From owner-cvs-doc@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Nov 9 05:01:24 2006 Return-Path: X-Original-To: cvs-doc@freebsd.org Delivered-To: cvs-doc@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0F82D16A403 for ; Thu, 9 Nov 2006 05:01:24 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from imp@bsdimp.com) Received: from harmony.bsdimp.com (vc4-2-0-87.dsl.netrack.net [199.45.160.85]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 72FB743D5E for ; Thu, 9 Nov 2006 05:01:23 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from imp@bsdimp.com) Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by harmony.bsdimp.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id kA94vRCm095777; Wed, 8 Nov 2006 21:57:27 -0700 (MST) (envelope-from imp@bsdimp.com) Date: Wed, 08 Nov 2006 21:58:00 -0700 (MST) Message-Id: <20061108.215800.-1303464158.imp@bsdimp.com> To: jhb@freebsd.org From: "M. Warner Losh" In-Reply-To: <200611071700.27822.jhb@freebsd.org> References: <200611072054.30906.max@love2party.net> <947574552.20061107211608@micronet.sk> <200611071700.27822.jhb@freebsd.org> X-Mailer: Mew version 4.2 on Emacs 21.3 / Mule 5.0 (SAKAKI) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Greylist: Sender IP whitelisted, not delayed by milter-greylist-2.0 (harmony.bsdimp.com [127.0.0.1]); Wed, 08 Nov 2006 21:57:27 -0700 (MST) Cc: doc-committers@freebsd.org, cvs-doc@freebsd.org, gerzo@micronet.sk, cvs-all@freebsd.org, danger@freebsd.org, max@love2party.net, ceri@submonkey.net Subject: Re: cvs commit: www/en about.sgml X-BeenThere: cvs-doc@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: CVS commit messages for the doc and www trees List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 09 Nov 2006 05:01:24 -0000 In message: <200611071700.27822.jhb@freebsd.org> John Baldwin writes: : 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 directly over : > >> > | - anonymous FTP or NFS. All you need is : > >> > | + anonymous FTP or NFS. All you need are : > >> > | >> > | : > >> > | href="&base;/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/install.html">these : > >> > | directions.

: > >> : > >> 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. : : 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) My English Teacher wife says you are absolutely correct. The verb agrees with the number. "all you need" is neigher signular nor plural, but takes on the "number" of the thing to which it refers to. It doesn't matter if it comes first: All you need are the dogs. or second: The dogs are all you need. Warner