RE: This or These Personnel?

["Hales-Crotchett, Nicole" <nicole -dot- hales-crotchett -at- lmco -dot- com>]

Ha! Good catch.  If I don't stop to analyze it I get the right answer
naturally.

Thanks to all-
Nicole





-----Original Message-----
From: Combs, Richard [mailto:richard -dot- combs -at- Polycom -dot- com] 
Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2007 11:07 AM
To: Hales-Crotchett, Nicole; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: This or These Personnel?

Hales-Crotchett, Nicole wrote:
 
> I work in Dilbert land. The personnel in question are all propeller 
> heads. :)

And you answered your own question in the second sentence: "The
personnel ... are ..." Not is, are. Because the noun is plural. So it's
these, not this. You wouldn't say "This ... are," would you? 

That said, I agree with those who say dump "personnel." Way too stilted
and formal -- especially for propeller heads. ;-)

Richard


------
Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
303-223-5111
------
rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
303-777-0436
------





 
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