What pronoun to use when referring to USA

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October 24th, 2006, 04:21 PM
Ramil

What pronoun to use when referring to USA

I'm currently using 'it' when referring to USA but I use 'они' (they) in Russian when doing the same. After all, I think it's more correct to use 'they' since they are United States.
I've got confused about that only recently.
So when I say USA do I use 'it' (since I am referring to a single country) or they (because there are many states in USA)?

Also, do I say "USA does smth." or "USA do smth."?
October 24th, 2006, 05:29 PM
Dobry

Re: What pronoun to use when reffering to USA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramil

I'm currently using 'it' when referring to USA but I use 'они' (they) in Russian when doing the same. After all, I think it's more correct to use 'they' since they are United States.
I've got confused about that only recently.
So when I say USA do I use 'it' (since I am referring to a single country) or they (because there are many states in USA)?

Also, do I say "USA does smth." or "USA do smth."?

Use USA in the singular... not plural... don't use они, unless you're talking about the 'people', or referring specifically to a group of States.

In the U.S. we use U.S.A. as singular in sentences. It's not technically correct grammar... but it is traditional and normal.

U.S.A. (or U.S.) = 'It'... The U.S.A. (usually referring to the Federal government, i.e. Bush and the Congress... 'One Nation')

The citizens of the U.S.A. = 'they'
A group of States = 'they'
October 24th, 2006, 06:11 PM
kt_81

@Dobry

Are there actually any differences regarding that between U.S. english and G.B. english?
As far as I remember, when talking about f.e. music bands or companies, one country's language uses singular while the other uses plural. E.g.:
"Microsoft said that they would sell all of their.." vs. "Microsoft said that it would sell all of its..".
Don't know who uses what, though.
October 24th, 2006, 11:47 PM
kalinka_vinnie

The U.S. is one identity. It is a unification of states. "The US will not back down from its Iraq policy" e.g.
"The US declared war on its arch-enemy: North Korea"
October 24th, 2006, 11:50 PM
gRomoZeka

I recall someone in another topic said that in Britain they use "they"+"USA". Is that right?
October 25th, 2006, 12:02 AM
kalinka_vinnie

You could say: "In the U.S., they eat hamburgers", but you refer to the people not the country...
October 25th, 2006, 12:17 AM
RusskiSlav

There is more than one state, but it is one country, so I'd use "it", i.e. "The US said it will...blahblahblah" not "The US said they will...blahblah"

By the way, you spelled referring wrong :)
October 25th, 2006, 12:40 AM
kalinka_vinnie

Quote:

Originally Posted by RusskiSlav

By the way, you spelled referring wrong :)

who did? :?
October 25th, 2006, 01:28 AM
Бармалей

It's now politically incorrect, but you'll also see "she/her" used as well (just like ships). EG:
"The United States must protect her borders. She will do all that she can to defeat the terrorists."
October 25th, 2006, 01:45 AM
DDT

"She" will only become politically incorrect if people stop using it. That's why I make a point to use it! Besides, it sounds nice.
October 25th, 2006, 02:50 AM
Chuvak

Quote:

Originally Posted by RusskiSlav

"The US said it will...blahblahblah" not "The US said they will...blahblah"

(Offtopic)
Why did you write "The US said they will"? I was taught that it must be "The US said they would"
Is it just a typo ?
October 25th, 2006, 06:05 AM
basurero

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuvak

Quote:

Originally Posted by RusskiSlav

"The US said it will...blahblahblah" not "The US said they will...blahblah"

(Offtopic)
Why did you write "The US said they will"? I was taught that it must be "The US said they would"
Is it just a typo ?

You can use both depending on the context.

The USA said it will destroy Iraq. - It is certain, they ARE going to.
The USA said it would destroy Iraq. - They might, could... they would destroy it if... or it could be referring to the past ie "the USA said it would destroy Iraq but they decided not to"

By the way, I think "the USA said they would" is not incorrect. I hear that quite a bit... It's the same when referring to companies etc "Telecom said they would...."
October 25th, 2006, 06:05 AM
Ramil

Quote:

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Quote:

Originally Posted by RusskiSlav

By the way, you spelled referring wrong :)

who did? :?

