> > Bit as a wroter. I'd never construct it like that. Unless, of course, I was > lucking to be fired. Huh?
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > -------------- Original message ---------------------- > From: keith_w <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> Paul Stenquist wrote: >> >>> British English treats company names as plurals. American English >>> treats them as singular. The Brit system works better when it comes >>> to pronouns. It's hard to think of Mercedes-Benz or AIG as an "it." >>> >> Certainly not. A company IS an "it." It is a business entity. >> > Only in America. > >>> The plural pronoun, "they," sounds correct to most ears. However, if >>> one uses the plural verb and says "Mercedes-Benz are introducing >>> another new model in the fall," it sounds awkward to the American ear >>> but not to the Brits. It's just another transatlantic difference. >>> >> Perhaps you might think of it this way (see bracketed additions): >> >> >>> Americans routinely use a plural pronoun and a singular verb, as in >>> "[The company known as] Mercedes-Benz is introducing a new model in >>> >> > the fall. They [the people who run the company] expect it >> >>> to sell very well." >>> >> With the inclusion of the bracketed clarification, it makes perfect >> grammatical sense. >> >> > Bit as a wroter. I'd never construct it like that. Unless, of course, I was > lucking to be fired. > > >>> Bad, but it's just another example of how the >>> colonists have corrupted the language. >>> >> You're entitled any any opinion you feel comfortable with, whether correct >> or >> not. >> >> > This usage difference is not based on my opinion. It was a dictate from both > Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar when I wrote their advertising and product brochures. > >>> I don't know which way the Canadians swing on that number. >>> Paul >>> >> keith whaley >> >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> PDML@pdml.net >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >> follow >> the directions. >> > > > -- Vote for Cthulhu. Why settle for a lesser evil... -- Dr. Jerry Pournelle -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
