English: 3rd person singular s
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This is a tricky one because I think the English get it wrong. If we were talking about a cricket match, an Englishman might say "England need another 200 runs" where an Aussie would be more likely to say "England needs another 200 runs." Given that England in this context is a singular entity, the Australian version is logically correct but it sounds wrong to English ears. Ultimately, I guess usage triumphs over rules when it comes to grammar and usage is never going to be standard across the Anglophone world.
98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.
PeejayAdams wrote:
Aussie would be more likely to say "England needs another 200 runs."
You obviously don't know Aussies very well. They would be saying "pass another beer Sheryl, we just need a few more wickets"
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This is a tricky one because I think the English get it wrong. If we were talking about a cricket match, an Englishman might say "England need another 200 runs" where an Aussie would be more likely to say "England needs another 200 runs." Given that England in this context is a singular entity, the Australian version is logically correct but it sounds wrong to English ears. Ultimately, I guess usage triumphs over rules when it comes to grammar and usage is never going to be standard across the Anglophone world.
98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.
Well just to confuse: - the English players need another 200 runs - in this case "needs" would definitely be wrong - the English team needs/need another 200 runs (both correct, "team" is both singular and plural) "team" / "players" can be dropped for brevity, hence "need" is always correct, "needs" is only sometimes correct. The Texas Instruments case also depends if it's equipment from or of TI - Texas Instruments makes electronic equipment. - Texas Instruments electronic equipment - Texas Instruments' electronic equipment And just to prove how wonderful the language is: - TI's electronic equipment - is OK - Texas Instruments's electronic equipment - is not. Tis manifest, 'in't it or no?
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Everyone I know agrees that "Lenovo makes electronic equipment" - it is a singular company, so the 's' should be in place. Now considering Texas Instruments: "Texas Instruments makes electronic equipment", because TI is singular company (at least for this discussion), or "Texas Instruments make electronic equipment" because the name is a plural form? I asked my colleauge from London about this. To be sure, I went to my Oregon colleague for a confirmation - but got the opposite answer. So, you native English speakers from all over the world, would you say: Texas Instruments makes, or Texas Instruments make? Could this be a US vs. UK distinction - do you consider your English belonging to the "British" style, or to the "American" style? To complicate it further: Informally, we often refer to TI as "Texas" only. Is it the "Texas makes electronics" but "Texas Instruments make electronics"? What about companies mostly known by their abbreviation, but the de-abbreviation is plural: IBM make, or makes, computers? - considering that the M is for Machines The good thing is that globally considered, English is such a Babelian language that everything goes, and is for the most part understood whatever variant you choose.
"Texas Instruments makes," is correct. Regardless of the name of the company, it is a single entity.
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I'd go with "Texas Instruments makes" as it's a singular company - the plurality is part of the name, not the manufacture process. I could easily be wrong though.
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You are correct. It is singular, because the company is a single entity.
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This is a tricky one because I think the English get it wrong. If we were talking about a cricket match, an Englishman might say "England need another 200 runs" where an Aussie would be more likely to say "England needs another 200 runs." Given that England in this context is a singular entity, the Australian version is logically correct but it sounds wrong to English ears. Ultimately, I guess usage triumphs over rules when it comes to grammar and usage is never going to be standard across the Anglophone world.
98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.
PeejayAdams wrote:
England need another 200 runs
Depends if you interpret 'England' as a team, singular, or a group of people, plural. In fact the existence of the 's' tells you to which 'England' the speaker is referring.
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This is a tricky one because I think the English get it wrong. If we were talking about a cricket match, an Englishman might say "England need another 200 runs" where an Aussie would be more likely to say "England needs another 200 runs." Given that England in this context is a singular entity, the Australian version is logically correct but it sounds wrong to English ears. Ultimately, I guess usage triumphs over rules when it comes to grammar and usage is never going to be standard across the Anglophone world.
98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.
