-------------- 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. -- 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.