Me in the topic name
October 25th, 2006, 11:22 PM
awb

just cause someone says "The United States said they would..." doesn't mean it's right. everyone makes this mistake all the time, and not just in English. but proper grammar calls for "The United States said it would..."
October 25th, 2006, 11:49 PM
kalinka_vinnie

Quote:

Originally Posted by awb

just cause someone says "The United States said they would..." doesn't mean it's right. everyone makes this mistake all the time, and not just in English. but proper grammar calls for "The United States said it would..."

Sshhh... don't say that to charlestonian, he'll give you google hit results and claim that if google says it, it must be correct.
October 26th, 2006, 12:05 AM
awb

sure, it's quite fine colloquially. and that's what google is, a compilation of websites written by random people..
October 26th, 2006, 02:11 AM
Бармалей

Quote:

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Quote:

Originally Posted by awb

just cause someone says "The United States said they would..." doesn't mean it's right. everyone makes this mistake all the time, and not just in English. but proper grammar calls for "The United States said it would..."

Sshhh... don't say that to charlestonian, he'll give you google hit results and claim that if google says it, it must be correct.

BUT IT IS TRUE! GOOGLE is ALWAYS right. Like, "Every two child did." That IS a sentence, grammar nazis! Google says so! 500+ people say so! :P :lol:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=& ... tnG=Search
October 26th, 2006, 02:13 AM
awb

Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo.
October 27th, 2006, 05:30 PM
charlestonian

Quote:

Originally Posted by RusskiSlav

There is more than one state, but it is one country, so I'd use "it", i.e. "The US said it will...blahblahblah" not "The US said they will...blahblah"

By the way, you spelled referring wrong :)

I don't see any errors in "referring"....
October 27th, 2006, 05:36 PM
charlestonian

Quote:

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Quote:

Originally Posted by awb

just cause someone says "The United States said they would..." doesn't mean it's right. everyone makes this mistake all the time, and not just in English. but proper grammar calls for "The United States said it would..."

Sshhh... don't say that to charlestonian, he'll give you google hit results and claim that if google says it, it must be correct.

You are in a good mood I see... Do you want me to spoil it for you? :lol:
October 27th, 2006, 07:30 PM
Ramil

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlestonian

Quote:

Originally Posted by RusskiSlav

There is more than one state, but it is one country, so I'd use "it", i.e. "The US said it will...blahblahblah" not "The US said they will...blahblah"

By the way, you spelled referring wrong :)

I don't see any errors in "referring"....

It was reffering :)
I've corrected the title.
October 27th, 2006, 10:19 PM
charlestonian

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramil

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlestonian

Quote:

Originally Posted by RusskiSlav

There is more than one state, but it is one country, so I'd use "it", i.e. "The US said it will...blahblahblah" not "The US said they will...blahblah"

By the way, you spelled referring wrong :)

I don't see any errors in "referring"....

It was reffering :)
I've corrected the title.

Gotcha.
October 28th, 2006, 12:29 AM
kalinka_vinnie

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlestonian

You are in a good mood I see... Do you want me to spoil it for you? :lol:

:wink: :P
October 28th, 2006, 05:35 PM
chaika

Anybody reading this thread? I mean, the correct response has already been given and, it appears, totally ignored, viz. and to wit: BrE uses plurals where AmE uses singulars.
The United States are sending more troops
The United States is sending more troops

The government are/is

Microsoft are/is or even have/has

singular and plural on different sides of the ocean!!
October 28th, 2006, 11:41 PM
Бармалей

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaika

Anybody reading this thread? I mean, the correct response has already been given and, it appears, totally ignored, viz. and to wit: BrE uses plurals where AmE uses singulars.
The United States are sending more troops
The United States is sending more troops

The government are/is

Microsoft are/is or even have/has

singular and plural on different sides of the ocean!!

But you forgot my personal favorite:
"Chaika, are you good at maths?" vs. "Chaika, are you good at math?"
Maths just sounds bizarre, like saying "the media are" -- actually, though, you know what? I always thought it was "standard" (as in 95% of the population of the US) English vs. "highly-educated" English. Both are correct, but one seems to have a high-brow connotation behind it -- I never attributed it to an Atlantic divide. Then again, maybe it just goes back to the general American impression of the British accent (and the vocabulary/ grammar that goes along with it) being a prestige accent...