Pedants' Paradise

[french frank]

I've sometimes been reproved for not saying 'thank you' to someone who's done only what they were obliged to do anyeway. I think such words are more effective when reserved for occasions when they are more appropriate.

Well, down 'ere we always says 'Thank you' (or 'Cheers, drive') when we get off the bus, even though s/he's being paid to do the job. But I'm one who apologises when it's the other person's fault. It's just about the oil which lubricates social interactions. Means nothing, costs nothing.

[french frank]

Hmmm: I'd still go for the plural paintings (since more than one, and it's the noun closest to the verb) taking the plural verb, even for example with 'one tenth of the paintings are blue, another tenth are green...'

If there's only one painting, then maybe one tenth of it is green and another is blue.

But I don't think we're in real disagreement.

I suspect we are in disagreement, but only in as far as I'm considering what would have been the 'classical' and 'logical' usage, which is not the same as the rather sloppier modern usage whic ... uh, do I really want to continue along these lines? No, I think I'd better retire to think it over again. As you were

[smittims]

I've sometimes been reproved for not saying 'thank you' to someone who's done only what they were obliged to do anyeway. I think such words are more effective when reserved for occasions when they are more appropriate.

[Rover_KE]

'Thank you very much indeed' may be fine to say to somebody who's paid off your mortgage or donated you a kidney, but it's distinctly OTT to say to a well-paid colleague who's simply read out the answers to a quiz question or the news headlines on the radio..

[Pulcinella]

Hmmm: I'd still go for the plural paintings (since more than one, and it's the noun closest to the verb) taking the plural verb, even for example with 'one tenth of the paintings are blue, another tenth are green...'

If there's only one painting, then maybe one tenth of it is green and another is blue.

But I don't think we're in real disagreement.