This is tricky but I think that England can be a singular or collective noun, ie the country England or the England team which would make both forms correct. By the way an Aussie would say "The Poms need another 200 runs".
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Everyone I know agrees that "Lenovo makes electronic equipment" - it is a singular company, so the 's' should be in place. Now considering Texas Instruments: "Texas Instruments makes electronic equipment", because TI is singular company (at least for this discussion), or "Texas Instruments make electronic equipment" because the name is a plural form? I asked my colleauge from London about this. To be sure, I went to my Oregon colleague for a confirmation - but got the opposite answer. So, you native English speakers from all over the world, would you say: Texas Instruments makes, or Texas Instruments make? Could this be a US vs. UK distinction - do you consider your English belonging to the "British" style, or to the "American" style? To complicate it further: Informally, we often refer to TI as "Texas" only. Is it the "Texas makes electronics" but "Texas Instruments make electronics"? What about companies mostly known by their abbreviation, but the de-abbreviation is plural: IBM make, or makes, computers? - considering that the M is for Machines The good thing is that globally considered, English is such a Babelian language that everything goes, and is for the most part understood whatever variant you choose.
Texas Instruments doesn't make anything. They have child laborers in China make their stuff...
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Texas Instruments doesn't make anything. They have child laborers in China make their stuff...
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
Texas Instruments doesn't make anything.
Because "Texas Instruments don't make. . ." sounds really wrong. Singular entity, except...
John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
They have child laborers in China make their stuff...
They have child laborers in China make their stuff... :laugh:
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Everyone I know agrees that "Lenovo makes electronic equipment" - it is a singular company, so the 's' should be in place. Now considering Texas Instruments: "Texas Instruments makes electronic equipment", because TI is singular company (at least for this discussion), or "Texas Instruments make electronic equipment" because the name is a plural form? I asked my colleauge from London about this. To be sure, I went to my Oregon colleague for a confirmation - but got the opposite answer. So, you native English speakers from all over the world, would you say: Texas Instruments makes, or Texas Instruments make? Could this be a US vs. UK distinction - do you consider your English belonging to the "British" style, or to the "American" style? To complicate it further: Informally, we often refer to TI as "Texas" only. Is it the "Texas makes electronics" but "Texas Instruments make electronics"? What about companies mostly known by their abbreviation, but the de-abbreviation is plural: IBM make, or makes, computers? - considering that the M is for Machines The good thing is that globally considered, English is such a Babelian language that everything goes, and is for the most part understood whatever variant you choose.
Them thar Texicans at Texas Instruments makez real good instrumentz.
If you can keep your head while those about you are losing theirs, perhaps you don't understand the situation.
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Everyone I know agrees that "Lenovo makes electronic equipment" - it is a singular company, so the 's' should be in place. Now considering Texas Instruments: "Texas Instruments makes electronic equipment", because TI is singular company (at least for this discussion), or "Texas Instruments make electronic equipment" because the name is a plural form? I asked my colleauge from London about this. To be sure, I went to my Oregon colleague for a confirmation - but got the opposite answer. So, you native English speakers from all over the world, would you say: Texas Instruments makes, or Texas Instruments make? Could this be a US vs. UK distinction - do you consider your English belonging to the "British" style, or to the "American" style? To complicate it further: Informally, we often refer to TI as "Texas" only. Is it the "Texas makes electronics" but "Texas Instruments make electronics"? What about companies mostly known by their abbreviation, but the de-abbreviation is plural: IBM make, or makes, computers? - considering that the M is for Machines The good thing is that globally considered, English is such a Babelian language that everything goes, and is for the most part understood whatever variant you choose.
Texas Instruments makes...
Member 7989122 wrote:
do you consider your English belonging to the "British" style, or to the "American" style?
