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Philip Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

Death vs. Deaths

1b01font00I'm trying to come up with a 01i00logical02i00 answer but can't find one that satisfies me. Therefore, I'd like some adivce from my many learned friends here. Which is better (either by logic and/or by authoritative source)?02font02b02br
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01b01font00The Pentagon announced the death or three soldiers.02font02b02br
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01b01font00The Pentagon announced the deaths of three soldiers.02font02b02br
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01b01font00Thanks, of course!02font02b0-
  

Top answer

com for "the death of three soldiers"02br 02br 00 The 2nd would work perhaps if the three had died in the same accident, simultaneously. 0-

— Marius Hancu

  • com for "the death of three soldiers"02br 02br 00 The 2nd would work perhaps if the three had died in the same accident, simultaneously.
  • 0-
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10 Answers
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0 Google hits on the New York Times:02br
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00 35 from nytimes.com for 01font00"the deaths of three soldiers"02font02br
00 0 from nytimes.com for "the death of three soldiers"02br
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00 The 2nd would work perhaps if the three had died in the same accident, simultaneously. 0-
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0 what do you mean? 0-
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1b01font00The Pentagon announced the deaths of three soldiers.02font02b02br
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01b01font00IMO, whether singular or plural only comes down to the way you you look at them, either as they being individuals or a group.02font02b02br
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0 IMO, three lives are lost. Therefore, 'the deaths of three soldiers'. 0-
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1a05000 02a02br
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00The New York Times may follow different guidelines of grammar to that of its British counterparts. 01font01i01u01b00Broadly speaking02b02u02i02font00, you
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0I think the stanza is depicting the 01b00deaths02b00 of the 01b00soldiers02b00 but the 'some' is a general term used for those who try to put some consolation, however glib, 01b00...02b02br
00www.hcu.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/01wbr00jtap/board/config.pl?noframes;read=4205 - 6k - 05002br
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Yoong Liat12cite10IMO, three lives are lost. Therefore, 'the deaths of three soldiers'.12blockquote
11a05000 02a02br
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01cite10Yoong Liat12cite10I think the stanza is depicting the 11b10deaths12b10 of the 11b10soldiers12b10 12br
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10Regarded as individuals12br
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12blockquote
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If we contrast it with life and lives, it gets easier to resolve. The life of the soldiers or the lives of the soldiers?
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Its death it is a collective noun
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