Yet another question about subject-verb agreement

Question

The other day I found myself making a statement about the people of a certain nationality, but got stumped mid-sentence. The problem I got was when writing a sentence like (to take a random example)

"The Egyptians an interesting people".
That wasn't exactly what I was writing, but it was the same structure with the same problem to me, since both "is" and "are" seem wrong to me there.
"The Egyptians is" sounds plain wrong, but so does "are an interesting people" to me, since "a people" is singular, unless I'm mistaken.

Which, if any of those, is right?
If none of them are right, then how should I word it, then?
Nikitta a.a. #1759 Apatriot(No, not apricot)#18
ICQ# 251532856
Unreferenced footnotes: http://www.nut.house.cx/cgi-bin/nemwiki.pl?ISFN "Hmm, that was a really worthwhile post. Mind you, few of mine ever are." Laura Shadbolt (afdaniain)

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]The problem I got was when writing a sentence like (to take a random example) "The Egyptians ... was the same structure with the same problem to me, since both "is" and "are" seem wrong to me there.[/nq]
The verb agrees with the subject, not the object. Use "are". Conversely, use "is" in "A serious problem is the many computer viruses."
Mark Brader, Toronto This is a signature antibody. Please (Email Removed) remove any viruses from your signature.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]The other day I found myself making a statement about the people of a certain nationality, but got stumped mid-sentence. ... was the same structure with the same problem to me, since both "is" and "are" seem wrong to me there.[/nq]
Your single last thought offers two clues. You want to connect Egyptians and interesting, using the
verb to be.
1. Both possible verb forms, is and are, "seem"wrong to you; but the language is there for you
to do what you want; therefore at least one of
them must be right (or else the language does
not do what you want.)
When we say X is Y (e.g. The sky is blue, e.g.
Nine men are a baseball team) the convention is
X is the subject of the sentence. We also have
a rule that verbs should agree in number with
the subject. Thus Egyptians is . . . is correct.
2. But the word people might not be speciallyneeded. Your statement:
The Egyptians are interesting
is grammatical. Would it meet your needs?

Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]The other day I found myself making a statement about the people of a certain nationality, but got stumped mid-sentence. ... Which, if any of those, is right? If none of them are right, then how should I word it, then?[/nq]
As Mark Brader already said, the verb agrees with the subject. Here are some more examples, so your ear can learn what sounds right:

We are a team.
Potholes are a problem.
The open houses were a success.
His first words were a question.
Holidays are a time for sharing.

Best Donna Richoux

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]The other day I found myself making a statement about ... them are right, then how should I word it, then?[/nq]
[nq:1]As Mark Brader already said, the verb agrees with the subject. Here are some more examples, so your ear can ... a problem. The open houses were a success. His first words were a question. Holidays are a time for sharing.[/nq]
Well illustrated. Beware of those who overanalyze things they tend to lose track. (Was it Don Phillipson this time?)

Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]( long snip ) When we say X is Y (e.g. The sky is blue, e.g. Nine men are a ... have a rule that verbs should agree in number with the subject. Thus Egyptians is . . . is correct.[/nq]
Egyptians are . . . is correct.
I apologise for boneheaded typo.

Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]( long snip ) When we say X is Y ... the subject. Thus Egyptians is . . . is correct.[/nq]
[nq:1]Egyptians are . . . is correct. I apologise for boneheaded typo.[/nq]
I withdraw my previous (parenthetic) remark, then. You scared me there, for a moment.

Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]The other day I found myself making a statement about ... since both "is" and "are" seem wrong to me there.[/nq]
[nq:1]Your single last thought offers two clues. You want to connect Egyptians and interesting, using the verb to be. 1. ... want; therefore at least one of them must be right (or else the language does not do what you want.)[/nq]
Yes, I guessed that my gut feeling probably was wrong, as it is at times, which is why I asked.

[nq:1]2. But the word people might not be specially needed. Your statement: The Egyptians are interesting is grammatical. Would it meet your needs?[/nq]
No, I think that saying "The Egyptians are interesting" would only refer to the humans, while "an interesting people" refers more to culture, history, and so forth. I know that those two things are very closely connected, but I still se them as emphasising on different things.
Besides, I think that saying "The Egyptians are an interesting people" leaves more room for exceptions: if I said "The Egyptians are interesting", it could be countered by "Well, I know an Egyptian who is incredibly dull, so that doesn't hold entirely true", but with "an interesting people", I'm speaking of them, more generally, as a people; not about individual Egyptians.
Thanks to those who have helped me and given me examples. I'll keep it in mind for future reference; I'm sure I'll run into a similar situation again.

Nikitta a.a. #1759 Apatriot(No, not apricot)#18
ICQ# 251532856
Unreferenced footnotes: http://www.nut.house.cx/cgi-bin/nemwiki.pl?ISFN "..*** INFAMY!" Andy Spragg (Sheddie)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]The problem I got was when writing a sentence like ... since both "is" and "are" seem wrong to me there.[/nq]
[nq:1]The verb agrees with the subject, not the object. Use "are". Conversely, use "is" in "A serious problem is the many computer viruses."[/nq]
Although the verb to be is a special case, taking the same (nominative) case before and after. Thus, in your example, "Many computer viruses are a serious problem" (although "constitute" would probably sound better here).
This problem posed was discussed in a separate discussion on the use of words implying plurality despite being formally singular. The OP in that discussion talked about "total".
Berko

Usenet · Answer

It looks like I'll have to bother you with another question in this category.
This time I was talking about my family. Having just mentioned my siblings, I said "I'm the one who looks like my mother the most", but while "the one who looks like..." seems fine to me, then "I looks like..." would be wrong, and it ties to "I" as a subject, right? OTOH "the one who look like" seems wrong to me too.
I imagine that either "I'm the one who looks like my mother the most" or "I'm the one who look like my mother the most" is right, though they both seem odd to me. Which one is right?

Nikitta a.a. #1759 Apatriot(No, not apricot)#18
ICQ# 251532856
Unreferenced footnotes: http://www.nut.house.cx/cgi-bin/nemwiki.pl?ISFN "When I hear the word culture, I reach for my gnu?" Carl LHS Williams (Sheddie)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]This time I was talking about my family. Having just mentioned my siblings, I said "I'm the one who looks like my mother the most",[/nq]
correct
[nq:1]but while "the one who looks like..." seems fine to me, then "I looks like..." would be wrong, and it ties to "I" as a subject, right?[/nq]
No, "looks" just ties back to "one".
[nq:1]OTOH "the one who look like" seems wrong to me too. I imagine that either "I'm the one who looks ... who look like my mother the most" is right, though they both seem odd to me. Which one is right?[/nq]
The verb has to agree with "one".
I'm the one who is going.
You're the one who is going.
(Plural) We're the ones who are going.
This is the contruction a lot of us use instead of "It is I..." and so on.

Best Donna Richoux

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