Re: [PATCH] More pedantry.

[Vojtech Pavlik <vojtech@suse.cz>]

Hi!

Thanks for a good exhausting explanation.

Vojtech

On Thu, Jul 12, 2001 at 05:26:57PM -0400, Mike Harrold wrote:
> > 
> > On Thu, Jul 12, 2001 at 04:58:45PM -0400, Mike Harrold wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > > - *		None of the E1AP-E3AP erratas are visible to the user.
> > > > > + *		None of the E1AP-E3AP errata are visible to the user.
> > > > 
> > > > If you want real pedantry, I think you mean:
> > > > 
> > > > > + *		None of the E1AP-E3AP errata is visible to the user.
> > > > 
> > > > ('none' is singular - read 'not one')
> > > > 
> > > > ... several times within this patch.
> > > 
> > > No, he was right the first time. Errata is plural. Erratum is the
> > > singular.
> > 
> > Yes, but the subject of the sentence is 'none'. Thus the verb should be
> > in singular: None of them *is* visible.
> > 
> > But perhaps my version of english is different from yours. I learned
> > mine from textbooks.
> 
> I'll partly retract, but the original poster was still correct (see the
> Usage note). The note only handles persons, not items however. The same
> rules should apply though.
> 
> /Mike
> 
>  (nn)
>   pron. 
> 
>       1.No one; not one; nobody: None dared to do it. 
>       2.Not any: None of my classmates survived the war. 
>       3.No part; not any: none of your business. 
> 
> 
>   adv. 
> 
>       1.Not at all: He is none too ill. 
>       2.In no way: The jeans looked none the better for having been washed. 
> 
> 
> 
>   [Middle English, from Old English nn : ne, no, not; see ne in Indo-European Roots + n, one; see oi-no- in
>   Indo-European Roots.] 
> 
>         Usage Note: It is widely asserted that none is equivalent to no one, and hence requires a
>         singular verb and singular pronoun: None of the prisoners was given his soup. It is true that
>         none is etymologically derived from the Old English word n, "one," but the word has been
>         used as both a singular and a plural noun from Old English onward. The plural usage appears
>         in the King James Bible as well as the works of John Dryden and Edmund Burke and is
>         widespread in the works of respectable writers today. Of course, the singular usage is
>         perfectly acceptable. The choice between a singular or plural verb depends on the desired
>         effect. Both options are acceptable in this sentence: None of the conspirators has (or have)
>         been brought to trial. When none is modified by almost, however, it is difficult to avoid
>         treating the word as a plural: Almost none of the officials were (not was) interviewed by the
>         committee. None can only be plural in its use in sentences such as None but his most loyal
>         supporters believe (not believes) his story. See Usage Note at every. See Usage Note at
>         neither. See Usage Note at nothing.

-- 
Vojtech Pavlik
SuSE Labs