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Doesn't / Don't

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Latest post Wed, Sep 21 2005 12:27 AM by MrPedantic. 9 replies.
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jack112  +  139635 Tue, 20 Sep 05 09:21 AM

Is only #2 correct here? I did a google search and with 'don't' I have 10 times more results. Why is that?

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=%22why+don%27t+one+of+you+guys%22&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

1. Why don't one of you guys do it?

2. Why doesn't one of you guys do it?

Thanks.
jack112
Joined on Thu, Jul 22 2004
Regular Member 715
Mister Micawber  +  139639 Tue, 20 Sep 05 09:29 AM

Now, this is a really interesting one, Jack.  I am sure that most native speakers say #1, because they are speaking to several people ('you').
Mister Micawber
Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004
Yokohama
Veteran Member 30,842
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'
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jack112, 4 yr 68 days ago
So they both don't have the same meaning? #1 for a group? #2 for a particular person?
Mister Micawber  +  139655 Tue, 20 Sep 05 09:59 AM

No, they mean the same.  What I find interesting is that in use the grammatically correct one doesn't is overriden by the logic of the situation.
Mister Micawber
goldmund  +  139724 Tue, 20 Sep 05 02:20 PM

Dear friends,

It is interesting. There are many examples. Many are illiterate in other ways. It is most strange if we are to regard them as arbiters of language.

I do not know that we need heed them. Smile [:)]

Kind regards, Smile [:)]

Goldmund

 
goldmund
Joined on Fri, Jun 10 2005
Regular Member 581
«Tout homme peut dire véritablement; mais dire ordonnément, prudemment et suffisamment, peu d'hommes le peuvent.» - Michel de Montaigne
pieanne  +  139735 Tue, 20 Sep 05 03:03 PM

Would it be the same with "to be"?

1. Why isn't one of you guys opening the bottles?

2. Why aren't one of you guys opening the bottles?

I don't think 2. would be that frequent...

 
pieanne
Joined on Thu, Jan 20 2005
South of France ...But I'm Belgian!
Veteran Member 7,517
I'm glad to help, but I'm not a native! And please excuse my typos...
Mister Micawber  +  139740 Tue, 20 Sep 05 03:16 PM

Aren't gets twice as many google hits (why isn't/aren't one of you).  Candidly-- I habitually use the second person verb form, I'm afraid.
Mister Micawber
pieanne  +  139741 Tue, 20 Sep 05 03:20 PM

And do they open the bottles?

I guess my English needs a little revamping...  Smile [:)]

 
pieanne
Mister Micawber  +  139914 Wed, 21 Sep 05 12:09 AM

There is a word for it:  notional concord.
Mister Micawber
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