When the plural becomes singular
It’s Eurovision Week!
Yipee!!
There has been a bit of a fuss here with people demanding that Ireland pull out of the competition in support of Palestine. Personally I couldn’t give a shite about that one way or another. It’s a fucking television programme that is essentially a mockery of itself so how anyone can get steamed up about it is beyond me.
The reason I took notice in the first place was the Irish entry. This [we are told] is a song sung by Bambi Thug. There were frequent references to them in the news, and I even got blessed with a preview of the “song”. What confused me was that it was just one female screeching singing. Where were the rest of them?
Over time, it dawned on me. There was no “them” only “her”. This was a solo performer trying to make herself into a crowd. Yes, she is female, and reasonably easy on the eye at that, though it’s hard to tell under all the makeup. She actually has a good voice too if only she sang properly. “I think my song is what Eurovision needs in general,” they say she says. “I think it needs some shifts in boundaries and some alt-music again.” Having heard the performance I can only say God help the Eurovision.
I have read thousands of books over the last seventy odd years and would consider myself reasonably literate. In all those years “they” has been a plural word. It means more than one. Seeing the word in print instinctively means two or more. Seeing it used to refer to one thing is inherently wrong. I know the English language can be a little contradictory at times, such as referring to a pair of trousers being one single item, but even then I would never refer to a single pair of trousers as a plural item. She is my daughter and they are my grandkids. To say they are my daughter is worse than a nail on glass. It grates harshly on the nerves. It is wrong and always will be.
As for the Eurovision…..
I wonder what’s on the other channels?
They as a singular has been used at least since 1375 (OED). TV drama with a murder victim: policeman says, “He shot him at close range.” implies they know the shooter was male. He/she is awkward. You could say, “He was shot at close range.” but the passive voice is often disliked.
Yes, I appreciate that under certain circumstances “They” hay be used instead of “him or her”, such as when a person is mentioned but we don’t know their identity.
I was once told by my high school English teacher that the only language harder to learn to use properly than English is Mandrin Chinese. Between things such as there, their, and they’re I am a believer.
Come to think on it; I barely passed that class.
Try and explain the logic of its and it’s …..?
She doesn’t really look like a thug; does she?
This current use of they confuses me no end. Many’s the time I have had to reread a paragraph to try and understand if we’re dealing with one or many.
He/she/they/them whatever, having heard the entry I think it’s the perfect thing to send to Europe considering all the crap they’ve sent our way
The perfect revenge! 😀
Then there is the “Royal” We.
Without which there would be no Groom of the Stool.
Doonhamer, the Royal Wee required the Royal potty, for which there was undoubtedly a Royal Groom of the pot. They (or he/him/she/her/etc) had an important task. What or who is Bambi?
It would seem Ireland are determined not to win Eurovision yet again.
Have you seen any of the other entries? Ireland has a seriously dangerous chance of winning.