Grammar Nazi required!

[Hibrandenburg]

Having a heated debate about grammar and would like some opinion from our resident Grammar Nazis.

Which of the following is correct and why?

Neither of us is capable of winning this.

Or

Neither of us are capable of winning this.

[Beefster]

Technically, is. More natural, are. IMHO.

[Hibbyradge]

Is

[ColinNish]

Are

[Pretty Boy]

The usual rule about is and are is that is should be used for a singular noun whilst are applies when thre is a plural.

Reading the above I'm not sure if that translates to this situation. I think are sounds and reads better but I've no idea if it's technically correct.

[Hibrandenburg]

My personal opinion is that the is/are is dependent on the plural pronoun "us" and not the singular "neither", therefore are is correct. If you removed the "of us" then is would be correct.

For example: Neither is capable of winning this.

Technically "neither" should attract the singular "is" but in the example above it's "us" that attracts the plural "are".

[Hibbyradge]

Neither = not one = singular.

[PeeJay]

My personal opinion is that the is/are is dependent on the plural pronoun "us" and not the singular "neither", therefore are is correct. If you removed the "of us" then is would be correct.

For example: Neither is capable of winning this.

Technically "neither" should attract the singular "is" but in the example above it's "us" that attracts the plural "are".

No - has to be "is" - "neither" is always followed by a singular verb ... of course, if you are having your argument in Germany with a German then anything goes, I guess ... :greengrin

[Hibbyradge]

Aaaaaaarrrgggghhhh.

You've made me waste my Saturday looking this up! 😂

[The Green Goblin]

They are both correct and both possible.

[twiceinathens]

Neither(one) of us IS

[Hibrandenburg]

Aaaaaaarrrgggghhhh.

You've made me waste my Saturday looking this up! 😂

You're welcome :greengrin

[One Day Soon]

Is. Us is singular.

[Hibrandenburg]

Is. Us is singular.

Two of us is of a different opinion. Nah!

[Beefster]

Is. Us is singular.

One of us is a doughnut.

Two of us are doughnuts.

Us is neither singular nor plural.

[twiceinathens]

One of us is a doughnut.

Two of us are doughnuts.

Us is neither singular nor plural.

One of us is a doughnut= from a number of two or more one is a doughnut
two of us are doughnuts = from a number of three or more two are doughnuts
both of us are doughnuts= two of two are doughnuts

[Hibbyradge]

Neither of us is a doughnut.

[Hibrandenburg]

Neither of us is a doughnut.

That sounds and looks right, it's also completely at odds with what I've been preaching:greengrin

[grunt]

Neither of us is a doughnut.
Neither of us are doughnuts.

[Hibbyradge]

That sounds and looks right, it's also completely at odds with what I've been preaching:greengrin

You're a ****ing doughnut for starting this ****ing thread! :greengrin

[High-On-Hibs]

Either can be used. Anybody who attempts to correct you one way or another is indeed a grammar nazi.

[Future17]

"Is" is grammatically correct.

[McD]

I have the same issue with a group name describing multiple people using the word 'is', instead of are.

For example:

the Dallas cowboys is building a new training facility.

Or

Rangers is working hard to eradicate sectarianism.

I suppose its down to the cowboys or the rangers being a single club, but I still think it sounds wrong. If the wording was "rangers football club is working hard", I think that sounds more natural.

[Hibbyradge]

I have the same issue with a group name describing multiple people using the word 'is', instead of are.

For example:

the Dallas cowboys is building a new training facility.

Or

Rangers is working hard to eradicate sectarianism.

I suppose its down to the cowboys or the rangers being a single club, but I still think it sounds wrong. If the wording was "rangers football club is working hard", I think that sounds more natural.

St Johnstone is a Scottish football club or Arsenal is a London club sound fine though.

Cowboys and Rangers sound plural, so using "is" sounds wrong, although in the sense you're using them, they're singular.

