Language Differences

[ssg_boy at yahoo.com]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C95
From: ssg_boy
Subject: Re: Language Differences
Reply To: [Yahoo! #94] Re: Language Differences
Date: 11/6/99 3:00 pm  (ET)

Jen wrote:

<Also, there are a few grammatical differences, such as how some
words that we would consider singular (like names of the houses -
Gryffindor, for example) are sometimes referred to as plural. "Gryffindor
are..." That's a little strange to me.>

Ah, that's the one that always stands out for me also when I'm in England
or reading an English publication. From what I can gather, in English
English any entity that is a collection of individuals is treated as a
plural noun. In many cases the same noun is singular in American English.

Your example of one of the houses of Hogwarts is a perfect illustration.

Brian