Newsgroups: sci.lang
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From: lilandbr@scn.org (Leland Bryant Ross)
Subject: Re: football
Message-ID: <EDuoyB.5E6@scn.org>
Sender: news@scn.org
Reply-To: lilandbr@scn.org (Leland Bryant Ross)
Organization: Seattle Community Network
References: <33D5988A.7DD8@aol.com> <338A26B4.9E4@-accton.com.tw> <5qjjdf$l1t$1@csnews.cs.colorado.edu> <869202233.223059@optional.cts.com> <5qno7s$n2h$1@talia.mad.ibernet.es> <5r17hn$e1n$1@csnews.cs.colorado.edu> <33D5169C.10D2@sbphrd.com>
Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 01:18:10 GMT
Lines: 23


In a previous article, TryptanFel@aol.com (Tryptan Felle) says:
>
>Hey, speaking of the differences between US and UK sports - why are all 
>American team names plural (Yankees, Red Sox, Bills, etc.) whereas 
>British team names are singular (United, etc.)?  
>
[...]
>
>I find this curious considering the fact that in American English you 
>say "the team is on the field" but in British English you say "the team 
>are on the field."  What gives?

British words like "team" and "United" are not, strictly speaking, 
singular nouns in British English, a fact shown precisely by the fact you 
cite...that they can (and frequently do) govern plural verb forms.  This 
phenomenon is not restricted to sports, except in a broad sense:  "Her 
Majesty's Government *have* announced ...", "BP have merged ..." etc.
--
L B Ros'     |tel: 206 |  "... Vi estas la modera homo, la netakseble valora
UEA-D Seatla |     633 |  subrimenisto de la malica homo. Vi, la modera homo,
204 N 39th St|____2434_|  povas uzigxi por maljusto, sed senutilas por justo."
Seattle WA 98103 Usono |        -- Herman MELVILLE, _La Konfidigisto_, cx. 21
