Agreement question

[Paul Kusinitz]

Is there any legitimate and decent way to immobilize this solicitresse?

Paul K.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Lisa O'Brien 
  To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU 
  Sent: Friday, October 18, 2002 6:11 PM
  Subject: Re: Agreement question


  Hey there! Thanks for writing me back! You just made my day when I saw your
  message! I had one of those days today  and I am not to thrilled about it. I
  think I am going to go pamper myself for awhile. Ok well here are some more
  pics of me, I would take the time to attach them, but come to think of
  it...I don't really know how to do that.
  http://www.hotphotopersonals.com/lisaspage/ Ok well I hope you think I am
  still pretty!! Teehee!! Ok well I will check back on here a little later,
  and see what we should do from here. Ok well, time for me to make my day
  even better. See ya later babe!! xoxo Lisa








  >From: Paul Kusinitz <paul.kusinitz at VERIZON.NET>
  >Reply-To: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
  >To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
  >Subject: Re: Agreement question
  >Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 17:32:30 -0400
  >
  >Get lost "babe."
  >   ----- Original Message -----
  >   From: Lisa O'Brien
  >   To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
  >   Sent: Friday, October 18, 2002 5:29 PM
  >   Subject: Re: Agreement question
  >
  >
  >   Hey there! Thanks for writing me back! You just made my day when I saw
  >your
  >   message! I had one of those days today  and I am not to thrilled about
  >it. I
  >   think I am going to go pamper myself for awhile. Ok well here are some
  >more
  >   pics of me, I would take the time to attach them, but come to think of
  >   it...I don't really know how to do that.
  >   http://www.hotphotopersonals.com/lisaspage/ Ok well I hope you think I
  >am
  >   still pretty!! Teehee!! Ok well I will check back on here a little
  >later,
  >   and see what we should do from here. Ok well, time for me to make my day
  >   even better. See ya later babe!! xoxo Lisa
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >   >From: "Dennis R. Preston" <preston at PILOT.MSU.EDU>
  >   >Reply-To: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
  >   >To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
  >   >Subject: Re: Agreement question
  >   >Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 12:53:25 -0400
  >   >
  >   >>Of course "the stories the team tell" or "the stories the jury tell"
  >   >>are perfectly good English in some varieties, so I'd go for the
  >   >>plural sense rather than the 's' business.
  >   >
  >   >dInIs
  >   >
  >   >
  >   >
  >   >>I was asked a question about subject-verb agreement, and it's
  >   >>raised some questions for me that I'm not sure how to answer.
  >   >>
  >   >>The sentence was, "The stories the press tell are shaped not
  >   >>by a 'liberal agenda' or a 'right wing conspiracy' but by..."
  >   >>This sentence was objected to on the grounds that _press_ is
  >   >>singular and thus it should read, "The stories the press tells
  >   >>are shaped..."
  >   >>
  >   >>This objection seems to be correct. However, the original,
  >   >>"The stories the press tell are shaped..." is _not_ jarring to
  >   >>me, and I'm not sure why. It's not proximity concord with
  >   >>_stories,_ because _press_ is directly next to _tell[s]_.
  >   >>
  >   >>I also don't think it's a case of notional plurality of
  >   >>_press._ Certainly one would never write, "The stories Smith
  >   >>tell are shaped..." But one would also never, with other
  >   >>collective-ish nouns, write "The stories the team tell are
  >   >>shaped..." or "The stories the jury tell are shaped..."
  >   >>Even though these could also be regarded as notionally plural,
  >   >>_tell_ doesn't work here for me.
  >   >>
  >   >>I'm thinking that it might be the influence of the -s ending
  >   >>of _press,_ which, though not a plural ending, might suggest
  >   >>plurality enough that "The stories the press tell are shaped..."
  >   >>doesn't seem obviously wrong.
  >   >>
  >   >>Any thoughts?
  >   >>
  >   >>Jesse Sheidlower
  >   >
  >   >--
  >   >Dennis R. Preston
  >   >Professor of Linguistics
  >   >Department of Linguistics and Languages
  >   >740 Wells Hall A
  >   >Michigan State University
  >   >East Lansing, MI 48824-1027 USA
  >   >Office - (517) 353-0740
  >   >Fax - (517) 432-2736
  >
  >
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