Author Topic: Question to the native english speakers on this board (Read 2202 times)

raisydaisy · « **on:** May 23, 2007, 07:18:53 AM »

Hi!

I haven't found a good answer to this problem i have, yet.

Is it correct to say "My family are coming this friday." or "My family is coming this friday." ??

ToxicAvenger · « **Reply #1 on:** May 23, 2007, 08:23:06 AM »

raisydaisy · « **Reply #2 on:** May 23, 2007, 09:12:07 AM »

sorry but i should have posted this earlier. i found this on the oxford webpage

"I have invited my family to tea and they are coming on Friday"

it's definitely correct

do only english people say it like that and americans don't?

ToxicAvenger · « **Reply #3 on:** May 23, 2007, 04:32:52 PM »

Quote from: raisydaisy on May 23, 2007, 09:12:07 AM

sorry but i should have posted this earlier. i found this on the oxford webpage

"I have invited my family to tea and they are coming on Friday"

it's definitely correct

do only english people say it like that and americans don't?

my high school ws english...

raisydaisy · « **Reply #4 on:** May 23, 2007, 05:26:23 PM »

Quote

Such nouns are used to refer both to a whole group as a singular entity, and to the members of the group. The context may therefore require flexibility: you might write:

The committee has now come to a decision.

but you could hardly use a singular verb in

The committee have now taken their seats.

(A pedant might insist on writing 'The members of the committee have now taken their seats.')

In some contexts it is natural and idiomatic to use a plural verb with a noun which is singular in form:

I have invited my family to tea and they are coming on Friday

Leeds United are winning: they have just scored.

I never hear any of the americans use plural for collective nouns. Why?

Mongol · « **Reply #5 on:** May 24, 2007, 12:29:04 AM »

The correct way should be "My family ARE coming" as you are concerned with the plural . If it is singular then it should be "is" for example "Raisydaisy IS coming to dinner"

I know 'cause Im English, I have the Burberry cap to prove it!

pumpster · « **Reply #6 on:** May 24, 2007, 03:10:22 AM »

Quote from: Mongol on May 24, 2007, 12:29:04 AM

The correct way should be "My family ARE coming" as you are concerned with the plural .

That wouldn't sound right in America, even if it is. No one considers family plural; it is one collective singular group.

pumpster · « **Reply #7 on:** May 24, 2007, 03:12:18 AM »

Quote from: raisydaisy on May 23, 2007, 09:12:07 AM

"I have invited my family to tea and they are coming on Friday"

do only english people say it like that and americans don't?

It sounds a little stilted through the addition of "and". Perfect for the british i suppose.

Mongol · « **Reply #8 on:** May 24, 2007, 03:44:48 AM »

Quote from: pumpster on May 24, 2007, 03:10:22 AM

That wouldn't sound right in America, even if it is. No one considers family plural; it is one collective singular group.

I'm just saying what is the correct English terminoligy, and as Im English I win by default (Joke!)

Mongol · « **Reply #9 on:** May 24, 2007, 03:48:16 AM »

Quote from: pumpster on May 24, 2007, 03:12:18 AM

It sounds a little stilted through the addition of "and". Perfect for the british i suppose.

raisydaisy · « **Reply #10 on:** May 24, 2007, 08:09:21 AM »

I also found out that it is correct to say "Every family in the US owns a TV set." It is correct to use the singular in this particular case because we are not referring to the members of but to the family as a whole. I think every time the sentence would have the same meaning whe you add "the members of" before the collective noun, it is correct to use the plural.

Could it be possible that this is only a British English thing? I have never heard an american say "Have your family ever visited?" LOL

Deadpool · « **Reply #11 on:** May 24, 2007, 08:25:58 AM »

My family is...all the families are

family singular, families plural

raisydaisy · « **Reply #12 on:** May 24, 2007, 08:37:16 AM »

Quote from: Medford on May 24, 2007, 08:25:58 AM

My family is...all the families are

family singular, families plural

no the english guy already said it's correct to say "my family are coming". i just wanted to point out that there can be cases whe it is correct to say that "a family is" doing sth. e.g. the above sentence.

apparently, no one in the US seems to use that. i am wondering if it's just that they don't care about correct grammar or if they have their own version of the english grammar. after all, oxford is the standard reference when it comes to questions concerning the use of english.
see this link fyi: http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutgrammar/pluralverbs?view=uk

Deadpool · « **Reply #13 on:** May 24, 2007, 01:52:27 PM »

my family...one thing...singular

many families...plural

that's why...it's not bad grammar, it's phonetically pleasing

Cavalier22 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 25, 2007, 06:55:07 AM »

my family IS coming

one family is singular you idiots

our families ARE coming....in this case it is more than one family so it is plural

the level of stupidity on this board is frightening...99% say "I have to loose some weight"...for christs sake it is "lose" not "loose"

Cavalier22 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 25, 2007, 06:58:06 AM »

after rereading this thread I am really surprised that adults on this site think it is correct to say "my family are coming". what is the average level of (quality) education of people on this board? Not very high apparently

Go in Microsoft Word and type "My family are coming." Then do a grammar check and see that you all are idiots

raisydaisy · « **Reply #16 on:** May 25, 2007, 07:43:13 AM »

Quote from: Cavalier22 on May 25, 2007, 06:58:06 AM

after rereading this thread I am really surprised that adults on this site think it is correct to say "my family are coming". what is the average level of (quality) education of people on this board? Not very high apparently

Go in Microsoft Word and type "My family are coming." Then do a grammar check and see that you all are idiots

fair enough. but what is your explanation for the sentence on this site by the grammar gurus:
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutgrammar/pluralverbs?view=uk

raisydaisy · « **Reply #17 on:** May 25, 2007, 07:52:12 AM »

ok i think i found the answer. saying "my family are" is the way they do it in the UK, e.g. (http://sara.natcorp.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/saraWeb?qy=have+your+family).
In the US they don't say it that way. Now I am wondering if the US have their own version of the english grammar. it seems like it. apparently, standard oxford english grammar doesn't apply in the US.

Quote from: Cavalier22 on May 25, 2007, 06:58:06 AM

Go in Microsoft Word and type "My family are coming." Then do a grammar check and see that you all are idiots

if you use an en-US dictionary your are right. i don't know about en-GB...

Cavalier22 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 25, 2007, 10:29:50 AM »

some contexts it is natural and idiomatic to use a plural verb with a noun which is singular in form:

I have invited my family to tea and they are coming on Friday
Leeds United are winning: they have just scored.

In these two sentences the "and' and the ":" seperate the sentences.

They have just scored. "they" is plural in both cases obviously. They refers to the family members and the players of course. It is a little curious how the noun changes to plural but that really is a whole seperate issue from your original question. What is your native lang?

raisydaisy · « **Reply #19 on:** May 25, 2007, 11:00:44 AM »

german. but i have lived in two english speaking countries. i am used to hearing "my family is" but i became curious about collective nouns when i watched a show on bbc which was in british english obviously. the commentator used the plural in conjunction with collective nouns throughout the whole show. that's what got me started.
still you can find examples where british authors use "family" with "have": http://sara.natcorp.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/saraWeb?qy=have+your+family
i wouldn't do it though because in german family is also singular and i would have to be really focused to remember that it's plural

gtbro1 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 25, 2007, 08:30:22 PM »

My mama told me i don't need to know none of that there book learnin'.