[Hibrandenburg]

You're a ****ing doughnut for starting this ****ing thread! :greengrin

I'll just retort airplane and ****ing conveyer belt. :greengrin

[Hibbyradge]

I'll just retort airplane and ****ing conveyer belt. :greengrin

:faf:

Well remembered! :thumbsup:

[McD]

St Johnstone is a Scottish football club or Arsenal is a London club sound fine though.

Cowboys and Rangers sound plural, so using "is" sounds wrong, although in the sense you're using them, they're singular.


Yep :greengrin

[Colr]

Where the nazis sticklers for grammar?

[Hibrandenburg]

Where the nazis sticklers for grammar?

Most likely in Germany, Italy and Spain.

[Hibbyradge]

Most likely in Germany, Italy and Spain.

Washington DC.

Oh, maybe not. Bigly.

[Future17]

I have the same issue with a group name describing multiple people using the word 'is', instead of are.

For example:

the Dallas cowboys is building a new training facility.

Or

Rangers is working hard to eradicate sectarianism.

I suppose its down to the cowboys or the rangers being a single club, but I still think it sounds wrong. If the wording was "rangers football club is working hard", I think that sounds more natural.

This is very much dependent on what you are actually meaning when you use the team name, as using the team name is essentially a shortening of something else. If you were to say "Hibernian" rather than "Hibernian Football Club", that it's singular and you should use "is". If you were to say "Hibernian" rather than "the Hibernian players", that is plural and you should use "are".

[TRC]

Having a heated debate about grammar and would like some opinion from our resident Grammar Nazis.

Which of the following is correct and why?

Neither of us is capable of winning this.

Or

Neither of us are capable of winning this.

The first one is correct grammatically, according to an English teacher of 40 years. (Not me I hasten to add) I can confirm he is a complete grammar nazi. once sent the birthday card I sent him back with red pen all over it!

[Hibbyradge]

This is very much dependent on what you are actually meaning when you use the team name, as using the team name is essentially a shortening of something else. If you were to say "Hibernian" rather than "Hibernian Football Club", that it's singular and you should use "is". If you were to say "Hibernian" rather than "the Hibernian players", that is plural and you should use "are".

We say hearts were crap rather than hearts is crap.

Although it is. :greengrin

[--------]

Where the nazis sticklers for grammar?

Jawohl.

And they didn't like people who mixed up 'where' and 'were', either.

Or the ones who didn't know that 'Nazis' is spelled with a capital 'N'.

I suspect that the Gestapo is/are spinning in its/their collective grave/graves right now.


To continue.

In the OP's example 'either' and 'neither' can only refer to one person. So they're both grammatically singular. So the correct reading is, 'Neither of us is capable of winning this'.

And again, 'Neither of them is capable of winning this'.

BUT - 'Hearts' and 'Rangers' are both grammatically plural, even though they each refer to a single entity* - so if 'them' in the last example referred to Hearts and Rangers, I think it would be correct to say, 'Neither of them are capable of winning this'. But that would be a special case.

Of course, a simpler way of expressing the same sentiment would be, 'The slimeballs are going to lose big time'.

Similarly, 'Tottenham Hotspur' is singular, but 'Spurs' is plural. I'm really not sure about Leeds, which sounds plural but is definitely singular..

I hope this clarifies things for folks. :devil:

[Future17]

'Hearts' and 'Rangers' are both grammatically plural, even though they each refer to a single entity* - so if 'them' in the last example referred to Hearts and Rangers, I think it would be correct to say, 'Neither of them are capable of winning this'. But that would be a special case.

Of course, a simpler way of expressing the same sentiment would be, 'The slimeballs are going to lose big time'.

I disagree...except with the "slimeballs" part.

"Hearts" and "Rangers" are only "grammatically plural" if you are referring to more than one heart or more than one ranger. In the context of referring to the club/business etc, they are single entities which should be referred to as such. Those particular words just happen to end with the letter "s".

[Hibbyradge]

They're, their, there.