[originally published November 13, 2024]
Not so very long ago this morning I was reading a fine Crime & Mystery column by my fine friend Sarah Weinman and was particularly amused/pleased to encounter the following:
Christianna Brand is one of those British crime writers who remain terminally underrated.
Ah, I thought,1 a lovely illustration of one of my favorite picayune, arcane, brawl-inspiring points of grammar.
Yes! Yes!, I went on to exclaim in a Fats Waller–type2 manner. It’s “remain,” not “remains.”
Quoting my beloved Words into Type:
The verb in a relative clause agrees with the antecedent of the relative pronoun, which is the nearest noun or pronoun and is often the object of a preposition, as in the phrase one of those who [or] one of the things that.
The nearest noun or pronoun.
Emphasis mine.
This rule goes frequently unobserved—you might even say that it’s one of those rules that go frequently unobserved—and pointing out its existence frequently infuriates people. One is almost moved to ask whether a rule so apparently difficult to grasp, much less to accept, might be set aside, if only to keep the peace.
And I pause, and I contemplate, and I consider, and I aver:
Nah.
I add—and here I quote myself, as I am sometimes wont to do:
It’s worth noting that when the typically impeccable Cole Porter wrote “one of those bells that now and then rings / just one of those things,” he made a swell rhyme but committed bad grammar.
It’s worth noting as well that on at least one recording of “Just One of Those Things,” the ferociously impeccable Lena Horne does sing “one of those bells that now and then ring” rather than “rings,” correcting the grammar but wrecking the rhyme.
OK, that’s that for today.
Have a good one.
Benjamin
Taking Care of Business
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P.S. Please don’t be shy about asking reasonably relevant questions in the comments, which I do read thoroughly. If I can answer them immediately and succinctly, I will. Or perhaps they’ll be the inspiration for a later ’stack.
P.P.S. If you’re a relatively recent arrival (or even if not, I guess), do note that there are scores of previous entries in this series, and they’re, IISSM, chockful of good advice. I hope you’ll take a stroll through them.
Or as some people like to say (and shouldn’t, unless telepathy is on the table): I thought to myself.
En dash alert!
And Sallie’s!
I pray the the grammar gods that I have not been caught doing this. I suppose it remain to be seen.
She was also right about Christianna Brand.