# EN: the majority + singular / plural



## perle34

Hi!
I've got a problem with a translation. The source text says:'Mais la majorité, et notamment ceux qui croyaient détenir des actifs de qualité assez bonne, s'est retrouvée du jour au lendemain propriétaire d'obligations pourries.'

When translating this to English, I don't know wether I have to keep or not the singular form of 'the majority' (as the French author did).

My translation is:"But the majority, especially those who thought they held assets of a pretty good quality, found themselves the owners of junk bonds overnight."

Wouldn't it be weird to say "found itself the owner"??

Thanks!

*Moderator note:* Multiple threads have been merged to create this one.


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## Padraig

Yes (it would be weird).

I don't think there is a firm rule about whether _majority _is a singular or a plural word. You might say of a parliament that _the majority *is*__ in favour of increasing taxes on motor fuel_, and go on to say _but the majority of the people *are* against it_. In the first case, the majority is an identified or identifiable collective, and in the second case the majority is a rough estimate of numbers.

[Edit: I posted this in the vocabulary forum, it it was moved! I'm out of place here, 'cos I ain't no grammarian.]


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## geostan

perle34 said:


> Wouldn't it be weird to say "found itself the owner"??



Definitely.


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## perle34

Ok thanks


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## Prino

Does English allow all time PLURAL when the subject is a group?
 For example: "_The majority_ *are *professionals"

Whereas in French, it is 
"_la majorité_* est* constituée de professionelles"

Give your opinion!


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## lucas-sp

This is a difficult question. "Majority" takes a singular and a plural verb, although usually a plural verb.

Compare: The majority of American citizens do not have passports (plural)
The majority of the coral I collected in Tahiti was identified by natives (singular)

I think the difference has to do with the sense of number implied in the use of the world "majority." If it refers to a multiplicity of countable objects (as it normally does, referring to a number of voting or deciding members of a society), then it takes a plural. But if it instead refers to a singular notion of "the greater part of something," then it takes a singular verb.

But this isn't the case for all nouns that refer to groups: for instance, "everyone at this company works hard" (singular). And also, most obviously, "A group of us is going to the zoo" (singular). I would guess that "majority" is actually in a minority of group nouns that can take the plural.


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## rbenham

The best thing to do in the case of number questions is to avoid them. You can always say:


> Most of the shareholders, including those who had thought..., found themselves....


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## Mirlificochet

Hi, 
Do you say the majority prefers or prefer ?
To me it sounds we can have both...


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## Mtrain17

_Prefers _me semble correct.


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## Dr. Baha'i

My sense is that "prefer" would be preferred in Britain, while Americans tend to prefer "prefers." You have a choice, as you say.


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## Grumumble

[…]
I would tend to use "prefers" but would not squibble over "prefer"


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## ellen2020

I would say "prefer" simply because 'majority' could be represented by the word 'they'. One would say 'they prefer' so I wouldn't add an 's' in this case, although this is just my humble opinion


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## Mirlificochet

Ok...My dilemma : it's to be read by Americans but I also think "majority" is a "they"... I'll have to choose ... Anyway,  thanks to all of you!


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## Sismrnoth

I looked it up. It can be either, depending on whether collectivity or individuality is the stronger notion in that case. I still prefer prefers though.


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## Keith Bradford

Let's put it this way:

If it's a vote on a committee and there is only one decision (e.g. to accept a report or not) then the majority acts as a single unit, and English speakers being practical see that as a singular.
If it's an opinion poll and the majority are a number of individuals stating personal preferences (e.g. to buy milk or black chocolate) then that's seen as a plurality and the verb is plural.


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