- By Jim Evans
- Entertainment
Print 
SMART TALK
by Dr. "Windy" Prolix
A GROUP OF THEM ARE HERE: We're proud Americans here at the Center for English as a First Language in Underbelly, Texas. This means, among other things, that we eschew Britishisms. Sure, we call our language English, but even our computers ask us to choose between British and American English before loading many programs.
Ironically, for instance, the Brits use the spelling of their ancient enemy, France, for many words ending in -er. Over here, theatre betrays obvious pretense.
But many Americans seem not to realize that collective nouns, such as "flock" and "group," are plural in the UK - The audience were stunned - rather than singular in the USA - The audience was stunned.
So any proud American can see that the title above is fine in England but wrong here, because we're talking about a group, just one group.
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