Who -- our changing perspectives on age is amazing. To wit, a true story:
Back in the late 1990s, my 97-year-old grandmother and I attended the funeral of her sister-in-law, my great-aunt. They had been friends for over 90 years. I knew that my great-aunt's death at age 94 would affect my grandmother deeply.
Seeing as how they'd been born and raised in rural Missouri, the funeral was of course open-casket.
My grandmother leaned over the casket, and sadly said: so young. . . .
But query whether *is* is not actually permissible here -- my admittedly battered ear tells me that it should be. I will be back with a more definitive & ... considered ... answer ... well, to be honest, I always have loved the Broncos, so go ahead & shoot me, it won't ruin my day ... manana
Well, drat. I was hoping that some rule somewhere regarding collective nouns might save me, but, well, no. It appears they only help with institutions and " animate nouns" (alive, such as for example, mules: (“the pack of mules is about to stomp me”). But although grammar won’t allow me to treat our changing perspectives as a collective group to which we can all point & recognize with a singular verb, we could cut to the chase and just say “our changing perspective” (singular) to get that feeling directly while making my ear almost as happy as does the too-seldom heard Who Am Us Anyway, to wit: “Our [shared but always] changing perspective on age is amazing.
Happy Birthday to the inspiration for so much great writing on film.
ReplyDeleteThough I keep hearing Christopher Guest in my head yelling "Not to 50!"
Oh to be 70 again!
ReplyDeleteK-T-B-t-D, you continue to rawk.
ReplyDeleteYou can quote me.
Who -- our changing perspectives on age is amazing. To wit, a true story:
ReplyDeleteBack in the late 1990s, my 97-year-old grandmother and I attended the funeral of her sister-in-law, my great-aunt. They had been friends for over 90 years. I knew that my great-aunt's death at age 94 would affect my grandmother deeply.
Seeing as how they'd been born and raised in rural Missouri, the funeral was of course open-casket.
My grandmother leaned over the casket, and sadly said: so young. . . .
And my grandmother didn't do irony.
Happy, happy, Birthday. 50 is the new 25. Just go with it.
ReplyDelete... our changing perspectives are. . .
ReplyDeletejeez
But query whether *is* is not actually permissible here -- my admittedly battered ear tells me that it should be. I will be back with a more definitive & ... considered ... answer ... well, to be honest, I always have loved the Broncos, so go ahead & shoot me, it won't ruin my day ... manana
ReplyDeleteWell, drat. I was hoping that some rule somewhere regarding collective nouns might save me, but, well, no. It appears they only help with institutions and " animate nouns" (alive, such as for example, mules: (“the pack of mules is about to stomp me”). But although grammar won’t allow me to treat our changing perspectives as a collective group to which we can all point & recognize with a singular verb, we could cut to the chase and just say “our changing perspective” (singular) to get that feeling directly while making my ear almost as happy as does the too-seldom heard Who Am Us Anyway, to wit: “Our [shared but always] changing perspective on age is amazing.
ReplyDeleteWho, I may be the only person out here who cares about this, but I care deeply.
ReplyDeleteSome of the smallest things in life can be such great fun, can't they. . . ?