Pedants' Paradise

[gurnemanz]

Isn't what is being explained the length and persistence of the shelling? So the subject is, as it were, Weeks-of-heavy-Russian-shelling.

Yes and if the whole phrase is the subject it would take a singular verb: Weeks of heavy Russian shelling has reduced ...

[french frank]

Isn't what is being explained the length and persistence of the shelling? So the subject is, as it were, Weeks-of-heavy-Russian-shelling.

Ah, I was just about to make that point, having read LMP's reply. Yes, I think Weeks-of-heavy-Russian-shelling is the full subject where 'Weeks of heavy Russian' is adjectival, describing the kind of shelling that had done all the damage. Otherwise 'weeks' would be the subject (with the plural verb) which would be a nonsense. That's how I would explain my hesitation on reading the plural verb.

(My apologies again for using this particular example)

Thanks to gurney who just pipped me as I was labouring the point.

[Pulcinella]

Ah, I was just about to make that point, having read LMP's reply. Yes, I think Weeks-of-heavy-Russian-shelling is the full subject where 'Weeks of heavy Russian' is adjectival, describing the kind of shelling that had done all the damage. Otherwise 'weeks' would be the subject (with the plural verb) which would be a nonsense. That's how I would explain my hesitation on reading the plural verb.

(My apologies again for using this particular example)

Thanks to gurney who just pipped me as I was labouring the point.

Why nonsense?

A year of drought has caused crops to fail.
Two successive years of drought have caused crops to fail even more.
And several weeks of rain have caused heavy flooding in York.

In that case, weeks of heavy shelling have sadly caused considerable damage.

That's what I think, anyway!

[french frank]

Why nonsense?

A year of drought has caused crops to fail.

Because 'a year' doesn't stand on its own. 'Drought has caused the crops to fail'; it's nonsense to say 'A year has caused the crops to fail.'

Two successive years of drought have caused crops to fail even more.
And several weeks of rain have caused heavy flooding in York.

In that case, weeks of heavy shelling have sadly caused considerable damage.

You have a point. In English all things are possible; I was looking at the purely logical!

[oddoneout]

You have a point. In English all things are possible

Indeed, but in real life not so possible? This could, from my local rag, just as well have gone in the jokes thread.

Emergency services were called to the scene of a collision between the A1075 and the A1065

- certainly more impressive than the standard " a tree suddenly appeared in my path" inanimate becomes animate crash explanation.

[french frank]

From the Indy today: "Mr Holder declined to say whether the select committee concluded its’ business with him following his 24 June interview." A sophisticated variation to place the apostrophe after the s. 'The committee/it' considered as plural as in 'the government are' perhaps?

[Serial_Apologist]

From the Indy today: "Mr Holder declined to say whether the select committee concluded its’ business with him following his 24 June interview." A sophisticated variation to place the apostrophe after the s. 'The committee/it' considered as plural as in 'the government are' perhaps?

Better putting that apostrophe after than between the t and the s - but still superfluous, in my view.

[kernelbogey]

Better putting that apostrophe after than between the t and the s - but still superfluous, in my view.

Its's spelling was definitely incorrect.

[kernelbogey]

And now we have skimpflation:
Welcome to “skimpflation” – a term popularised in the US and gaining traction in the UK. “Skimpflation is when consumers are getting less for their money,” says Alan Cole, a writer at Full Stack Economics and formerly a senior economist at the joint economic committee of the US Congress. “Unlike typical inflation, where they’re paying more for the same goods, skimpflation is when they’re paying the same for something that worsened in quality.”

I really hate these neologisms, ignorantly created, absent of linguistic subtlety or etymological logic.

[french frank]

Its's spelling was definitely incorrect.

That's more like it!

Better putting that apostrophe after than between the t and the s - but still superfluous, in my view.

Obviously, your n'ot a grocer

[oddoneout]

skimpflation is when they’re paying the same for something that worsened in quality.”

As quoted, and regardless of one's view of the word, it does seem rather inadequate as I would suggest that quantity should be included in that, not least as it's not always quality that is downgraded - eg smaller Mars bars. Both practices have been around for a very long time though. Getting a smaller amount for the same price is at least reasonably transparent if one chooses to look. The downgrading of ingredients or components is harder to detect and, given the drive post-Brexit to throw away quality and safety regulation in this country, is something that does concern me.

I see there is a separate term, shrinkflation, to describe the Mars bar phenomenon. https://www.theguardian.com/money/20...-curse-of-2022

[oddoneout]

Presenter Alexis Conran delves into the minutia of customer service

If this is considered to be the plural what did they think the singular was do you suppose?

[Serial_Apologist]

If this is considered to be the plural what did they think the singular was do you suppose?

Whatever that was it would have been minute, as Ken Livingstone would say.

[kernelbogey]

“I really cannot believe I’m going to be calling Radio 2 my new home,” [Scott] Mills said. “I’m beyond excited to be joining the team.”- The Guardian.

I'm genuinely curious to know what this means.

[french frank]

“I really cannot believe I’m going to be calling Radio 2 my new home,” [Scott] Mills said. “I’m beyond excited to be joining the team.”- The Guardian.

I'm genuinely curious to know what this means.

'Beyond' as an intensive ('very', 'extremely') suddenly appeared in this country - what? about five years ago? The concept of extreme excitement as being 'beyond' excitement seems rather odd. I wonder how the meaning originated.