British Usage

I can give you the American New York version:

Whoa man, what part of da prop do you like.

It uses Department in the singular, so it's "does"

Sounds awkward following the plural "aspects." Takes some thought as to which is the subject of "does." I'd reword the sentence to do away with it.

It's really a question about British usage -- there are clearly times when some British speakers consider the plural verb appropriate -- which sounds funny to American ears. But, like you, I would regard the singular as correct. A colleague in the English department contended that the British would use the plural in this example -- hence my question.

In American English, we'd say the Who is touring despite John Entwhistle's death. The British, however, would say that the Who are touring, n'est-ce pas?

Tim

I think the proper British usage, at least where I grew up in London is:

Look mate, unless you're looking for some agro, sign off on the bleedin' proposal. Don't make me put the boot in you bunch of wankers. Right, who wants to get a pint? *

* "Right, who wants to get a pint" (pronounced "Roight, ooo wans ta geh uh point.") was the appropriate ending to any business communication without regard to time of day.

Oh..if you want to stick with your original wording, does, although I think both would be understood. "Do" has a more tea and cucumber sandwiches by the piano feel to it.

Nick "Still British after all these years" Torres

Thanks, Nick. I'd forgotten that you're still British after all these years!

I'll share this one too!

Tim

It's really a question about British usage -- there are clearly times when some British speakers consider the plural verb appropriate -- which sounds funny to American ears. But, like you, I would regard the singular as correct. A colleague in the English department contended that the British would use the plural in this example -- hence my question.

In American English, we'd say the Who is touring despite John Entwhistle's death. The British, however, would say that the Who are touring, n'est-ce pas?

Tim

Yep - The Who are touring, and the Rolling Stones are touring too, one of those wonderful inconsistencies of the language, but I think we've got a long long way to go to catch up with "Is you is or is you ain't my baby?"

Are they open? Whose round is it? That's pints, not golf. Take me back to my padded cell.

What really puzzles me is that the Germans correctly say the United States are while we in the US make the United States singular -- which is also true of British usage, isn't it?

May come from Germany uniting its states long before we were even around...

Peace

"States righters" would argue that the US singular usage is a political conspiracy. :P

May come from Germany uniting its states long before we were even around...

Peace

Funny thing is, German didn't unite its states until 1871 -- after our civil war! So as a political unit, Germany is younger than the US though its culture is much older. Ah, sweet bird of paradox!

Tim

Holy Roman Empire, Batman!