harvey Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Recently I've noticed on television programmes that presenters have been saying "the next couple in to the final is" .............surely that should be are ........I even heard someone say it on the news .............did nun of theese reetards go to skool? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnyboy Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 surely a couple is singular? - eg"one couple" therefore "the couple is sexy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatch Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 I have noticed this too, but not mentioned it, in case I was wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verbal Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Is is right. Couple is a collective noun, and therefore singular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpb Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Couple is singular - 'is' is correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey Posted 15 January, 2011 Author Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Couple is singular - 'is' is correct. How can 'couple' be singular???????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 How can 'couple' be singular???????? Because a couple is a single entity. However, if the reference was to two couples, then it would be 'the two couples are'. Similarly, A pair is singular, two pairs are plural. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint boggy Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 How can 'couple' be singular???????? i too have wondered this.......... "couple" as in "a couple".....how CAN they still be a couple and yet single as in "not a couple".....it's confusing,isn't it............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey Posted 15 January, 2011 Author Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Because a couple is a single entity. However, if the reference was to two couples, then it would be 'the two couples are'. Similarly, A pair is singular, two pairs are plural. But generally speaking you would say "the next couple are" not "the next couple is" wouldn't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verbal Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 i too have wondered this.......... "couple" as in "a couple".....how CAN they still be a couple and yet single as in "not a couple".....it's confusing,isn't it............ Because in 'they are a couple', the 'are' agrees with 'they' (ie plural). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey Posted 15 January, 2011 Author Share Posted 15 January, 2011 i too have wondered this.......... "couple" as in "a couple".....how CAN they still be a couple and yet single as in "not a couple".....it's confusing,isn't it............ You're quite right Saint Boggy .....but I'm really thinking about the current use of the English Language and it's use in the vocabulary of the media at the present time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint boggy Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Because in 'they are a couple', the 'are' agrees with 'they' (ie plural). private "joke" with the OP Verbal........ unlike him, i DO understand the more complex inner workings of the English Language....... the next couple is is indeed correct....the next couples are is also correct..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deppo Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 There's nothing worse than poorly informed pedants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperMikey Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 ^ SuperMikey likes this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deppo Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 There's nothing worse than poorly informed pedants. Although Facebook-style "likes this" statements run it a close second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deppo Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 I do like you though, SuperMikey. I should tell you that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint boggy Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 There's nothing worse than poorly informed pedants. as you are,presumably,referring to only ONE poster in that post i believe you should have used the singular in your sentence.......ie, there's nothing worse than a poorly informed pedant.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deppo Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Oh dear. Another poorly informed pedant. Please don't make this any worse for yourself, saint boggy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smirking_Saint Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Because a couple is a single entity. However, if the reference was to two couples, then it would be 'the two couples are'. Similarly, A pair is singular, two pairs are plural. Would that not make it a pair of pairs ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey Posted 15 January, 2011 Author Share Posted 15 January, 2011 I do like you though, SuperMikey. I should tell you that. What about me??? You pm'd me about 6 months ago and then nothing ............ Btw.......atm I am currently listening to 'The Extra Action Marching Band with David Byrne' Burning Down The House Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint boggy Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Oh dear. Another poorly informed pedant. Please don't make this any worse for yourself, saint boggy. tbf, you could've done with having a comma after "Oh dear" rather than a full stop,it would've saved you the trouble of pressing CAPS LOCK for the 'A'..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deppo Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 I like you harvey. Poorly informed pedantry aside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint boggy Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 What about me??? You pm'd me about 6 months ago and then nothing ............ Btw.......atm I am currently listening to 'The Extra Action Marching Band with David Byrne' Burning Down The House DEAR GOD!!!!!! this isn't the effing "What are you listening to " thread ya know!!!!!....stop hijacking other people's threads!!!!!.............oh.