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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 Couple of questions #99483 03/26/03 02:38 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage OP Carpal Tunnel OP Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 I recently got the following in an email from one of the organizations with which I have a tenuous enough relationship to have an email address: For the past two years, the largest number of bias crimes and incidents reported to XXXXXXX has been related to sexual identity and orientation. …to help lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning students… A) Whadda y'all think, is the largest number … has correct? I.e., is the largest number singular? and 2) How about questioning students? Anyone want to vent on that one? Just giving y'all something else to kvetch about Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Couple of questions #99484 03/26/03 04:01 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,156 B Bean old hand Bean old hand B Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,156 I vote for "have". As for the questioning students, it sounds like they have their hand up at the back of a nuclear physics class. I doubt if that's what they mean! Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Couple of questions #99485 03/26/03 04:01 PM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 2,204 R RhubarbCommando Pooh-Bah RhubarbCommando Pooh-Bah R Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 2,204 I s'pose it depends on whether the subject is "number" or "crimes". If the former, then "has" is OK, if the latter, then it sould be "have". So far as I kin woik out, the subject is actually "number." But it is just possible that I'm wrong. there is precedent - I was wrong fifteen years, two months and a few days ago. I remember it well. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Couple of questions #99486 03/26/03 04:09 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage OP Carpal Tunnel OP Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 the subject is actually "number." Oh, the subject is "number" right enough. Onliest thang, it's plural by meaning. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Couple of questions #99487 03/26/03 04:22 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 W wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel W Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 I think an ellipsis is involved, and how you fill in the ellpsis is what determines whether it is singular or plural. If you think number, it is singular. If you think people,it is plural. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Couple of questions #99488 03/26/03 04:35 PM Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 555 M maahey addict maahey addict M Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 555 I would go with 'has'. A number is only the numerical figue assigned to bias crimes in the report. The largest number could be 1 or 365. In either case, it wouldn't matter. It would still be 'has' since by qulaifying it as the 'largest', it is being SINGLED out amongst many other such. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Couple of questions #99489 03/26/03 04:48 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage OP Carpal Tunnel OP Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 If the largest number were (that'd be the subjunctive were), say, 17, would that number 17 be related to sexual identity and orientation? Or would it be the 17 crimes and incidents? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Couple of questions #99490 03/26/03 04:57 PM Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 555 M maahey addict maahey addict M Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 555 Went back and read the first post, Faldage. The main heading appears to be bias crimes and incidents; and under this category, is the class of crimes related to sexual identity and orientaion. So, if the largest number were to be 17, that would apply to the ones related to sexual identity and orientation. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Couple of questions #99491 03/26/03 05:00 PM Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 555 M maahey addict maahey addict M Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 555 To my mind. the superlative adjective largest, is here being applied to ONE number and therefore it has to be 'has' Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Couple of questions #99492 03/26/03 10:45 PM Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 6,296 Piedmont Region of Virginia, U... W Wordwind Carpal Tunnel Wordwind Carpal Tunnel W Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 6,296 Piedmont Region of Virginia, U... the largest number...has been related to sexual identity and orientation. The word number is interesting because it can take a plural verb as in the following passage: "Events were well underway at the Greek Fest when the storm cloud broke. Many ran to their cars parked across from Brown's Island; others gathered under scattered tents. A good number were so put out with the weather, yet so emboldened by much wine tasting, that they demanded refunds from the Save Our City Committee." Let's rephrase that to: "The largest number were so put out with the weather that they demanded refunds." I think that's a good example of a seemingly singular word requiring a plural verb even with the superlative 'largest' used. At first I thought the number in Faldage's paste would take a singular verb--but the more I broke the sentence down and thought about what it really meant, the more number appeared to require a plural verb. 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