technically correct subject-verb agreement

[Dennis R. Preston]

arnold,

What a New Years Eve disappointment! I thought you were a local man.
I like "override" just fine.

dInIs



>On Dec 30, 2004, at 10:50 AM, i wrote:
>
>>>>>Going to his house was what I lived for. There were liquor, music,
>>>>>and
>>>>>a strong desire for my body.
>>
>>just to remind people: this isn't a vote on what the "real" grammar of
>>english is, or should be...
>
>and now, from the same book as the first quote (J.L. King, On the Down
>Low, p. 159), this:
>-----
>The need [for a DL connection] and strong desire to make that
>connection overrides all common sense.
>-----
>
>this one has agreement with the nearest (either the embedded
>"connection" or the head "desire" of the second conjunct, you can't
>really tell), and i don't like it; i want "override".
>
>my guess is that a copyeditor "fixed" the first one, but just failed to
>catch the second.
>
>arnold


--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian, and African Languages
A-740 Wells Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: (517) 432-3099
Fax: (517) 432-2736
preston at msu.edu