Plural one (Questions About Your Target Languages) Language Learning Forum

Plural one
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Language Learning Forum : Questions About Your Target Languages

schoenewaelder
Diglot
Senior Member
Germany
Joined 5564 days ago
759 posts - 1197 votes

Speaks: English*, French
Studies: German, Spanish, Dutch

Message 1 of 2

24 July 2012 at 7:47pm | IP Logged

While readingthe site I referred to in my other post, I saw a couple of interesting points, and knowing how you all like a controversial grammar argument, I thought I might as well post it.

grammar wrote:

The Plural of One

The phrases "one in [plural number]" and "more than one" always take a singular verb:

    One in four dentists recommends this toothpaste.
    One out of every five instructors gets this question wrong.
    There is more than one reason for this.
    More than one lad has lost his heart to this lass.

The "one" in the phrase "more than one" apparently controls the number of the verb. It is probably wise not to attempt to divine some of the mysteries of the English language.

One of those [plural noun] that is/are …

"One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so," goes the old Christmas song, but the fact that the singular one needs a singular verb can lead to confusion. In a recently published collection of language columns by William Safire, No Uncertain Terms, he wrote the following sentence (page 336):

    "Conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman" is one of those phrases that sounds as if it comes out of Kipling.

The sentence caused considerable stir (as such things go), for the verb "sounds" should really relate to the plural "phrases," not the singular "one." The sentence should probably read (underlining things for our purpose):

Edited by schoenewaelder on 24 July 2012 at 7:51pm
1 person has voted this message useful

schoenewaelder
Diglot
Senior Member
Germany
Joined 5564 days ago
759 posts - 1197 votes

Speaks: English*, French
Studies: German, Spanish, Dutch

Message 2 of 2

25 July 2012 at 2:47pm | IP Logged

Sorry about that, got thrown out of the library (closing time). I'm not really worried about any of this grammar here, I don't want to get into any arguments with people who like rules, but I just think it's interesting sometimes when you peek under the bonnet, and there's a lot of weird stuff going on that you had never thought about before. But, just to be hypocritical and try to logically justify my own use:

(1) "one in four" is really a fraction "one quarter of dentists recommend..."

(2) "One of those that" seems like it could easily take either singular or plural depending on the emphasis. I don't understand the "stir" (ok, I was going to try to argue this point as well, but I did get myself a bit tiéd up in knots)

1 person has voted this message useful

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