got Obama phone. Keep Obama in president, you know? He gave us a phone! He gonna do more! You sign up. If you on food stamps, you on Social Security, you got low income, you disability. Romney, he sucks! Bad!

Shouldn't it be "Keep Obama in da president"... "He give us a phone"... "If you be on food stamps"... "You be on Social Security"... "You got da low income"... "You is disability"... "Romney, he a crackah"...

 ::whatgives::

Should really be: He gib us da fone.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Pandora on October 01, 2013, 08:57:05 AM
Since we're talking English grammar, perhaps someone has some insight into this puzzle:

Quote
Obama! Yes! Everybody in Cleveland, low minorities, got Obama phone. Keep Obama in president, you know? He gave us a phone! He gonna do more! You sign up. If you on food stamps, you on Social Security, you got low income, you disability. Romney, he sucks! Bad!

Shouldn't it be "Keep Obama in da president"... "He give us a phone"... "If you be on food stamps"... "You be on Social Security"... "You got da low income"... "You is disability"... "Romney, he a crackah"...

 ::whatgives::

You'd have needed to study Ebonics .... and since the evil White oppressors have prevented that, there are few expert translators.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: oldcoastie6468 on October 01, 2013, 09:02:01 AM
I'm here to help people. So.....

Quote
EBONICS FOR TODAY


Ebonics class homework assignment from the Oakland, California, school district, with LeRoy Muhammad Alshooba-Farooki’s responses.


DEFINE THE FOLLOWING TERMS
1.   RECTUM      I had 2 Cadillacs, but my wife rectum.
2.   HOTEL      I gib my girlfriend da crabs an da hotel everybody.
3.   FORECLOSE   After I pay alimony, I got no money foreclose.
4.   DISAPPOINTMENT   If I miss disappointment, I be sended back to da bighouse.
5.   PENIS      The doctor handed me a cup and said penis.
6.   UNDERMINE   Day be a fine lookin ho in da apartment undermine.
7.   ACOUSTIC      My uncle bought me acoustic and took me to da pool hall.
8.   SELDOM      I got 2 tickets for da Bulls game so I seldom.
9.   HONOR      At da rape trial, da judge axed me, “Who be honor first?”
10.   ODYSSEY      I tol my brother, “You oddysey the jugs on that ho!”
11.   AXE         De policeman want to axe me some questions.
12.   TRIPOLI      I couldn’t find no tripoli bra fo my ol lady.
13.   FORTIFY      I axed the ho, “How much?”  She say, “Fortify.”
14.   INCOME      I just got in bed wit da ho and income my ol lady.
15.   ISRAEL      I said, “Man, dat Rolex look fake.”  He said, “No, Isreal”
16.   STAIN      My mother-in-law axed if I was stain for supper again.
17.   CATACOMB   I be see Don King yesterday.  Man, somebody give dat catacomb!
18.   BENIGN      What you be after you be eight.
19.   IMPOTENT      I be a impotent brudder in da ‘hood.

LeRoy got an “A.”

Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: IronDioPriest on October 01, 2013, 09:02:57 AM
Since we're talking English grammar, perhaps someone has some insight into this puzzle:

Quote
Obama! Yes! Everybody in Cleveland, low minorities, got Obama phone. Keep Obama in president, you know? He gave us a phone! He gonna do more! You sign up. If you on food stamps, you on Social Security, you got low income, you disability. Romney, he sucks! Bad!

Shouldn't it be "Keep Obama in da president"... "He give us a phone"... "If you be on food stamps"... "You be on Social Security"... "You got da low income"... "You is disability"... "Romney, he a crackah"...

 ::whatgives::

You'd have needed to study Ebonics .... and since the evil White oppressors have prevented that, there are few expert translators.

Indeed. Rest in Peace, Barbara...

Airplane! - Jive Scene with Translation [1080p] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXSLcYQHqFQ#ws)
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: LadyVirginia on October 01, 2013, 11:12:54 AM


Quote
EBONICS FOR TODAY


Ebonics class homework assignment from the Oakland, California, school district, with LeRoy Muhammad Alshooba-Farooki’s responses.

