I have a question that was one of those probably originating back in the days of Henry Clay, who more or less set up the American "language". This one is primarily for British English speakers (Aussies, New Zealanders, and Canadians, etc., can speak up if they know the answer). Why are collective nouns singular (usually) in American English and plural in British English? It just seems to make more sense to me if a noun one can pluralize - even if it IS collective - is considered to be singular. Example: Ditchfield said, "the government ARE", rather than "the government IS". Why, when the word "government" is singular and has a perfectly valid plural (governments). How 'bout it? Anybody know? <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Tahirih