On 15/10/13 05:19, Jonathan Leech-Pepin wrote:
Hello,
On Oct 14, 2013 10:43 AM, "James Harkins" <jamshar...@gmail.com
<mailto:jamshar...@gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> R. Michael Weylandt <michael.weylandt <at> gmail.com
<http://gmail.com>> <michael.weylandt <at>
> gmail.com <http://gmail.com>> writes:
>
> > On Oct 10, 2013, at 11:50, François Pinard <pinard <at>
iro.umontreal.ca <http://iro.umontreal.ca>>
> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > P.S. What is proper English: "nobody remember" or "nobody
remembers"?
> > >
> >
> > Remembers. 'Nobody' counts as singular, as does 'no one'. English
isn't
> totally consistent on this
> > matter, however, as 'none' takes a plural verb.
> >
> > No one is brave enough to skip the meeting, even though none of
the bosses
> are going to attend.
>
> Actually, I think the latter clause is incorrect usage. The verb's
subject is
> "none," not "bosses"; since the subject is singular, the verb form
should be
> singular as well. It "feels wrong" to have a singular verb
immediately after a
> plural noun, but that noun properly belongs to the preposition, not
the verb.
>
> I'm voting for "none of the bosses is going to attend."
None is a bit of an odd case, since it reflects the plurality of the
associated noun.
None of the group is going...
None of the groups are going...
None of the bosses are going to attend.
Some, most, all also follow that pattern:
All of the group is...
All of the bosses are...
Group allows for both the plural and similar case since even one group
still has multiple members (at least it implies such).
Jon
> hjh
>
>
Strunk & White 3rd edition p9:
With none, use the singular verb when the word means "no one" or "not
one."
None of us are perfect. None of us is perfect.
A plural verb is commonly used when none suggests more than one thing
or person.
None are so fallible as those who are sure they're right.
Alan
--
Alan L Tyree http://www2.austlii.edu.au/~alan
Tel: 04 2748 6206 sip:typh...@iptel.org
