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Discussion Groups / English Usage / November 2006Plural or singular
What does "freak-out" and "pull-up" mean? Or Should I say What do "freak-out" and "pull-up" mean? Which one is correct? Thanks Jack > What does "freak-out" and "pull-up" mean? > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Which one is correct? "What do 'freak-out' and 'pull-up' mean?" These are two separate and distinct terms (idioms).  SignatureFranke: EFL teacher & medical editor Native speaker of American English; posting from Taiwan. Unmunged email: /at/easypeasy.com "Impatience is the mother of misery." "dontbother" <dontbother@mushmail.mom> ¼¶¼g©ó¶l¥ó·s»D:Xns9881B4EAE63C3dont@139.175.55.249... >> What does "freak-out" and "pull-up" mean? >> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > These are two separate and distinct terms (idioms). Hi, I think I should raise another better example. But now I can't think of one. Sometimes if both the terms are not countable, do I still use the plural form of this statement? Thanks Jack Let me think about it for a while, I am a bit confused. Thanks Jack "Jacky Luk" <jl@knight.com> ¼¶¼g©ó¶l¥ó·s»D:45617b1e$1@127.0.0.1... > "dontbother" <dontbother@mushmail.mom> ¼¶¼g©ó¶l¥ó·s»D:Xns9881B4EAE63C3dont@139.175.55.249... >> [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Thanks > Jack >Let me think about it for a while, I am a bit confused. >Thanks >Jack Please don't top-post. Thanks -- Brad Germolene >"Jacky Luk" <jl@knight.com> ¼¶¼g©ó¶l¥ó·s»D:45617b1e$1@127.0.0.1... >> [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >> Thanks >> Jack SignatureBrad Germolene > "dontbother" <dontbother@mushmail.mom> >> [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > think of one. Sometimes if both the terms are not countable, do > I still use the plural form of this statement? "What do 'music' and 'furniture' mean?" Neither music nor furniture is countable. OTOH, "What does 'cut and dried' mean?" because the expression "cut and dried" is a singular concept. The same goes for "What does 'whiskey and water' mean?" and "What does 'gin and tonic' mean?" and "What does 'f.ck off and die' mean?" SignatureFranke: EFL teacher & medical editor Native speaker of American English; posting from Taiwan. Unmunged email: /at/easypeasy.com "Impatience is the mother of misery." > What does "freak-out" and "pull-up" mean? > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Which one is correct? Plural -- the second one. SignatureMark Brader, Toronto | "True excitement lies in doing msb@vex.net | 'sdb /unix /dev/kmem'" -- Pontus Hedman > > What does "freak-out" and "pull-up" mean? > > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Plural -- the second one. Of course, everything has complications, and this question of number is no exception. There are certain pairings in which the connection between the individual things is commonly felt to be so strong that what ought grammatically to be two objects, and hence want a plural-form verb, is considered one thing and take a singular-form verb: A horse and carriage *was* waiting outside. A cup and saucer *was* all the table held. There's no hard rule, just idiomatic notions of plurality and singularity. |
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