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Alabacaknet Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Complex-subject complement

I have a problem guys, i quarrelled with my teacher about this subject

Kemal and Ayse or Mehmet is/are coming with us.

Whoz coming with us?

Kemal and (Ayse or Mehmet)

(Kemal and Ayse) or Mehmet

thanks guys, have a good day
  

Top answer

You would have to make it clear by the pattern of your speech. In theory, saying "is" or "are" should be enough to identify which you mean, but in practice, nobody would actually notice whether it was "is" or "are" that you said. So you'd have to say either Kemal [pause} and Ayse or Mehmet {pause} are coming with us.

— DMW

  • You would have to make it clear by the pattern of your speech.
  • In theory, saying "is" or "are" should be enough to identify which you mean, but in practice, nobody would actually notice whether it was "is" or "are" that you said.
  • So you'd have to say either Kemal [pause} and Ayse or Mehmet {pause} are coming with us.
  • or Kemal and Ayse {pause} or Mehmet is coming with us.
  • That leaves the problem of how to make the distinction in writing, I would use commas, although some people frown on this practice.
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20 Answers
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You would have to make it clear by the pattern of your speech. In theory, saying "is" or "are" should be enough to identify which you mean, but in practice, nobody would actually notice whether it was "is" or "are" that you said. So you'd have to say either

Kemal [pause} and Ayse or Mehmet {pause} are coming with us.

or

Kemal and A
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Kemal is coming with us, as is either Ayse or Mehmet.
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fivejedjonKemal is coming with us, as is either Ayse or Mehmet.
Hello fivejedjon, if I may just ask, would inversion make any difference here:

Kemal is coming with us, as either Ayse or Mehmet is.

Thank you.
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I will forward your answer to my teacher,

Thanks Emotion: nodding
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SurferKemal is coming with us, as either Ayse or Mehmet is.
This sounds unnatural and wrong to me.
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As already commented by the experts, I wouldn't add too much to it, but I personally see an issue with the construction of this sentence.
alabacaknetKemal and Ayse or Mehmet is/are coming with us.
Kemal and Ayse - is a compound subject, thus, "are" is the apprporiate verb.
" Or" by nature suggests uncertainty and it has a singul
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alabacaknetKemal and Ayse or Mehmet is/are coming with us. Who's coming with us?
If ordinary language were as strict as formal logic, this would be a no-brainer. In the hierarchy of operator precedence, "and" comes before "or": [Kemal and Ayse] or [Mehmet].
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CalifJimOn a menu, for example, you might see Eggs and ham or sausages. Since ham and sausages are both meats, the intended grouping is almost certainly [Eggs] and [ham or sausages], i.e., [eggs and ham] or [eggs and sausages].
Or even [eggs and ham] or [sausages].
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fivejedjonOr even [eggs and ham] or [sausages].
Is that a British interpretation?

CJ
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CalifJim fivejedjonOr even [eggs and ham] or [sausages].Is that a British interpretation?CJ
I don't think it's particularly British. Actually, I don't think it's a very likely interpretation with those particular items of food, but it could be with others, for example, [sausage and mash] or [toad-in-the-hole], [fish and chips] or [pizza ], [liver and bacon]
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