Can anyone settle an argument regarding American grammar?

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Anonymous  #217643  Wed, 19 Apr 06 04:05 PM

Hi all. I hope someone can help settle an argument for me please.

I'm an Australian currently working for a Dutch company in the Netherlands. We are marketing a software product internationally and whenever we have a stand at a conference or trade fair, we have a large sign with the message:

"Are you sure that the financial results you present your shareholders are correct?"

Now I think that it's embarassing to the company if we have signs which are grammatically incorrect, and I've had a long debate with the person responsible. He tells me that he's 100% sure that it is correct American English and that as an Aussie I'm not in a position to question him.

So are there any American English speakers out there how can tell me whether it's grammatically correct or not?

Many thanks in advance,

Neil  

  
nona the brit  #217657  Wed, 19 Apr 06 05:56 PM

OK I'm a Brit but I agree with you. It should be either

...the financial results you present to your shareholders....

or

...the financial results you present your shareholders with...

Is it really different in American English?

  
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Grammar Geek  #217659  Wed, 19 Apr 06 05:59 PM

At first I was looking at this like it's a trick question, wonderingi what part you think incorrect... but then I found it.

I personally think that that "to your shareholders" is more natural. What's there is not horrible, but it's not what I'd write. Is that what you meant?

(By the way, I think ANYONE is in a position to question. That's why we have editors and proofreaders.)

Added:

On further pondering, "give" or "show" areb both okay without the to, but "present" needs the to.

  
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milky  #217680  Wed, 19 Apr 06 06:56 PM
 Anonymous wrote:

Hi all. I hope someone can help settle an argument for me please.

I'm an Australian currently working for a Dutch company in the Netherlands. We are marketing a software product internationally and whenever we have a stand at a conference or trade fair, we have a large sign with the message:

"Are you sure that the financial results you present your shareholders are correct?"

Now I think that it's embarassing to the company if we have signs which are grammatically incorrect, and I've had a long debate with the person responsible. He tells me that he's 100% sure that it is correct American English and that as an Aussie I'm not in a position to question him.

So are there any American English speakers out there how can tell me whether it's grammatically correct or not?

Many thanks in advance,

Neil  

It's correct in AE.

  
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Anonymous  #217682  Wed, 19 Apr 06 07:03 PM

Thanks Nona and GG, and thanks for not pointing out the error in my post ('how' instead of 'who'). It's kind of intimidating posting on a forum like this - I feel like every word is under a microscope.

Anyway, Nona said exactly what I said to the guy concerned. As far as I know you can either present something to someone or present someone with something. So either 'to' or 'with' must appear in the sentence. The only exception I'm aware of is when the 'to someone' is implied. e.g. 'I went to the board meeting and presented the results (to the board).' or Í would like to present the results (to you).'

Thanks again for the responses and I'd appreciate any other opinions, especially from...I was going to say native Americans but that doesn't sound quite right. Let's say American-born people. 

  
Wwwdotcom  #217731  Wed, 19 Apr 06 08:27 PM
I found an interesting site which touches on this issue.  I am still looking it over, but here it is:

http://www.orlapubs.com/AL/L83B.html

The section starts with, "Help, even when negated or interrogated,..."








  
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MrPedantic  #217833  Thu, 20 Apr 06 01:41 AM

I suppose much depends on whether the visitors to the trade fair are more likely to speak BrE or AmE.

But since most BrE-speakers will think it incorrect as it stands, and since most AmE-speakers will accept "present to", it seems safer to change it to the latter.

MrP

  
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Anonymous  #218190  Fri, 21 Apr 06 12:23 AM

Thanks again guys. I'm surprised to find that it is correct AE, in which case I guess you can say, "I presented the shareholders the results" and omit 'with' completely. Anyway I won't bother pursuing it. About 20-30% of our presentations are in the US, and for others I guess it's a fairly trivial mistake.

Wwwdotcom, I checked that link but it seems to be discussing cases where 'to' precedes the verb rather than my case where it follows ('present to').

Cheers, Neil

  
Thethenothere123  #218294  Fri, 21 Apr 06 07:37 AM
At most, it sounds acceptable to me; however, "to your" sounds better.
  
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