Date:  Tue, 7 Nov 1995 07:52:11 -0500

From:  "Dennis R. Preston" <preston[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]PILOT.MSU.EDU>

Subject: Re: "One of the x that has/have"?



Bracket this:



'This is the only one of the fictions which has/*have caused us any trouble

at all' (as opposed to '...one of those dictions which have...). It seems

clear to me that 'semantic' facts can indeed 'disrupt' the over-simple

prescriptivist rule.

The 'only' addition demands singular agreeemnt

Dennis Preston



>BETHANY DUMAS wrote:

>>In a squib on Colin Powell (p. 35), this sentence occurs:

>>

>>"One of the fictions that have grown out of the constant interviewing

>>of Reed and other arbiters of right-wing political correctness is

>>that Amerians vote for a Presidential candidate mainly because of where

>>he stands on certain clearly defined isues."

>>

>>It seems to me that the semantic sense of the sentence calls for a

>>"One of the fictions that has" construction. If a student handed me that

>>sentence, I am certain I would mark it and have a little talk with her about

>>her soul.

>>

>>How about it? Is the NYorker slipping? Or am I?

>>

>

>New Yorker is slipping.

>

>On this subject, a lawyer friend has suggested that since the U.S.

>Constitution bars

>titled persons from holding political office, that Colin Powell is ineligible

>for having been knighted by Queen Elizabeth.

>

>---

>

>Y'all again:

>

>I was walking with another man a few days ago when an older, black man asked:

>"Would one of y'alls help me with this?"

>

>Seth Sklarey

>Wittgenstein School of the Unwritten Word

>Coconut Grove, FL