***

LeRoy got an “A.”



So all these kids get "A's" for their "ebonics" then what?  They still can't function in the world.  It's about functioning as productive citizens.  But they don't have to --they get a pass because maybe they're from slaves.  Skip the farce just give all A's and see how well everything goes then.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Libertas on October 01, 2013, 11:50:19 AM
That sh*t be giving me a headache!   :o
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: pisskop on October 01, 2013, 11:59:47 AM
There's a reason the expression  is "that smarts"! :)
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Sectionhand on October 02, 2013, 04:14:55 AM
One very important rule is NOT to base your own grammar and usage on what you hear reporters say . Some of the worst grammar comes from the talking heads on television .
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Libertas on October 02, 2013, 08:04:38 AM
One very important rule is NOT to base your own grammar and usage on what you hear reporters say . Some of the worst grammar comes from the talking heads on television .

True, and the dying print media is not exempt from massive errors...haven't read a newspaper in years, but the writing then wasn't worthy of grade school quality by my standards, cannot believe it has imporved at all over the years.  Even the articles we link here, often from top-line and/or reputable sources can be riddled with errors!
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: oldcoastie6468 on October 02, 2013, 09:10:17 AM
One very important rule is NOT to base your own grammar and usage on what you hear reporters say . Some of the worst grammar comes from the talking heads on television .

It really bugs me when all of the media mixes singular pronouns with plural verbs! "He'll be sorry because it goes on their record."

Geez!
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: LadyVirginia on October 02, 2013, 02:09:04 PM
One very important rule is NOT to base your own grammar and usage on what you hear reporters say . Some of the worst grammar comes from the talking heads on television .

It really bugs me when all of the media mixes singular pronouns with plural verbs! "He'll be sorry because it goes on their record."

Geez!

I love to point out the mistakes reporters make.  I've done that several times over the years here at IAL.  They think they know so much but can't put together a correct sentence.

And yes, that use of "their" because they're afraid to use just "he" or "she" is annoying.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Glock32 on October 02, 2013, 09:20:38 PM
Yes. Misuse of "their" is entirely because of PC feminist moaning. It used to be perfectly understood that in the English language the masculine pronoun is also used when the gender is unknown. The moonbats have gone so far as to advocate entirely new grammatical constructs, such as in Sweden:

Quote
Just days after International Women’s Day a new pronoun, hen (pronounced like the bird in English), was added to the online version of the country’s National Encyclopedia. The entry defines hen as a “proposed gender-neutral personal pronoun instead of he [han in Swedish] and she [hon].”The National Encyclopedia announcement came amid a heated debate about gender neutrality that has been raging in Swedish newspaper columns and TV studios and on parenting blogs and feminist websites. It was sparked by the publication of Sweden’s first ever gender-neutral children’s book, Kivi och Monsterhund (Kivi and Monsterdog). It tells the story of Kivi, who wants a dog for “hen’s” birthday. The male author, Jesper Lundqvist, introduces several gender-neutral words in the book. For instance the words mammor and pappor (moms and dads) are replaced with mappor and pammor.

http://moonbattery.com/?p=10515 (http://moonbattery.com/?p=10515)
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: LadyVirginia on October 02, 2013, 09:57:59 PM
 ::puke::
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Libertas on October 03, 2013, 07:32:18 AM
Great...how soon till that jumps the pond...

 ::facepalm::

 ::rockets::
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: RickZ on October 03, 2013, 07:43:34 AM
Let me know when they start using  'hisicanes'.  Or will that be 'henicanes'?

This crap makes my head hurt.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: IronDioPriest on October 03, 2013, 08:18:15 AM
Moonbattery indeed.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: Pandora on October 03, 2013, 08:19:56 AM
Moonbattery indeed.

Falls right in line with their "feminists" demanding all men pee sitting down.
Title: Re: grammar question
Post by: LadyVirginia on October 03, 2013, 10:59:48 AM
Moonbattery indeed.

Falls right in line with their "feminists" demanding all men pee sitting down.

I missed that...thankfully