[Idiom] In my face is flashing signs

[Mister dick]

Hi!

En la canción de One Republic "counting stars": ¿Por qué se dice: in my face "is" flashing signs, en lugar de "are flashing signs"?

Thanks!

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi!

[STRIKE]En la canción de[/STRIKE] In the One Republic song "Counting Stars", [STRIKE]: ¿[/STRIKE] [STRIKE]Por qué se dice:[/STRIKE] why do they say "in my face is flashing signs", [STRIKE]en lugar de[/STRIKE] instead of "are flashing signs"?

Thanks!

Welcome to the forum. :hi:

The words of songs are often not grammatical. Don't use them to learn good English.

Please post all your questions in English on the forum.

 

[Tdol]

People say a lot of things in songs. They don't always follow strict grammar rules. It isn't uncommon for speakers to used a singular verb when the logic suggests that a plural verb would be the grammatical choice.

 

[jutfrank]

I think he probably sings faces, not face is. The most authoritative source I can find agrees with me.

Whichever it is, it's not a good lyric.

 

[emsr2d2]

I use quite a lot of lyrics websites but I haven't been able to find agreement amongst them on this one. So far, I've found "In my face is flashing signs", "In my faces flashing signs" and "And my face is flashing signs".

 

[jutfrank]

And my face is flashing signs.

I didn't think of that. It might make some sense, to a small extent, but it doesn't particularly sound like it to me, if you listen to the song.

I've now changed my mind and believe that he does in fact say in my face is flashing signs. My dubious reasoning is based partly on the following line Seek it out and you shall find, which gives the sense of searching for signs, i.e. looking at the sky and counting stars.