animateplural

animateplural refers to a grammatical phenomenon where a plural noun is treated as singular for the purpose of verb agreement and pronoun reference, but retains its plural form. This is most commonly observed in informal speech and writing, particularly in American English. The concept is related to notional agreement, where agreement is based on the intended meaning rather than strict grammatical form. For example, in the sentence "The police is on their way," "police" is grammatically plural but is being treated as a singular collective noun for verb agreement ("is"). However, the pronoun "their" refers back to the plural nature of "police."

This usage can sometimes be seen as a deviation from standard English grammar, which would typically require "The police are on their way" or "The police is on its way" if "police" were treated as a singular entity. The acceptability of animateplural constructions can vary depending on context and audience. While it is prevalent in casual conversation, it may be considered incorrect in more formal settings like academic writing or official reports. The term itself highlights the animating aspect, suggesting that the plural noun is perceived as a single, active unit, thus influencing agreement patterns. Understanding animateplural helps in analyzing the nuances of language use and the evolution of grammatical norms.