Are you or your father able to speak Japanese?

sb70012 · Aug 9, 2013

Are you or your father able to speak Japanese? (Self made)

Hello teachers,

I made it by myself but I have some problem with it. In my opinion it's not a good sentence because Are doesn't fit with your father. I mean, or your father is third person singular. Then how Are is used at the beginning of the question?

What do you think of the sentence? Is it Ok?

If it were : Are you and your father able to speak Japanese? On that time I think it works but I have some doubt about the upward sentence.

No Source / Self Made
Many thanks in advance.

charliedeut · Aug 9, 2013

As far as I remember, I have always used "can" for such questions. It is more natural. Added bonus: it eliminates your problem. :-D

tzfujimino · Aug 9, 2013

Hello, sb70012.:-D

Are you or your father able to speak Japanese?
Is your father or you able to speak Japanese?

My point is that the subject closer to the verb determines the number (of the verb).

However, I wonder how I should reply to that question.

Yes, I am.
or
Yes, he is.
or
Yes, we are.
or...

:?:

charliedeut · Aug 9, 2013

tzfujimino said:
However, I wonder how I should reply to that question.

There are four possibilities:

1. I can, my father cannot.
2. I can't, my father can.
3. Both of us can.
4. None of us can.

So there are four possible answers. :up:

tzfujimino · Aug 9, 2013

charliedeut said:
There are four possibilities:

1. I can, my father cannot.
2. I can't, my father can.
3. Both of us can.
4. None of us can.

So there are four possible answers. :up:

The verb is "be", however.
So,
1. I am, but my father isn't.
2. I'm not, but my father is.
3. Both of us are.
4. None of us is/are.:?:

Do you think these four replies are all acceptable?

charliedeut · Aug 9, 2013

What I find unnatural is the use of "be able to" in this case. As I said, I think "can" is a far more natural choice.

PS: Having said that, your answers are correct; I feel inclined to say "None of us are" in your last reply.

MikeNewYork · Aug 9, 2013

charliedeut said:
What I find unnatural is the use of "be able to" in this case. As I said, I think "can" is a far more natural choice.

PS: Having said that, your answers are correct; I feel inclined to say "None of us are" in your last reply.

Because there are only two people involved, "none of us" should be "neither of us".

bhaisahab · Aug 9, 2013

charliedeut said:
What I find unnatural is the use of "be able to" in this case. As I said, I think "can" is a far more natural choice.

PS: Having said that, your answers are correct; I feel inclined to say "None of us are" in your last reply.

Perhaps it's a bit formal but the use of "be able to" is fine, in my opinion,

sb70012 · Aug 9, 2013

charliedeut said:
What I find unnatural is the use of "be able to" in this case.

It is not unnatural. There is a sentence like this in Longman Dictionary:
I've always wanted to be able to speak Japanese.
Source: able - Definition from Longman English Dictionary Online

charliedeut · Aug 9, 2013

sb70012 said:
It is not unnatural. There is a sentence like this in Longman Dictionary:
I've always wanted to be able to speak Japanese.
Source: able - Definition from Longman English Dictionary Online

But note that it's not in the present simple, but present perfect.

@bhai. I stand corrected (I had always used "can" for such situations; now I know better :up

.

SlickVic9000 · Aug 9, 2013

(Not a Teacher)

The sentence in the original post is perfectly fine. 'Are' is used here because there are two subjects. Do note, however, if the subject were just 'you' the verb would still be 'are'. As far as personal pronouns go, you don't use 'is' for 1st or 2nd person, only for 3rd person singular (he, she, and it).

MikeNewYork · Aug 9, 2013

SlickVic9000 said:
(Not a Teacher)

The sentence in the original post is perfectly fine. 'Are' is used here because there are two subjects. Do note, however, if the subject were just 'you' the verb would still be 'are'. As far as personal pronouns go, you don't use 'is' for 1st or 2nd person, only for 3rd person singular (he, she, and it).

That is not quite correct. The appearance of "or" indicates that there are not two subjects, there is one subject or another subject. The reason "are" is the correct verb is that "you" (which takes "are") is closer to the verb than "your father" (which would take "is").

SlickVic9000 · Aug 10, 2013

I suppose that's true. It sounds kind of awkward if you flip the subjects though. "Is your father or you a native Japanese speaker?" I would never put it that way, even though it's correct.

"Either you or your sister is going to the store today." I want to put 'are' there, even though I reckon it's not technically correct.

konungursvia · Aug 10, 2013

charliedeut said:
There are four possibilities:

1. I can, my father cannot.
2. I can't, my father can.
3. Both of us can.
4. None of us can.

So there are four possible answers. :up:

I would include Neither of us can, but I find None of us can to be a little odd with a field of just 2 candidates.

sb70012 · Aug 10, 2013

It seems most natural to me, that with disjunctive or, the verb agrees with the nearest part of the disjunction:

Are (either) Jim's parents or his brother here?
Is (either) Jim's brother or his parents here?
I wonder whether (either) Jim's parents or his brother is here.
I wonder whether (either) Jim's brother or his parents are here.

Are (either) you or your father going to Japan?
Is (either) your father or you going to Japan?
I wonder whether (either) you or your father is going to Japan?
I wonder whether (either) your father or you are going to Japan?

So in my opinion: my these questions are correct:
Are you or your father able to speak Japanese?
Is your father or you able to speak Japanese?

MikeNewYork · Aug 10, 2013

SlickVic9000 said:
I suppose that's true. It sounds kind of awkward if you flip the subjects though. "Is your father or you a native Japanese speaker?" I would never put it that way, even though it's correct.

"Either you or your sister is going to the store today." I want to put 'are' there, even though I reckon it's not technically correct.

And many people do just that.

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