I would colour it American like my neighbours to the south! (Just to confuse the issue. :-\ )
I'm pretty sure I would not like to live in a world in which I would never be offended. I am absolutely certain I don't want to live in a world in which you would never be offended. Freedom doesn't mean the absence of things you don't like. Dave
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Everyone I know agrees that "Lenovo makes electronic equipment" - it is a singular company, so the 's' should be in place. Now considering Texas Instruments: "Texas Instruments makes electronic equipment", because TI is singular company (at least for this discussion), or "Texas Instruments make electronic equipment" because the name is a plural form? I asked my colleauge from London about this. To be sure, I went to my Oregon colleague for a confirmation - but got the opposite answer. So, you native English speakers from all over the world, would you say: Texas Instruments makes, or Texas Instruments make? Could this be a US vs. UK distinction - do you consider your English belonging to the "British" style, or to the "American" style? To complicate it further: Informally, we often refer to TI as "Texas" only. Is it the "Texas makes electronics" but "Texas Instruments make electronics"? What about companies mostly known by their abbreviation, but the de-abbreviation is plural: IBM make, or makes, computers? - considering that the M is for Machines The good thing is that globally considered, English is such a Babelian language that everything goes, and is for the most part understood whatever variant you choose.
Most of these types of questions can be answered by a remark made by a German teacher, some (many many) years ago: The only rule in German without any exceptions is that there are no rules in German without exceptions. Apply to English, and that should answer all your questions, past, present, and future.
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Texas Instruments makes...
Member 7989122 wrote:
do you consider your English belonging to the "British" style, or to the "American" style?
I would colour it American like my neighbours to the south! (Just to confuse the issue. :-\ )
I'm pretty sure I would not like to live in a world in which I would never be offended. I am absolutely certain I don't want to live in a world in which you would never be offended. Freedom doesn't mean the absence of things you don't like. Dave
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Clearly you speak in the English style, not American colonial, as your correct spelling of "colour" indicates.
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
I was hoping somebody would catch that. Neighbour too.
I'm pretty sure I would not like to live in a world in which I would never be offended. I am absolutely certain I don't want to live in a world in which you would never be offended. Freedom doesn't mean the absence of things you don't like. Dave
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I was hoping somebody would catch that. Neighbour too.
I'm pretty sure I would not like to live in a world in which I would never be offended. I am absolutely certain I don't want to live in a world in which you would never be offended. Freedom doesn't mean the absence of things you don't like. Dave
I am so used to seeing "neighbour" spelled correctly that I didn't notice it as unusual. The only reason I noticed "colour" was that in C# I am constantly setting up Color objects and calling them "colour" something so I get reminded of the deficient US spelling almost every day!
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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I am so used to seeing "neighbour" spelled correctly that I didn't notice it as unusual. The only reason I noticed "colour" was that in C# I am constantly setting up Color objects and calling them "colour" something so I get reminded of the deficient US spelling almost every day!
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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Everyone I know agrees that "Lenovo makes electronic equipment" - it is a singular company, so the 's' should be in place. Now considering Texas Instruments: "Texas Instruments makes electronic equipment", because TI is singular company (at least for this discussion), or "Texas Instruments make electronic equipment" because the name is a plural form? I asked my colleauge from London about this. To be sure, I went to my Oregon colleague for a confirmation - but got the opposite answer. So, you native English speakers from all over the world, would you say: Texas Instruments makes, or Texas Instruments make? Could this be a US vs. UK distinction - do you consider your English belonging to the "British" style, or to the "American" style? To complicate it further: Informally, we often refer to TI as "Texas" only. Is it the "Texas makes electronics" but "Texas Instruments make electronics"? What about companies mostly known by their abbreviation, but the de-abbreviation is plural: IBM make, or makes, computers? - considering that the M is for Machines The good thing is that globally considered, English is such a Babelian language that everything goes, and is for the most part understood whatever variant you choose.
