[Vocabulary] Can Athens have a plural meaning?

[cubezero3]

The European ministers plan to revisit the aid to Greece on July 3 following the Greek Parliament's vote of confidence in the reshuffled government led by Prime Minister George Papandreou. The ministers also insist that Athens make a firm commitment to raise cash by selling assets and cutting spending.

Hello, everyone.

Should the writer have written makes instead the original form of the word here?

I am a bit confused.

Many Thanks

Richard

 

[Barb_D]

Hi Richard.

Make in this case is not plural, but rather subjunctive.

 

[cubezero3]

That was really quick, Barb_D.

I thought of it but was not sure.

Thanks

 

[TheParser]

Hello, everyone.

Should the writer have written makes instead the original form of the word here?

I am a bit confused.

Many Thanks

Richard

NOT A TEACHER


I believe that in some varieties of English, one could also say: should make.

 

[cubezero3]

TheParser, Thanks very much.

Is such form so formal that I'd better avoid it in casual conversations?

 

[Timoteo]

I think it has a plural meaning by itself; for example when we say:« men of Athens», it is always plural.

 

[Johnson_F]

I think it has a plural meaning by itself; for example when we say:« men of Athens», it is always plural.

When we say 'men of Athens', men is plural, but Athens is singular.

 

[TheParser]

TheParser, Thanks very much.

Is such form so formal that I'd better avoid it in casual conversations?

NOT A TEACHER


(1) I believe that we Americans love the subjunctive (even those Americans

who don't realize they are speaking the subjunctive. I recently read that

a study showed that most American children still say "If I were ....) :

(a) I insist that your son do his homework every day.

(2) I have read that our British friends have three choices:

I insist that your son do his homework. (Maybe American influence is

responsible for this.)

I insist that your son should do his homework.

I insist that your son does his homework. (This one, I think, would drive

American teachers crazy.)

 

[5jj]

I insist that your son does his homework. (This one, I think, would drive American teachers crazy.)

They need driving?