[Grammar] Use of the plural "arms" (weaponry) when referring to a singular object.

[GuessWhoPokes]

Hey,

I was reading a satirical article and stumbled upon the following sentence.

• There is absolutely no way in hell you can argue that a Death Note is not, as covered by the Second Amendment, an “arms.”

Reading this the use of the plural "arms" confused me.
Arms being a somewhat confusing word to me both in definition and in use I was wondering if this sentence is correct.
Is it wrong for me to leave out a lot of the sentence and read it as "A Death Note is an "arms"."?

Please refrain from addressing the political or satirical nature of this sentence. Thank you.

 

[Tdol]

Re: Use of the plural "arms" (weaponry) when referring to a singular object.

And there was nothing after the word arms?

 

[5jj]

Re: Use of the plural "arms" (weaponry) when referring to a singular object.

For those who don't know what Death Notes are:


Death Notes, mysterious notebooks which grant its user the supernatural ability to kill anyone whose name is written in their pages, are a staple of American society. And yet, it seems like every day, there’s another liberal politician calling for our country to ban Death Notes across the board. This is an outrage and we must stand strong against these ridiculous attacks on our freedom. Because, as we all know, if everyone has a death note, then everyone is safe.

But let’s start with the legal argument for Death Notes. The Second Amendment to the Constitution declares that all U.S. citizens have the right to bear arms. Most people interpret this to mean that we can have the right to carry a gun, but the meaning is actually much deeper; there is absolutely no way in hell you can argue that a Death Note is not, as covered by the Second Amendment, an “arms.” The founding fathers may not have had access to these books, but if they were alive today, I can assure you that they would watch anime. And they would agree with me.


BY OWEN CROWLIE

https://hard-drive.net/opinion-if-everyone-has-a-death-note-everyone-is-safe/

In future, GuessWhoPokes, please give us the title and author of any article/book you cite.

 

[GuessWhoPokes]

Re: Use of the plural "arms" (weaponry) when referring to a singular object.

In future, GuessWhoPokes, please give us the title and author of any article/book you cite.

Hey 5jj thanks for the advice/clarification. I hadn't spent long on reading the rules/guidelines so I wanted to refrain from adding links but will do so in the future.

 

[5jj]

Re: Use of the plural "arms" (weaponry) when referring to a singular object.

there is absolutely no way in hell you can argue that a Death Note is not, as covered by the Second Amendment, an “arms.”

As 'arms' in this sense has only a plural form, you cannot have 'an arm'. The writer has chosen to use the incorrect, but understandable 'an arms' for humorous effect.

It means than s Death note indisputably falls into the category of arms.

 

[5jj]

Re: Use of the plural "arms" (weaponry) when referring to a singular object.

A belated welcome to the forum, GuessWhoPokes. :hi:

 

[probus]

Re: Use of the plural "arms" (weaponry) when referring to a singular object.

I'd like to add that I have managed to live 75 years without ever once hearing of this "Staple of American Society." Owen Crowlie appears to inhabit his own alternative American society. By the way arms in the sense of weapons have been plural since antiquity. Arma virumque cano.

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: Use of the plural "arms" (weaponry) when referring to a singular object.

Hey 5jj thanks for the advice/clarification. I hadn't spent long on reading the rules/guidelines so I wanted to refrain from adding links but will do so in the future.

We actually prefer users not to post links unless absolutely necessary, especially as some people are quite reasonably reluctant to click on external links. As long as you provide the source and author of any quote, you have fulfilled the requirements of the forum rules.

 

[Rover_KE]

Re: Use of the plural "arms" (weaponry) when referring to a singular object.

If you need a catch-all singular word for gun, hand gun, rifle, assault rifle, pistol, revolver, piece etc, you can use the handy word firearm.

 

[Skrej]

Re: Use of the plural "arms" (weaponry) when referring to a singular object.

Crowlie is writing satire. Substitute 'guns' in place of "Death Notes", and reads as a satirical commentary along the lines of the current gun debate in the US. Note that he uses several of the common 'talking points' "ban guns/Death Notes and only criminals will have guns/Death Notes" and "only a good guy with a gun/Death Note can stop a bad guy with a gun/Death Note".

Satire is also evidenced by the following:

To use the founding fathers and their lack of modern supernatural technology against the use of Death Notes is cynical nonsense that I will not stand for.

This is yet another paraphrasing of one of the common gun debate phrases you hear again and again.

I'm not quite sure if he's writing the piece simply as humorous satire, or if he's trying to subtly mock the pro-gun arguments. At least one of the commenters at the bottom of the page seems to have either taken him seriously, or is likewise putting forth a satirical con-gun argument.

Edit: I'm not sure if that's a pen name or his real name, but either way his last name is a nod to Alistair Crowley, noted English Occultist who was the inspiration for the character of the same name in the tv show Supernatural.

 

[Yankee]

Re: Use of the plural "arms" (weaponry) when referring to a singular object.

I would either delete the indefinite article or replace "an arms" with "weaponry".

 

[SoothingDave]

Re: Use of the plural "arms" (weaponry) when referring to a singular object.

Since they're referring to the use of "arms" in the second amendment, they wouldn't want to use another word.