Why, while, property

SAMPLE 1: “Why they were still struggling to come to terms with the onslaught and to resolve the crisis amicably, members of the Oriyanrin community said they became more worried when their tormentors took the matter to the media to allegedly mislead the public… In a letter jointly signed by the Baale of Oriyanrin, Chief Kayode Odunaya; Head of Ogoluga family, Musibau Salami; Head of Ejiko family, Jamiu Buhari; Head of Lasusi family, Liadi Ismail Babatunde and Head Egunjemi family, Isideen Wahab Egunjemi to the Public Complaints Commission, Lagos revealed that the loss of lives and destruction of properties happened on 21st and 22nd of May, 2017…He, however, called for a review of the Director of Public Prosecution’s (DPP) legal advice in order to ensure the protection of lives and property in the community.”(How Neighbouring Communities Killed our People, Burnt Houses, the Sunday Sun, 26 November, 2017)

I draw readers’ attention to the word why opening the excerpt: “why they were still struggling…” Is this the appropriate word for that context? This word is normally and appropriately used to ask a direct or indirect question. But is the structure under consideration a question? The answer is no. This means the reporter must have selected the word in error, an error arising from mistaken identity. I am certain that the reporter has mistaken why for while based on a slight resemblance in spelling and pronunciation.

As we have noted, why is a wh-word used in the formation of a direct or indirect question. Please read the following sentences: 1) Why would a responsive and responsible government take such a decision? 2) Why did he divorce such a beautiful and dynamic young woman? 3) Why do we keep repeating the same mistake? 4) Why did the two parties allow the disagreement to degenerate to this level? 5) Why should a man want to play the role of a woman and vice versa? 6) We are still wondering why the man committed suicide. 7) I don’t know why our boss wants me to join the team. 8) Nobody knows why this task is more difficult than the others. 9) We should be able to explain why the black race is making progress so slowly. 10) Psychologists should be able to explain why children of the same parents behave differently.

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Sentences (1)-(5) above are examples of direct questions; sentences (6)-(10) are examples of indirect questions. Please note that in the latter case, there is no question mark at the end of each sentence. This is an important characteristic of an indirect question.

The word while, on the other hand, is used to initiate a clause, a subordinate adverbial clause. Please read the following sentences: 1)You will be washing the dishes while I’m preparing the food. 2) Some students were outside exchanging pleasantries while the class was going on. 3) Men would relax, watching the television or playing a game while their wives are running all over the house trying to make the family happy. 4) While I would not support an increase in taxes, I would also not support an outrageous increase in salaries. 5) Civil servants are almost starving while politicians are stealing from the commonwealth. 6) While blaming politicians for ruining the economy, we must blame ourselves for voting for wrong people. 7) While prayers are important, hard work should be given a priority. 8) Please re-arrange the office while I attend to the visitors. 9) While I agree that science is important, I would not agree that the humanities should be deemphasized. 10) The president was busy attending a party while the protest was going on.

At any rate, the conjunction/adjunct while should replace the word why in the context under review.

Next, we note the use of the noun property in two contexts in the excerpt: “the loss of lives and destruction of properties” and “the protection of lives and property in the community.” In the one context, the word is used in the singular; in the other, it is used in the plural. The reporter seems not to be sure of the way the word should be used.

There are two basic ways of regarding the word.

Whenever we use the word property to refer personal effects or movable items such as shoes, clothes, furniture, television sets, fridges, generators, and even motor cars, we should use it in its singular form. No matter the volume or quantity of such items, the word property should remain in its singular form and the choice of verb should be singular. Please read the following sentences: 1) The landlord has seized the tenant’s property kept in two rooms, saying he won’t release it until and unless he pays all his debt. 2) No matter how long you stay in the UK, your property will remain in this room and it will be intact.  3) Before I woke up, he had gathered all his property and travelled back to our home town. 4) Since he owns little property, he doesn’t need more than one room. 5) Fire destroyed the entire house including his sister’s property kept in one of the rooms. 6) His property consists of a few items all of which are kept in one huge bag. 7) After working for two years, his property is so much that he needs to rent a second room. 8) Thieves broke into the room and made away with almost all his property. 9) He has found a new house and his children are helping to carry her property to the new place. 10) Two trucks carried his property to his newly built house. 11) In those days, slaves were considered part of the personal property of rich men. 12) Shoes and shirts are the most prominent elements of my property.

The word property has been used in its singular form in each of those sentences because it is about personal effects, household items, movable belongings. However, when the word is employed in reference to land and houses, it can be used in the singular sense if the reference is to a singular item or in the plural if the reference is to two or more items. Indeed, whenever the word property is used in the plural by knowledgeable people, the assumption is that the reference is to land/houses. It should not be used in the plural sense if the reference is to personal effects as discussed and illustrated earlier.

Now read the following sentences: 1) The government has decided to sell all its properties in the choicest parts of the country. 2) Properties are more expensive in Lagos than in any other part of Nigeria. 3) I have three uncles who are into the business of buying and selling of properties. 4) There is an uncompleted property which the owner wants to sell at a moderate price. 5) I have refused to buy that property because it is too close to a stream. 6) The prosecution has alleged that the politically exposed persons have acquired the said properties with the proceeds of corruption. 7) Only teachers are allowed to buy and own properties in the estate. 8) I want to acquire a property in an exclusive area. 9) He rejected the property because it was too close to the police barracks. 10) Being in a marshy and undeveloped area, the property should not be expensive.