Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by Plyphon_ 2243 days ago
I'm not sure, I'd never 'Saints is winning'. 'Saints are winning' sounds correct, though. Even 'Arsenal is winning' sounds a bit wrong.

Whos winning? Arsenal are (team)

Whos winning? Ronnie O'Sullivan is (singular)

Disclosure: I am English.
1 comments
7777fps 2243 days ago
Exactly, I think grammatically this would be correct:

Arsenal are winning

Arsenal is the best team in the league

It's contradictory (as well as plainly false ;) ), but that's English.

link
DanBC 2243 days ago
Lots of people who speak English as a first language would say "Arsenal are the best team" or "arsenal are the best club".

https://twitter.com/search?q=%22arsenal%20are%20the%20best%2...

link
7777fps 2243 days ago
Well yeah, either is fine.
link
Noos 2242 days ago
No, this is incorrect.

Something that comprises many people is treated as singular unless it's in a plural form.

-Arsenal is a team. -We are Arsenal players.

-There are many arsenals in Britain, but there is only one Arsenal.

If it's unclear you have to add words. You have to make sure the subject is singular. With Arsenal the singular nature of the word doesn't require it.

-There are many patriots in the USA, but there is only one Patriots football team.

In your example, Arsenal is the singular team. "Arsenal players are winning" is grammatically correct but not really used because players are understood to be part of a team.

link