LINGUIST List 15.2255

Sun Aug 8 2004

Qs: Print/screen reading; Eng subject-verb concord

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Directory

  • Billy Clark, print and screen reading
  • Hideo HIBINO, re: 'who' and 'what' in subject-verb concord

    Message 1: print and screen reading

     Date: Sat, 7 Aug 2004 03:57:22 -0400 (EDT)
    From: Billy Clark <b.clarkmdx.ac.uk>
    Subject: print and screen reading


    On behalf of a student, could I ask whether anyone can point to literature and/or experimental data on differences, including comprehension differences, between reading from a screen and from printed material. The most recent material she has found (online) is:

    Kellog, Guy. 1999. Students' reactions to reading electronic v. printed documents. roceedings from the Fourth International Conference on Language and Development. http://www.languages.ait.ac.th/hanoi_proceedings/kellogg.htm

    She is hoping to find more recent material.

    Could you please respond direct to me and the student at these email addresses:

    b.clarkmdx.ac.uk hannastoeverdial.pipex.com

    We will post a summary of responses to the list.

    Thanks and best wishes,

    Billy

    Message 2: re: 'who' and 'what' in subject-verb concord

     Date: Sat, 7 Aug 2004 19:58:57 +0900
    From: Hideo HIBINO <hhibinombox.kyoto-inet.or.jp>
    Subject: re: 'who' and 'what' in subject-verb concord


    The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language (2002, Huddleston et al) states in effect at 18.3 (d) Interrogatives, on pp.505-6:

    In general, the interrogative pronouns 'who' and 'what' take the default value of singular.

    Compare: [19] i a. Who wants some more ice-cream? b. What remains to be done? ii Which (of these ) is/are yours?

    The default singular values for _who_ and _what_ can, however, be overridden when there is a presupposition that the answer is plural.

    [20] i What are going going to be the deciding factors? ii Who haven't yet handed in their assignmnets? iii Who have excelled themselves in this year's coxed pairs? iv What have pointed ears and long tails? (Detailed explanation follows.)

    My question is: Would the following examples sound all right, or considered to be standard English, since a plural answer is reasonably expected in each of them, just as Huddleston argues?

    1. Who are gathering in the park? 2. Find out who are coming to our reunion. We need to make a list of the participants. 3. They are demanding that the provincial government take action to find out who are responsible for the Tuesday disaster. 4. Let us proceed to inquire who have been excluded from testifying as witnesses under the term "Indian." 5. Is there an archive site for this mailing list where I might be able to find out what have been discussed in the past?

    The reason for bringing up the plural concord for 'who' and 'what' is that, as far as I know, no grammar books, including CGEL(1985, Quirk et al) support Huddleston.

    I would appreciate knowing your thoughts about this problem.

    Hideo Hibino