wedding invitation

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Anonymous

#264737 Sat, 09 Sep 06 09:52 PM

I am preparing a wedding invitation and want the wording, punctuation, grammar, etc. to be correct. Can you tell me the proper English for this:

"as they enter into their new LIVES together"

"as they enter into their new LIFE together"

I know the answer but want sufficient evidence to convince my niece that "LIVES" would be correct. Thanks

Anonymous

Grammar, Weddings, Punctuation, Invitations

MrPedantic

#264778 Sun, 10 Sep 06 12:12 AM

Hello Anon

The usual form is "in their new life together"; the singular noun emphasises the couple's unity.

("Lives" might suggest a somewhat more open relationship.)

All the best,

MrP

MrPedantic

Joined on Wed, Oct 13 2004

Veteran Member (12,144)

...opella forensis / adducit febris...

Weddings, Nouns, Singular nouns

Cool Breeze

#264876 Sun, 10 Sep 06 10:00 AM

MrPedantic wrote:
Hello Anon

The usual form is "in their new life together"; the singular noun emphasises the couple's unity.

("Lives" might suggest a somewhat more open relationship.)

All the best,

MrP

Hi MrP

You are right (as usual). Compare the following sentences:

The sailors lost their lives in the accident.
The life of sailors is hard.

Cheers
CB

Cool Breeze

Joined on Fri, Apr 7 2006

Helsinki, Finland

Senior Member (2,963)

The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.- Mark Twain

Weddings, Nouns, Singular nouns