Join for free
Page 4 of 5 « First < 2 3 4 5 >
JBR's Avatar
JBR
Chatterbox
JBR is offline
Cheshire, UK
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 32,785
JBR is male  JBR has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-07-2019, 12:11 PM
31

Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.

Originally Posted by ruthio ->
A very amusing thread!

Just one item on JRM's list that I simply don't understand and that is the first item:
Organisations are SINGULAR

Can someone please explain to this thicko exactly what this means?
Take an organisation, say RSPCA, or South West Trains, how can it be singular or plural?
And in what context does he mean it should always be singular.

I'm obviously totally missing the point, but I simply don't understand his instruction.
I'm not sure, but one example might be
"The National Health Services"
which, of course, would be incorrect, as there is only one
National Health Service.

Perhaps there are other similar examples.
Boot's Avatar
Boot
Senior Member
Boot is offline
England
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 390
Boot is female  Boot has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-07-2019, 12:49 PM
32

Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.

Originally Posted by ruthio ->
A very amusing thread!

Just one item on JRM's list that I simply don't understand and that is the first item:
Organisations are SINGULAR

Can someone please explain to this thicko exactly what this means?
Take an organisation, say RSPCA, or South West Trains, how can it be singular or plural?
And in what context does he mean it should always be singular.

I'm obviously totally missing the point, but I simply don't understand his instruction.
If an organisation is treated as a singular entity, then one should be consistent in referring to it as one entity, so one shouldn’t use words that refer to a single entity using plural words, such as “they” instead of “it”, “have” instead of “has”.

I don’t know what the proper grammatical word is to describe these type of words but if you think of the differences in words you use in sentences referring to one person or two people, it will all become clear.

e.g.
General Motors published its new range of vehicles.
RSPCA has published its annual accounts
The lease of the Head Office of South West Trains will expire next month. It is looking for new premises.

Whereas, referring to two entities you would use words denoting plural.

South West Trains and Rail Link have joined forces to present their plans for next year
MargaretF
Senior Member
MargaretF is offline
Northamptonshire, UK
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 410
MargaretF is female  MargaretF has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-07-2019, 12:51 PM
33

Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.

Originally Posted by ruthio ->
A very amusing thread!

Just one item on JRM's list that I simply don't understand and that is the first item:
Organisations are SINGULAR

Can someone please explain to this thicko exactly what this means?
Take an organisation, say RSPCA, or South West Trains, how can it be singular or plural?
And in what context does he mean it should always be singular.

I'm obviously totally missing the point, but I simply don't understand his instruction.
If someone is referring to the RSPCA in a sentence, for example, it should read "The RSPCA is an organisation that protects animals" rather than "The RSPCA are an organisation that protects animals" I think that is what he means by an organisation being singular rather than plural ...
ruthio
Chatterbox
ruthio is offline
Southern UK
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 11,732
ruthio is female  ruthio has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-07-2019, 01:21 PM
34

Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.

Originally Posted by MargaretF ->
If someone is referring to the RSPCA in a sentence, for example, it should read "The RSPCA is an organisation that protects animals" rather than "The RSPCA are an organisation that protects animals" I think that is what he means by an organisation being singular rather than plural ...
Oh I see!!!!

NOW I understand!

Makes perfect sense...but as with so many clever people JRM has an inability to connect with the ordinary... I'm not stupid when it comes to grammar and punctuation but I genuinely didn't understand his instruction.
And no one I've spoke with about it did either!!

Thank you!!
MargaretF
Senior Member
MargaretF is offline
Northamptonshire, UK
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 410
MargaretF is female  MargaretF has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-07-2019, 01:43 PM
35

Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.

Originally Posted by ruthio ->
Oh I see!!!!

NOW I understand!

Makes perfect sense...but as with so many clever people JRM has an inability to connect with the ordinary... I'm not stupid when it comes to grammar and punctuation but I genuinely didn't understand his instruction.
And no one I've spoke with about it did either!!

Thank you!!
You're welcome. Sometimes these people are too clever for their own good - as my late Mother would say
ruthio
Chatterbox
ruthio is offline
Southern UK
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 11,732
ruthio is female  ruthio has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-07-2019, 01:46 PM
36

Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.

Originally Posted by MargaretF ->
You're welcome. Sometimes these people are too clever for their own good - as my late Mother would say
Exactly! If you've issued an instruction that few understand, that says more about you than it says about them!
JBR's Avatar
JBR
Chatterbox
JBR is offline
Cheshire, UK
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 32,785
JBR is male  JBR has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-07-2019, 02:05 PM
37

Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.

Originally Posted by Boot ->
I don’t know what the proper grammatical word is to describe these type of words but if you think of the differences in words you use in sentences referring to one person or two people, it will all become clear.
This type of word!

Seriously, though, I think you make a very good point.
Jazzi's Avatar
Jazzi
Chatterbox
Jazzi is offline
Lowestoft
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 21,051
Jazzi is female  Jazzi has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-07-2019, 02:11 PM
38

Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.

Something else I notice on social media (ie Facebook) is the incorrect usage of 'his' and 'he's'.

For example (and these are just examples, plucked from thin air...)

His going to football
He's mobile phone has been stolen/lost
shropshiregirl's Avatar
shropshiregirl
Chatterbox
shropshiregirl is offline
Shropshire
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 6,919
shropshiregirl is female  shropshiregirl has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-07-2019, 02:32 PM
39

Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.

Amazing just how a missing comma can change a sentence,

Have you eaten Granma?
JBR's Avatar
JBR
Chatterbox
JBR is offline
Cheshire, UK
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 32,785
JBR is male  JBR has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-07-2019, 02:36 PM
40

Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.

Originally Posted by shropshiregirl ->
Amazing just how a missing comma can change a sentence,

Have you eaten Granma?
He eats shoots and leaves.

He eats, shoots and leaves.

Or using the Oxford comma,

He eats, shoots, and leaves.
 
Page 4 of 5 « First < 2 3 4 5 >

Thread Tools


© Copyright 2009, Over50sForum   Contact Us | Over 50s Forum! | Archive | Privacy Statement | Terms of Use | Top

Powered by vBulletin Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.