SAMPLE 1: “He urged clergies to borrow a leaf from Jesus Christ who chased thieves and money changers that attempted to turn His father’s house into a den of robbers.”(Purge Yourselves of Thieves, Corrupt Persons, Obasanjo Tells Churches, The Nation, Sunday, April 9, 2017)
The word that interests us is clergies which occurs in the following context: “he urged clergies to borrow a leaf from Jesus Christ.” Both the plural form and its usage are unconventional. The word is not normally pluralized with the final –ies as we have it in this report.
The form clergy is invariably maintained but in addition modified by the definite article (the): the clergy. This expression is usually construed in the plural. It refers to the leadership of religious organisations. It is often used in contrast with the laity, meaning the religious following or members of a congregation. However when we need singular and plural forms, we opt for: clergyman/clergy woman and clergymen/clergywomen.
Now read the following sentences: 1) The problem of corruption has to be tackled by both the clergy and the laity. 2) The clergy are reluctant to admit women into their fold. 3) You can only join the clergy by divine calling and training. 4) The strength and quality of the laity are determined by the strength and quality of the clergy. 5) The laity should be guided by the clergy in matters of scriptural interpretation. 6) In terms of godliness and holiness, there should be no difference between the clergy and the laity. 7) It is the attitude and conduct of the clergy that will determine whether they will be respected by the laity. 8) Membership of the clergy seems to be reducing gradually. 9) The clergy command respect all over the world. 10) Was there any time in religious history when there was no difference between the clergy and the laity? 11) My grandfather was a highly respected clergyman. 12) The idea of clergywomen is a recent phenomenon in Christendom. 13) A clergyman or a clergywoman is an ordinary human being with a special spiritual experience and duty. 14) It is advisable for a woman to become a clergywoman only after she has stopped bearing children. 15) Must a prospective clergyman or clergywoman take a vow of celibacy?
In the light of this discussion, the word clergies should be changed to the expression the clergy in the context under review.
Sample 2: “While the MDA’s electricity debts owed the power distribution companies from 2015 to date was put at N100bn, they were said to incur a total debt of N30bn for 2013 and 2014.”(FG, Discos Disagree Over MDA’s Electricity Debt Payment, The Sunday Punch, February 26, 2017)
I draw readers’ attention to the singular verb-form (was) which occurs in the following context: “electricity debts owed…from 2015 to date was put at N30bn.” As we have noted, that verb, was, is singular. The important question is: What is the relevant noun/noun phrase that guided the reporter in his choice of this singular form? We can’t find any such noun whose influence on the verb-slot is supported by logic and sound grammar.
The only noun that is logically and grammatically related to the verb-slot is in the plural form. That noun is debts. That being the case, I urge the reporters and readers to change the verb to its plural form: were. We should be guided by logic and grammatical principles in construction of sentences.
Sample 3: “Mr and Mrs Tolani Oladipupo, parents of the slain aircrafts woman in the Nigerian Air Force, Solape Oladipupo, who was killed by her colleague and lover, Bernard Kalu on March 12 has revealed how the family made frantic effort to prevent the cruel fate that befell their late daughter after they received a prophecy which warned the deceased against engaging in any romantic relationship in her place of work… The deceased’s mother collapsed and fainted as the remains of her daughter was being lowered. Speaking in an emotion-laden voice shortly after Solape’s remains were interred, the deceased’s father, Mr. Tolani Oladipupo, who described her death as a huge loss said getting justice for the deceased would be a major source of succour for the family. (Why Murdered Air Force Woman Dumped Lover, Mum Reveals, the Sunday Sun, March 26, 2017)
Readers are to note the choice of the singular verb-form (was) and then of the plural form (were) in the following contexts: “the remains of her daughter was being lowered”; “after Solape’s remains were lowered.” What is the noun in the first context that induced the reporter’s choice of the singular verb-form? The singular noun, daughter, immediately to the left of the verb-slot? Nothing in the logic and grammar of the sentence supports that view. No doubt, the relevant noun is the word remains. It should be noted that the noun remains is usually treated as a plural item in the grammar. Interestingly, that word is appropriately treated as a plural noun in the second context as attested by the reporter’s choice of the plural verb-form, were.
I suspect the problem arises because although the words body, corpse, cadaver, and remains refer to the same phenomenon, it is only the word remains that is treated as a plural noun. That naturally creates confusion and lack of grammatical surefootedness on the part of an inexperienced writer.
Now read the following sentences: 1) The remains of the deceased are likely to be interred on the last day of the month. 2) The remains of the man who died in controversial circumstances are not likely to be buried until thorough autopsy has been carried. 3) The remains of the woman who died during childbirth are still in the morgue. 4) The remains of the politician allegedly poisoned by a political associate are still with the police. 5) The remains of the bomb blast victims are difficult to identify. 6) The remains of a deceased person are not to be kept in a private residence beyond a few hours. 7) The police are still investigating why the remains of the late businessman were kept by his wife for almost one month. 8) As a result of fresh controversies, the remains of the village head were disinterred by the police. 9) The corpse was in the morgue for almost six months before the police granted the permission for its burial. 10) The corpse was buried immediately in accordance with Islamic principles. 11) The body was already decomposing before the family members found it in a nearby uncompleted building. 12) The cadaver was donated to the teaching hospital by the family.
The point is this: The word remains should always be treated as a plural noun.
The discussion of this excerpt continues next week by God’s grace.
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