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  1. #1
    Cynic Senior Member sapi's Avatar
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    Default Re: A Question on English Grammar

    In english it is.

    imho, all countries should be referred to in the singular
    From wise men, O Lord, protect us -anon
    The death of one man is a tragedy; the death of millions, a statistic -Stalin
    We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into the area -UK military spokesman Major Mike Shearer

  2. #2
    Senior Member Senior Member English assassin's Avatar
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    Default Re: A Question on English Grammar

    This is one of those grammar maven questions where the rule is there is no rule. Just be consistent in your own usage. A company is a singular entity, and so would be an "it", but in fact so long as you are internally consistent you are correct. Even in legal drafting no one cares. After all, are you really goign to find out if a business is a company (singular) or a partnership (technically plural in England, singular IIRC in scotland)? Duke Malcolm has probably got the strict grammar right, but in practice that is not English as she is spoke.

    I would agree that it sounds odd to refer to a country as opposed to its inhabitants in the plural though.

    Getting its and it's wrong, on the other hand, really annoys me.
    "The only thing I've gotten out of this thread is that Navaros is claiming that Satan gave Man meat. Awesome." Gorebag

  3. #3
    Cynic Senior Member sapi's Avatar
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    Default Re: A Question on English Grammar

    lol at the its and it's issue - its it's a pain, isn't it?

    I would argue that countries = singular though, and languages where some are not (eg. french) make this very clear.
    From wise men, O Lord, protect us -anon
    The death of one man is a tragedy; the death of millions, a statistic -Stalin
    We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into the area -UK military spokesman Major Mike Shearer

  4. #4
    Senior Member Senior Member naut's Avatar
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    Default Re: A Question on English Grammar

    Its and it's is the most annoying due to the semi-reversal of other English laws of diction and grammar.
    #Hillary4prism

    BD:TW

    Some piously affirm: "The truth is such and such. I know! I see!"
    And hold that everything depends upon having the “right” religion.
    But when one really knows, one has no need of religion. - Mahavyuha Sutra

    Freedom necessarily involves risk. - Alan Watts

  5. #5
    Cynic Senior Member sapi's Avatar
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    Default Re: A Question on English Grammar

    it's not a reversal; it just obeys one law (conjunctions) before another (plurals)
    From wise men, O Lord, protect us -anon
    The death of one man is a tragedy; the death of millions, a statistic -Stalin
    We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into the area -UK military spokesman Major Mike Shearer

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