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Do plural names referring to a singular thing require a plural verb?
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Another question related to my geography of the Roman Empire which I am writing has arisen: during the time of Trajan, 117 AD, there were several provinces which had names in the plural, especially those which bordered or resided on the Alps, to name a few:
- Alpēs Maritimae
- Alpēs Cottiae
- Alpēs GrÄÂiae et PoenÄ«nae
In my geography itself, I have written several phrases similar to the following, note that the verbs are in the singular number:
PrÄ«ma hÄÂrum prÃ…ÂvinciÄÂrum, Alpēs Maritimae, ut nÃ…Âmen dÄ«cit, plÅ«rimē montēs continet et lÄ«tora prope Ligusticum Mare.
I wrote down the verbs in the singular while writing because it made sense to me; despite the fact that the names themselves are in the plural, they refer to singular things, provinces. However, as pointed out by @JoonasIlmavirta in CONLOQVIVM, this might not be the case.
To sum up: when a name (or noun) has a plural form but refers to a singular thing, should any verb of which the name (or noun) is a subject be in the singular or plural?
verbs names substantivum place-names
asked 56 mins ago
Ethan Bierlein
999118
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up vote
5
down vote
favorite
Another question related to my geography of the Roman Empire which I am writing has arisen: during the time of Trajan, 117 AD, there were several provinces which had names in the plural, especially those which bordered or resided on the Alps, to name a few:
- Alpēs Maritimae
- Alpēs Cottiae
- Alpēs GrÄÂiae et PoenÄ«nae
In my geography itself, I have written several phrases similar to the following, note that the verbs are in the singular number:
PrÄ«ma hÄÂrum prÃ…ÂvinciÄÂrum, Alpēs Maritimae, ut nÃ…Âmen dÄ«cit, plÅ«rimē montēs continet et lÄ«tora prope Ligusticum Mare.
I wrote down the verbs in the singular while writing because it made sense to me; despite the fact that the names themselves are in the plural, they refer to singular things, provinces. However, as pointed out by @JoonasIlmavirta in CONLOQVIVM, this might not be the case.
To sum up: when a name (or noun) has a plural form but refers to a singular thing, should any verb of which the name (or noun) is a subject be in the singular or plural?
verbs names substantivum place-names
asked 56 mins ago
Ethan Bierlein
999118
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
favorite
up vote
5
down vote
favorite
Another question related to my geography of the Roman Empire which I am writing has arisen: during the time of Trajan, 117 AD, there were several provinces which had names in the plural, especially those which bordered or resided on the Alps, to name a few:
- Alpēs Maritimae
- Alpēs Cottiae
- Alpēs GrÄÂiae et PoenÄ«nae
In my geography itself, I have written several phrases similar to the following, note that the verbs are in the singular number:
PrÄ«ma hÄÂrum prÃ…ÂvinciÄÂrum, Alpēs Maritimae, ut nÃ…Âmen dÄ«cit, plÅ«rimē montēs continet et lÄ«tora prope Ligusticum Mare.
I wrote down the verbs in the singular while writing because it made sense to me; despite the fact that the names themselves are in the plural, they refer to singular things, provinces. However, as pointed out by @JoonasIlmavirta in CONLOQVIVM, this might not be the case.
To sum up: when a name (or noun) has a plural form but refers to a singular thing, should any verb of which the name (or noun) is a subject be in the singular or plural?
verbs names substantivum place-names
asked 56 mins ago
Ethan Bierlein
999118
Another question related to my geography of the Roman Empire which I am writing has arisen: during the time of Trajan, 117 AD, there were several provinces which had names in the plural, especially those which bordered or resided on the Alps, to name a few:
- Alpēs Maritimae
- Alpēs Cottiae
- Alpēs GrÄÂiae et PoenÄ«nae
In my geography itself, I have written several phrases similar to the following, note that the verbs are in the singular number:
PrÄ«ma hÄÂrum prÃ…ÂvinciÄÂrum, Alpēs Maritimae, ut nÃ…Âmen dÄ«cit, plÅ«rimē montēs continet et lÄ«tora prope Ligusticum Mare.
