( is ) or ( are ) Chinese ?

[whl626]

More than one fifth of the world population is or are Chinese ?

[Red5]

Aaaah, this old bugbear!

[Casiopea]

More than one fifth of the world population is or are Chinese ?

In English, a verb argrees in number with its subject. Consider,

Chinese speakers make up one fifth of the world's population.
Subject = Chinese speakers (they, plural)
Verb = make up (plural)

One fifth of the world's population is made up of Chinese speakers.
Subject = One fifth of the population (it, singular)
Verb = is (singular)

Now,

One fifth of the population (singular) is (singular) Chinese.

:D

[whl626]

Even though I know so well about the agreement. But to Oriental people, they dare not use ( is ) :(. It doesn't sound right to them :P.

This makes me wonder if there is exception.

But to double confirm is a good thing to clear up the mess once and for all :)

Thanks Cas

[Tdol]

In British English, we don't really care much about the distinction between singular and plural in such cases and will happily use both 'is' and 'are'. I would say that the majority would go for the plural. Many AE speakers find this strange, but we say 'the team is\are' without any concern.

[whl626]

Huh, tdol

This is what I want to hear :) Well, I would stick to the root of the grammar but give some leeway for the exception :)

[Tdol]

To us it's a matter of interprtation. If you say 'the company is', then you view it as an identity. If you use the plural, you see it as a collection of individuals. We feel either view is OK.

[RonBee]

I agree with Cas that it should be One fifth of the world's population is Chinese. The subject is one fifth, which is singular.

:D

[CitySpeak]

And if the subject is "two fifths"?

[RonBee]

And if the subject is "two fifths"?

Then it is two fifths are.

:D