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deppo Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 tbf, you could've done with having a comma after "Oh dear" rather than a full stop,it would've saved you the trouble of pressing CAPS LOCK for the 'A'..... Please stop. I'm embarrassed for you. Also... CAPS LOCK? Really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verbal Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Can you be a pedant and poorly informed? Surely you have to be right for the pedantry to be pedantry. Otherwise it's delldays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey Posted 15 January, 2011 Author Share Posted 15 January, 2011 I like you harvey. Poorly informed pedantry aside. harvey really should be spelt with a capitol 'H' Deppo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deppo Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 I transcribe as I see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatch Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Whether it's right or wrong, it sounds wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verbal Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 I transcribe as I see. Descartes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 harvey really should be spelt with a capitol 'H' Deppo If I may make so bold .......... That should be capital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verbal Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Question mark? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deppo Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Can you be a pedant and poorly informed? Surely you have to be right for the pedantry to be pedantry. Otherwise it's delldays. As far as I see it, pedantry doesn't automatically signify correctness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Question mark? Are you asking that of me? In other words, you are suggesting my final sentence has an antipodean upflection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deppo Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Descartes? Deschamps, Didier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey Posted 15 January, 2011 Author Share Posted 15 January, 2011 If I may make so bold .......... That should be capital. And you're quite right to be so bold BTF,......I stand corrected Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verbal Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Deschamps, Didier. He's the one with the fountain, right? Or is that dune? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landford.saint Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Descartes? I think, therefore I am I can't think therefore I steal other peoples ideas. Did you know that Descartes is credited for a lot of early psychology thesis that it is probable that he stole from Edward Reynolds born in Southampton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey Posted 15 January, 2011 Author Share Posted 15 January, 2011 T'was a boring topic anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamilton Saint Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 You're quite right Saint Boggy .....but I'm really thinking about the current use of the English Language and it's use in the vocabulary of the media at the present time Its - meaning belonging to it - does not take an apostrophe. An apostrophe is used when it's is a contraction - when it means it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verbal Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Its - meaning belonging to it - does not take an apostrophe. An apostrophe is used when it's is a contraction - when it means it is. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey Posted 15 January, 2011 Author Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Its - meaning belonging to it - does not take an apostrophe. An apostrophe is used when it's is a contraction - when it means it is. I committed a terrible faux pas ........from here on in I am your sevant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint boggy Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 I committed a terrible faux pas ........from here on in I am your sevant don't apologise Harvey, you were right to put an apostrophe.....(if indeed I was taught correctly at school..)....an apostrophe is used to indicate and abbreviation and conjoining of 2 words ,ie "it is" becomes "it's" AND also to indicate "belonging to", ie when something belongs to something or someone....ie that's Bert's porn mag.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey Posted 15 January, 2011 Author Share Posted 15 January, 2011 don't apologise Harvey, you were right to put an apostrophe.....(if indeed I was taught correctly at school..)....an apostrophe is used to indicate and abbreviation and conjoining of 2 words ,ie "it is" becomes "it's" AND also to indicate "belonging to", ie when something belongs to something or someone....ie that's Bert's porn mag.... Thanks St boggy , maybe I could borrow that porn mag sometime :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint boggy Posted 15 January, 2011 Share Posted 15 January, 2011 Thanks St boggy , maybe I could borrow that porn mag sometime :-) you'd best ask Bert.Afterall, it's his Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperMikey Posted 16 January, 2011 Share Posted 16 January, 2011 Although Facebook-style "likes this" statements run it a close second. You're just jealous of my acerbic wit. Can't handle the bite, can you Deppo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verbal Posted 16 January, 2011 Share Posted 16 January, 2011 Have we done the English language yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deppo Posted 16 January, 2011 Share Posted 16 January, 2011 (edited) I think so. Unless saint boggy wants to take another stab at it. She was getting closer with the apostrophe thing. We'll mark it down as a near miss. Edited 16 January, 2011 by Deppo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weston Super Saint Posted 16 January, 2011 Share Posted 16 January, 2011 Once Saint Boggy has mastered the apostrophe, maybe she could move on to how to use a 'space bar'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamilton Saint Posted 17 January, 2011 Share Posted 17 January, 2011 don't apologise Harvey, you were right to put an apostrophe.....(if indeed I was taught correctly at school..)....an apostrophe is used to indicate and abbreviation and conjoining of 2 words ,ie "it is" becomes "it's" AND also to indicate "belonging to", ie when something belongs to something or someone....ie that's Bert's porn mag.... Sorry, you are wrong. When "its" is used to mean 'belonging to it', an apostrophe is not correct. The apostrophe is only used for the contraction, when it's means 'it is'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint boggy Posted 17 January, 2011 Share Posted 17 January, 2011 Once Saint Boggy has mastered the apostrophe, maybe she could move on to how to use a 'space bar'? I doubt it, lots of full stops are the future..........mark my words! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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