I wrote down the verbs in the singular while writing because it made sense to me; despite the fact that the names themselves are in the plural, they refer to singular things, provinces. However, as pointed out by @JoonasIlmavirta in CONLOQVIVM, this might not be the case.
To sum up: when a name (or noun) has a plural form but refers to a singular thing, should any verb of which the name (or noun) is a subject be in the singular or plural?
verbs names substantivum place-names
verbs names substantivum place-names
asked 56 mins ago
Ethan Bierlein
999118
asked 56 mins ago
Ethan Bierlein
999118
asked 56 mins ago
Ethan Bierlein
999118
asked 56 mins ago
Ethan Bierlein
999118
asked 56 mins ago
Ethan Bierlein
999118
999118
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
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Plural place names should have plural verbs. A very simple case of this is Athenae, -arum (Athens). Here's an illuminating example from Cicero:
in quam cum intueor, maxime mihi occurrunt, Attice, et quasi lucent Athenae tuae, qua in urbe primum se orator extulit primumque etiam monumentis et litteris oratio est coepta mandari. (Cicero, Brutus 7)
Translation:
And when I consider it [i.e. Greece], Atticus, your Athens occurs to me first and is like a light. For in this city the orator first arose, and also oratory first began to be preserved in writing and other memorials.
Shortly afterwards, he also uses the phrase non nascentibus Athenis sed adultis (= "in mature, not developing, Athens").
Two notes, then:
- Grammatical agreement is preserved with plural place names.
- But, as seen in "qua in urbe" above, you can use a singular noun to refer to the plural antecedent. In this case, you would use a singular verb to agree with the new noun.
And, for kicks, here's a pretty amusing example from Plautus that might have been intended for comical effect:
Salvete, Athenae, quae nutrices Graeciae,
sperata erilis patria, te video libens. (Plautus, Stichus V.ii)
Translation:
Hail (pl.), Athens, who are the nurses (pl.) of Greece,
my master's long-desired homeland (sing.). Gladly I see you (sing.).
answered 18 mins ago
brianpck
22.5k141106
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
5
down vote
Plural place names should have plural verbs. A very simple case of this is Athenae, -arum (Athens). Here's an illuminating example from Cicero:
in quam cum intueor, maxime mihi occurrunt, Attice, et quasi lucent Athenae tuae, qua in urbe primum se orator extulit primumque etiam monumentis et litteris oratio est coepta mandari. (Cicero, Brutus 7)
Translation:
And when I consider it [i.e. Greece], Atticus, your Athens occurs to me first and is like a light. For in this city the orator first arose, and also oratory first began to be preserved in writing and other memorials.
Shortly afterwards, he also uses the phrase non nascentibus Athenis sed adultis (= "in mature, not developing, Athens").
Two notes, then:
- Grammatical agreement is preserved with plural place names.
- But, as seen in "qua in urbe" above, you can use a singular noun to refer to the plural antecedent. In this case, you would use a singular verb to agree with the new noun.
And, for kicks, here's a pretty amusing example from Plautus that might have been intended for comical effect:
Salvete, Athenae, quae nutrices Graeciae,
sperata erilis patria, te video libens. (Plautus, Stichus V.ii)
Translation:
Hail (pl.), Athens, who are the nurses (pl.) of Greece,
my master's long-desired homeland (sing.). Gladly I see you (sing.).
answered 18 mins ago
brianpck
22.5k141106
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
Plural place names should have plural verbs. A very simple case of this is Athenae, -arum (Athens). Here's an illuminating example from Cicero:
in quam cum intueor, maxime mihi occurrunt, Attice, et quasi lucent Athenae tuae, qua in urbe primum se orator extulit primumque etiam monumentis et litteris oratio est coepta mandari. (Cicero, Brutus 7)
Translation:
And when I consider it [i.e. Greece], Atticus, your Athens occurs to me first and is like a light. For in this city the orator first arose, and also oratory first began to be preserved in writing and other memorials.
