cvs commit: www/en about.sgml

[John Baldwin]

On Tuesday 07 November 2006 17:20, Ceri Davies wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 07, 2006 at 05:00:26PM -0500, John Baldwin wrote:
> > On Tuesday 07 November 2006 15:16, Daniel Gerzo wrote:
> > > Hello,
> > > 
> > > Tuesday, November 7, 2006, 8:54:23 PM, you wrote:
> > > 
> > > > [ Not a native speaker ]
> > > 
> > > > On Tuesday 07 November 2006 19:55, Ceri Davies wrote:
> > > >> On Tue, Nov 07, 2006 at 04:54:31PM +0000, Daniel Gerzo wrote:
> > > >> > danger      2006-11-07 16:54:31 UTC
> > > >> >
> > > >> >   FreeBSD doc repository
> > > >> >
> > > >> >   Modified files:
> > > >> >     en                   about.sgml
> > > >> >   Log:
> > > >> >   - improve grammar
> > > >> >
> > > >> > | @@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
> > > >> > |                   including CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, floppy disk, 
magnetic 
> > tape,
> > > >> > |                   an MS-DOS® partition, or if you have a 
network
> > > >> > |                   connection, you can install it <i>directly</i> 
over
> > > >> > | -                 anonymous FTP or NFS. All you need is
> > > >> > | +                 anonymous FTP or NFS.  All you need are
> > > >> > |                   <a
> > > >> > |                    
> > > >> > | 
href="&base;/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/install.html">these
> > > >> > | directions</a>.</p>
> > > >>
> > > >> This change isn't correct - "these directions" is the object of this
> > > >> sentence and the verb "is" should agree with the subject "all you
> > > >> need", which is singular.
> > > 
> > > > I was confused by this, can you tell me if the following sounds right?
> > > 
> > > I'm confused too, it sounds with "are" better to me, but I might be
> > > wrong. English fluents around, please step up and tell us what's the
> > > correct form of this sentence?
> > 
> > Hmm, I think 'are' is correct.  Compare these two sentences:
> > 
> > These directions are all you need.
> > 
> > These directions is all you need.
> 
> Those two sentences invert the subject and object.

Yes, but since you are using a linking verb, subject == object.  Either both 
are singular or both are plural.  See John Hein's excellent followup.  I 
think the real solution is to reword the darn thing as it reads awkward with 
the current arrangement regardless of is/are. :)

> > If you flip it that way, 'are' is obviously correct, and you are using a 
> > linking verb to basically express equality (these directions == all [you 
> > need]).  In this case you are linking 'all' with the object.  Thus:
> > 
> > All you need is a green car.  (all == car is singular)
> > 
> > All you need are two green cars and a stick of dynamite for some fun.
> >   (all == cars + dynamite is plural)
> 
> You're making the same mistake as Daniel.  The CMS is very clear on
> this.

I think "all you need" is a very ambiguous phrase which is the problem.  If I 
said "All style books are dumb."  It's very clear that "books" is the root 
subject and is plural.  But what is the actual subject of "all you need"?  
It's not "you".  It's certainly not "need".

-- 
John Baldwin