Singular, because when you say "Texas Instruments makes...", you really mean "The company 'Texas Instruments' makes...". /ravi
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Everyone I know agrees that "Lenovo makes electronic equipment" - it is a singular company, so the 's' should be in place. Now considering Texas Instruments: "Texas Instruments makes electronic equipment", because TI is singular company (at least for this discussion), or "Texas Instruments make electronic equipment" because the name is a plural form? I asked my colleauge from London about this. To be sure, I went to my Oregon colleague for a confirmation - but got the opposite answer. So, you native English speakers from all over the world, would you say: Texas Instruments makes, or Texas Instruments make? Could this be a US vs. UK distinction - do you consider your English belonging to the "British" style, or to the "American" style? To complicate it further: Informally, we often refer to TI as "Texas" only. Is it the "Texas makes electronics" but "Texas Instruments make electronics"? What about companies mostly known by their abbreviation, but the de-abbreviation is plural: IBM make, or makes, computers? - considering that the M is for Machines The good thing is that globally considered, English is such a Babelian language that everything goes, and is for the most part understood whatever variant you choose.
I come to rever to companies as "they". That's not only the third-preson plural pronoun, that's also the third-person singular gender-agnostic pronoun. And the second role fits companies rather well. That results in the omission of the S.
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Everyone I know agrees that "Lenovo makes electronic equipment" - it is a singular company, so the 's' should be in place. Now considering Texas Instruments: "Texas Instruments makes electronic equipment", because TI is singular company (at least for this discussion), or "Texas Instruments make electronic equipment" because the name is a plural form? I asked my colleauge from London about this. To be sure, I went to my Oregon colleague for a confirmation - but got the opposite answer. So, you native English speakers from all over the world, would you say: Texas Instruments makes, or Texas Instruments make? Could this be a US vs. UK distinction - do you consider your English belonging to the "British" style, or to the "American" style? To complicate it further: Informally, we often refer to TI as "Texas" only. Is it the "Texas makes electronics" but "Texas Instruments make electronics"? What about companies mostly known by their abbreviation, but the de-abbreviation is plural: IBM make, or makes, computers? - considering that the M is for Machines The good thing is that globally considered, English is such a Babelian language that everything goes, and is for the most part understood whatever variant you choose.
I haven't read all of the responses yet, so I apologise if this is a repeat of someone else's response. In America, corporations are plural entities; in the UK they are singular. It does not matter whether their name ends in an 's' or not. So: IBM make electronic equipment in America; but Dyson makes electronic equipment in the UK. Similarly: The US government are based in Washington DC; but the UK government is based in London.
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Everyone I know agrees that "Lenovo makes electronic equipment" - it is a singular company, so the 's' should be in place. Now considering Texas Instruments: "Texas Instruments makes electronic equipment", because TI is singular company (at least for this discussion), or "Texas Instruments make electronic equipment" because the name is a plural form? I asked my colleauge from London about this. To be sure, I went to my Oregon colleague for a confirmation - but got the opposite answer. So, you native English speakers from all over the world, would you say: Texas Instruments makes, or Texas Instruments make? Could this be a US vs. UK distinction - do you consider your English belonging to the "British" style, or to the "American" style? To complicate it further: Informally, we often refer to TI as "Texas" only. Is it the "Texas makes electronics" but "Texas Instruments make electronics"? What about companies mostly known by their abbreviation, but the de-abbreviation is plural: IBM make, or makes, computers? - considering that the M is for Machines The good thing is that globally considered, English is such a Babelian language that everything goes, and is for the most part understood whatever variant you choose.
Companies are collective nouns; the simple solution is to always treat them as plural. grammaticality - Are collective nouns always plural, or are certain ones singular? - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange[^] BBC World Service | Learning English | Learn it[^]
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This is a tricky one because I think the English get it wrong. If we were talking about a cricket match, an Englishman might say "England need another 200 runs" where an Aussie would be more likely to say "England needs another 200 runs." Given that England in this context is a singular entity, the Australian version is logically correct but it sounds wrong to English ears. Ultimately, I guess usage triumphs over rules when it comes to grammar and usage is never going to be standard across the Anglophone world.
98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.
