We finally know the reason
 

After 5 months I now know the reason why it seems that this site is full of know it alls. Teachers Teachers Teachers.

Tim, <BR> <BR>Your post suffers from the following defects: <BR> <BR>You omitted the comma after "months." <BR> <BR>"know it alls" is properly punctuated as "know-it-alls." <BR> <BR>Single digit numbers are generally spelled out in text. <BR> <BR>"Teachers Teachers Teachers" is wrong because only the first should be capitalized. Also (and this is largely a matter of style), using "Teachers, teachers, teachers ..." would be more effective. <BR> <BR>I give you a C-. Keep studying, dear.

Well, a couple of months a go I remember a thread asking how many people are teachers - we can start a similer one being "How many people are NOT teachers, and what do you do?" I will start - I am a legal assistant.

Hey Eva - <BR> <BR>me too! Although I'm a relative newbie to the world of legal assistantdom (1 year) and hopefully come this time next year, I'll be moving 'across the pond' for some new and exciting adventures! In the meantime, I'll settle for one month of traipsing across Europe this summer!

I'm an illegal assistant.

I'm an assistant to an illegal alien.

I am not a teacher but I am a smart ass and I know everything.

I teach smart asses and know-it-alls; none of them are legal.

I have taught illegal aliens to assist legal assitants.

We teach assistant aliens how to assist illegal immigrants.

We alienate assistants who want to immigrate.

Assisting aliens to teach legal assistants is quite illegal.

Meagan - I am sooo jealous! You mean that you are going to escape this in a year! Do tell! <BR> <BR>The rest of you: I love you all but you are all nuts. <BR> <BR>Where am I going and what am I doing in this handbasket?

I think that everyone who has responded to this thread should be nominated to the Pompous Ass Club(PAC). <BR>Regards <BR>Arthur

But, Elvira, I must correct your grammar. It should be, "none of them is legal," since none is the subject (not them) and it's singular!

To Sorry: <BR> <BR>You wrote: "But, Elvira, I must correct your grammar. It should be, "none of them is legal," since none is the subject (not them) and it's singular! " <BR> <BR>The use of "since" is improper here. As you are not referring to the passage of time, the proper word would be "because." <BR> <BR>That makes me a bigger Ass than anyone on this thread. Ha! <BR> <BR>

I'm suddenly remembering why I quit this page for a few months. What a bunch of nerds.

A Slow Day??? <BR> <BR>I leave the boards for a whole day and this is what I come back to??? <BR> <BR>COULD NOT STOP LAUGHING! <BR> <BR>Oaktown

Sorry, [email protected], but this is from Merriam Webster's on-line dictionary (asterisks are mine): <BR> <BR>Main Entry: none <BR>Pronunciation: 'n&n <BR>Function: pronoun, singular or *plural* in construction <BR> <BR> <BR>

Yo, Bert - <BR>Keep quittin', okay?

Gee, Bert, we're all so heartbroken that you're quitting again! We didn't even realize you had been gone!

But, Elvira, in the better circles, none is always singular. <BR>You'll never be real member of the PAC unless you agree to that!

Perhaps we need to develop specialty subdivisions within the PAC - Nerdy PAs, for example, or Cynical PAs, or PAs who sneer at newbies, or Political PAs...my gosh, we all might qualify in more than one field of pomposity! In the words of the great Sitting American President (SAP) - "Make the Pie Higher!"

none = not one (contraction). Substituting not one for none gives you the sense. Not one are...????

Elvira, <BR>why didn't you just stick to the southwestern lingo and say "...t'aint none of 'em legal"? <BR> <BR>None is zero, nothing. How can nothing be singular, let alone plural? All I got from this thread, was alot a nothin'. <BR> <BR> <BR>

Argue with Merriam-Webster; anyway, it's the Canadians who use "none" incorrectly.

I teach assistant Canadians to use illegal grammar.

...and none too soon, Groucho!

I think that we all ought to ask Yogi (Berra) to give us authoritative answers to grammatical questions

I think Elvira is right on this one. I believe that in more formal grammar none is singular, but it can also be used in a less formal sense in the plural. Ask yourself which one actually sounds better. Sure, "none is" sounds right, but "none of them is" really doesn't, regardless of its technical correctness. However, if you change that to "not one of them," it sounds just right to use the singular.

Guess it depends on what part of the country you are from. "None of them is" sounds right to me. Maybe it also has something to do with what your definition of "is" is.

What? Canadians use "none" incorrectly? None of the Canadians I know uses - er, use - er - ... oh, never mind.

As someone whose business revolves around grammar, let me quote from H.W. Fowler's "Modern English Usage." (Fowler's is widely considered to be an authority on usage.) <BR> <BR>"It is a mistake to suppose that the pronoun (none) is singular only and must at all costs be followed by singular verbs, etc.; the OECD explicityly states that plural construction is commoner." <BR> <BR>Singular usually sounds better to my ear, but euphonics are only one aspect of language.

As someone whose business revolves around grammar, let me quote from H.W. Fowler's "Modern English Usage." (Fowler's is widely considered to be an authority on usage.) <BR> <BR>"It is a mistake to suppose that the pronoun (none) is singular only and must at all costs be followed by singular verbs, etc.; the OECD explicitly states that plural construction is commoner." <BR> <BR>Singular usually sounds better to my ear, but euphonics are only one aspect of language.