Snow

[Baker, John]

        I would think that the subject could be either "inches" (in
which case "are" would be correct) or "13 inches of snow," considered as
a single expectation (in which case "is" would be correct).  MWDEU, at
56, seems to prefer the singular verb, though I am comfortable with
either.


John Baker


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
Of Jonathan Lighter
Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 10:26 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Snow

The object of a preposition cannot be the subject of a sentence. So
"inches," not "snow," is (not "are") the subject, and "are" (not "is")
is correct.

JL

On Sun, Mar 1, 2009 at 7:51 PM, Bill Palmer
<w_a_palmer at bellsouth.net>wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Bill Palmer <w_a_palmer at BELLSOUTH.NET>
> Subject:      Snow
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---------
>
> Bianca Solorzano of CBS News reported this evening that "13 inches of
> snow are expected in New York."
>
> The expectations are for what: inches or snow?
>
> "Is" or "are"?
>
> What does the academy say?
>
> Bill Palmer
>

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