This just winds me up...

[dazzer6666]

Do you think it should be:
"Neither of the sentences are wrong"
or
"Neither of the sentences is wrong"?

http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/10304/which-is-correct-neither-is-or-neither-are

 

[whitelion]

How about when you're writing on a forum?

Both seem acceptable. (The quote was from a wesite).

 

[Triggaaar]

http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/10304/which-is-correct-neither-is-or-neither-are

So it's fine to say "Neither are wrong" then. Good.

Both seem acceptable. (The quote was from a wesite).

Excellent news, thanks

 

[dazzer6666]

So it's fine to say "Neither are wrong" then. Good.

'neither are' sounds more normal (to me anyway.......)

 

[Waynflete]

Do you think it should be:
"Neither of the sentences are wrong"
or
"Neither of the sentences is wrong"?

Grammatically it should be "Neither of the sentences is wrong" (though I disagree with the statement!).

Similarly it would be "Either of the sentences is accurate", not "Either are accurate."

The same goes for "None of the sentences is wrong," not "None are wrong," 'none' being a contraction of 'not one.'

Usually I don't much care, but on a thread where people are explicitly criticising grammar they're asking for trouble!


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[Triggaaar]

'neither are' sounds more normal (to me anyway.......)

It says 'is' is more traditional, but your link has an example of Shakespeare using 'are' (I appreciate the sentence is not the same as mine - we have a different writing style):
"Thersites' body is as good as Ajax',/ When neither are alive." — William Shakespeare

 

[Triggaaar]

Grammatically it should be "Neither of the sentences is wrong" (though I disagree with the statement!).

Similarly it would be "Either of the sentences is accurate", not "Either are accurate."

But here is the thing - you wouldn't say "Both of the sentences is accurate", you'd say "Both of the sentences are accurate", and 'neither' can be the opposite of both 'either' and 'both'.

And why do you disagree with the statement?

 

[Waynflete]

It says 'is' is more traditional, but you're link has an example of Shakespeare using 'are' (I appreciate the sentence is not the same as mine - we have a different writing style):
"Thersites' body is as good as Ajax',/ When neither are alive." — William Shakespeare

'...you're link...'? Your just teasing now, Shirley.


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[Triggaaar]

'...you're link...'?

Oops. Just a mistake, that's all

 

[Waynflete]

But here is the thing - you wouldn't say "Both of the sentences is accurate", you'd say "Both of the sentences are accurate", and 'neither' can be the opposite of both 'either' and 'both'.

And why do you disagree with the statement?

Etymologically I think 'neither' is a contraction of 'not either', as 'none' is of 'not one', hence why 'is' is used.

The only reason I said I disagreed with the statement was that I thought you were tricking me into confirming your argument!

It's nice to debate something that isn't particularly important; so tired of Brexit, Trump conversations


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[essbee]

Does anyone like me, find that when you pass cafes with spelling mistakes
on blackboards (showing their menu) you simply have to change it?

It's a bloody good laugh because you can have a rant if anyone has a go at you.

 

[Triggaaar]

Etymologically I think 'neither' is a contraction of 'not either'

I can see how that makes sense, but I think we can also use 'neither' as the negative counterpart of 'both'.

The only reason I said I disagreed with the statement was that I thought you were tricking me into confirming your argument!

Er, ok

It's nice to debate something that isn't particularly important

I think I have spent 90% of my life doing just that.

 

[Triggaaar]

Does anyone like me, find that when you pass cafes with spelling mistakes
on blackboards (showing their menu) you simply have to change it?

Never done that. Do you carry your own chalk just in case?

 

[essbee]

Never done that. Do you carry your own chalk just in case?

No - I just rub out the offensive word/s so it looks bloody ridiculous and glaringly obvious.

 

[dazzer6666]

Does anyone like me, find that when you pass cafes with spelling mistakes
on blackboards (showing their menu) you simply have to change it?

It's a bloody good laugh because you can have a rant if anyone has a go at you.

I've done it - particularly where they've used a grocer's apostrophe.......just a modest erasing of the offending punctuation mark [emoji3]

 

[essbee]

I've done it - particularly where they've used a grocer's apostrophe.......just a modest erasing of the offending punctuation mark [emoji3]

Coriander seems to be universally misspelt - for some reason with a double 'r'. Jeez that winds me up.

 

[dazzer6666]

Coriander seems to be universally misspelt - for some reason with a double 'r'. Jeez that winds me up.

Bakery by my station sells panini's........and bacon roll's....

 

[essbee]

Bakery by my station sells panini's........and bacon roll's....

Oh my days, I would be apoplectic with rage at that one - in fact I'd put the blackboard through
their front window

 

[dazzer6666]

Oh my days, I would be apoplectic with rage at that one - in fact I'd put the blackboard through
their front window

I sometimes walk a different way to the station just to avoid having to look at it

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Oh my days, I would be apoplectic with rage at that one - in fact I'd put the blackboard through
their front window

And render the owner commatose?