Shortly afterwards, he also uses the phrase non nascentibus Athenis sed adultis (= "in mature, not developing, Athens").
Two notes, then:
- Grammatical agreement is preserved with plural place names.
- But, as seen in "qua in urbe" above, you can use a singular noun to refer to the plural antecedent. In this case, you would use a singular verb to agree with the new noun.
And, for kicks, here's a pretty amusing example from Plautus that might have been intended for comical effect:
Salvete, Athenae, quae nutrices Graeciae,
sperata erilis patria, te video libens. (Plautus, Stichus V.ii)
Translation:
Hail (pl.), Athens, who are the nurses (pl.) of Greece,
my master's long-desired homeland (sing.). Gladly I see you (sing.).
answered 18 mins ago
brianpck
22.5k141106
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
up vote
5
down vote
Plural place names should have plural verbs. A very simple case of this is Athenae, -arum (Athens). Here's an illuminating example from Cicero:
in quam cum intueor, maxime mihi occurrunt, Attice, et quasi lucent Athenae tuae, qua in urbe primum se orator extulit primumque etiam monumentis et litteris oratio est coepta mandari. (Cicero, Brutus 7)
Translation:
And when I consider it [i.e. Greece], Atticus, your Athens occurs to me first and is like a light. For in this city the orator first arose, and also oratory first began to be preserved in writing and other memorials.
Shortly afterwards, he also uses the phrase non nascentibus Athenis sed adultis (= "in mature, not developing, Athens").
Two notes, then:
- Grammatical agreement is preserved with plural place names.
- But, as seen in "qua in urbe" above, you can use a singular noun to refer to the plural antecedent. In this case, you would use a singular verb to agree with the new noun.
And, for kicks, here's a pretty amusing example from Plautus that might have been intended for comical effect:
Salvete, Athenae, quae nutrices Graeciae,
sperata erilis patria, te video libens. (Plautus, Stichus V.ii)
Translation:
Hail (pl.), Athens, who are the nurses (pl.) of Greece,
my master's long-desired homeland (sing.). Gladly I see you (sing.).
answered 18 mins ago
brianpck
22.5k141106
Plural place names should have plural verbs. A very simple case of this is Athenae, -arum (Athens). Here's an illuminating example from Cicero:
in quam cum intueor, maxime mihi occurrunt, Attice, et quasi lucent Athenae tuae, qua in urbe primum se orator extulit primumque etiam monumentis et litteris oratio est coepta mandari. (Cicero, Brutus 7)
Translation:
And when I consider it [i.e. Greece], Atticus, your Athens occurs to me first and is like a light. For in this city the orator first arose, and also oratory first began to be preserved in writing and other memorials.
Shortly afterwards, he also uses the phrase non nascentibus Athenis sed adultis (= "in mature, not developing, Athens").
Two notes, then:
- Grammatical agreement is preserved with plural place names.
- But, as seen in "qua in urbe" above, you can use a singular noun to refer to the plural antecedent. In this case, you would use a singular verb to agree with the new noun.
And, for kicks, here's a pretty amusing example from Plautus that might have been intended for comical effect:
Salvete, Athenae, quae nutrices Graeciae,
sperata erilis patria, te video libens. (Plautus, Stichus V.ii)
Translation:
Hail (pl.), Athens, who are the nurses (pl.) of Greece,
my master's long-desired homeland (sing.). Gladly I see you (sing.).
answered 18 mins ago
brianpck
22.5k141106
answered 18 mins ago
brianpck
22.5k141106
answered 18 mins ago
brianpck
22.5k141106
answered 18 mins ago
brianpck
22.5k141106
22.5k141106
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
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