Variables

Question

Hello, teachers!   Good day to you all!"There are a lot of variables in this whole process, a lot variables," said Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker.I want to know if  get this this right:The first variables is a noun while the second is a verb.

Yankee · Accepted Answer

And a very good day to you too, Anon!

The word "variable" can be used as an adjective or a noun. The word "vary" is a verb. In your sentence, it seems that either the word "of" has been accidentally omitted OR you should have used "varies" (the verb) instead of "variables" (the plural noun):

"There are a lot of variables in this whole process, a lot of variables ..."
"There are a lot of variables in this whole process, a lot varies ... "

Anonymous · Answer

I copied it from an AP article. It's now been re-written; and that sentence is no longer there.

I think he meant to write a lot of variables

Thanks, Yankee![F]

[Y]

Anonymous · Answer

Hello again, good news to me.

I found another article that has contained the same quote.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,511220,00.html

The rising of the record-high Red River in North Dakota slowed early Saturday because of bitter cold temperatures, buying time before potentially devastating flooding slams Fargo and nearby towns.

The situation is now a waiting game for volunteers who have spent days shoring up dikes and levees to try to prevent widespread destruction across the city.

Forecasters say the river will crest Sunday afternoon instead of Saturday as originally predicted.

Local officials sounded themes of war as they called on residents to stay strong.

"Now it's time to stand and defend," said Tim Mahoney, a Fargo city commissioner. A press briefing on the situation was planned for 9 a.m. CDT Saturday.

http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/0,4644,6852,00.html

Millions of sandbags were in place Saturday, with 1,700 National Guard troops on patrol monitoring dikes with the help of volunteers looking for cracks in the defenses.

The intense effort that brought out students and out-of-towners to help fill sandbags and build up dikes wound down Friday evening.

Temperatures were in the single digits during the night, preventing snow from melting and feeding the rising river. The Red rose less than a foot Friday, compared to 2.5 feet on Thursday.

The National Weather Service predicted the crest at near 42 feet, but said it was still possible the river could rise to 43 feet — the maximum level to which the levees are built to protect the city and nearly 3 feet higher than the record of 40.1 feet set in 1897.

Early Saturday, the river stood at 40.81 feet — more than 22 feet above flood stage — but snow melting as the weather warms during the day was still expected to make it rise more.

Even after the river crests, the water may not begin receding before Wednesday, keeping up the pressure threatening levees put together mostly by volunteers.

"There are a lot of variables in this whole process, a lot variables," said Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker. He said there was not enough time to build the levees any higher than 43 feet.

Authorities in Fargo and across the river in Moorhead, Minn. — a city of about 30,000 people — expanded evacuations Friday across several...etc

Variables

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