singular debris?

[Dennis R. Preston]

I'm with Arnold on this one. Mass noun it has always been for me (hence,
singular-appearing in agreement).

dInIs (proud to be with the srtandard-bearers for once)

>barbara need asks when DEBRIS became singular.  i've used
>it all my life as a mass noun, hence as singular in its
>agreement pattern.  and i don't recall ever having heard/seen
>it used as a plural count noun; LOTS OF DEBRIS WERE SCATTERED
>ON THE BEACH makes me break out all over in asterisks, in fact.
>
>arnold (zwicky at csli.stanford.edu, in urbana, illinois,
>  for another week)