ATHENS

link 8.10.2004 9:13

Subject: ATHENS

Значицца, вопрос такой - берут меня странные сомнения: С каким числом согласуется в англ. яз. Athens (г. Афины)? То есть, будет ли Athens is или are? или It is / they are.... короче, подскажите, может я чё выдумываю?
Всем большое спасибо

Stantheman ✉

link 8.10.2004 9:16

Singular, i.e. Athens is...

10-4 ✉

link 8.10.2004 9:28

Вот меня эта штука тоже всегда волновала - множественное или единственное число у таких географических названий как Athens, Cannes, Netherlands, etc? Относится ли к ним правило of verb-to-noun agreement, which generally involves a problem of using is or are as a principle verb?

It is generally accepted thet branches of knowledge like geophysics, mathematics, ethics, politics, tectonics, etc. are singular.
A few words, though singular in nature, are made of paired items and generally treated as plural: scissors, trousers, glasses, pliers, tongs, and the like. Many of them are often used with the word pair as in "pair of trousers or pair of scissors".
Titles of books and other works of art are always considered singular even if the title sounds plural. Example: The Alfred Hitchcock film "The Birds" was successfully advertised with a campaign that said, "The Birds IS coming!"

Samour ✉

link 8.10.2004 9:33

Всем спасибо. Я, в принципе, так и думала, что ед.ч. Просто закрались сомнения.... Ну, вот и разобрались:-) Мерси

Гостья ✉

link 8.10.2004 9:39

Подождите, давайте разберемся!
Значит, Netherlands тоже ед.ч.???

10-4 ✉

link 8.10.2004 10:38

Похоже, что все страны и города в ед. числе. The United States - определенно единственное число. The United States protects ITS natural resources. (One country, so singular)
Еще на эту тему:
Certain nouns and pronouns called collectives may take either plural or singular verbs as predicates, depending on the meaning being conveyed. If the noun or pronoun is viewed collectively as a unit or expresses an amount or measure, its verb is singular; if viewed as separate items, the verb should be plural.
Examples (correct)
At this place, 10 meters of sandstone is exposed. (A single exposure).
Twenty-two grams of sample was dissolved in 20 ml of acid. (A single measurement)
Four-fifths of the country is satisfied with its health insurance. (One part of a whole)
Tweny thousand US dollars is less than the real cost is (A single sum of money)

"None" is singular when it means no one or no thing; it is plural when means no persons or no things. "Each" and "every" are usually singular in usage.

Find more in the Style Guide (откройте "ссылки" вверху этой страницы, найдите Technical Writing Style Guide)

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