“Memoirs” in book title - singular or plural verb?
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I'm editing an article about the Battle of Agincourt. The author quotes his source as follows:
The Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
"Memoires" [memoirs] is obviously plural, but the title refers to a single book. So I'm a little confused over the verb agreement.
- Pierre de Fenin's memoirs place...
- The book/source/author places...
- The Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place/places...???
Any input appreciated!
verb-agreement title
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up vote
1
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I'm editing an article about the Battle of Agincourt. The author quotes his source as follows:
The Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
"Memoires" [memoirs] is obviously plural, but the title refers to a single book. So I'm a little confused over the verb agreement.
- Pierre de Fenin's memoirs place...
- The book/source/author places...
- The Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place/places...???
Any input appreciated!
verb-agreement title
asked 4 hours ago
Nams
236
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
I'm editing an article about the Battle of Agincourt. The author quotes his source as follows:
The Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
"Memoires" [memoirs] is obviously plural, but the title refers to a single book. So I'm a little confused over the verb agreement.
- Pierre de Fenin's memoirs place...
- The book/source/author places...
- The Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place/places...???
Any input appreciated!
verb-agreement title
asked 4 hours ago
Nams
236
I'm editing an article about the Battle of Agincourt. The author quotes his source as follows:
The Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
"Memoires" [memoirs] is obviously plural, but the title refers to a single book. So I'm a little confused over the verb agreement.
- Pierre de Fenin's memoirs place...
- The book/source/author places...
- The Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place/places...???
Any input appreciated!
verb-agreement title
verb-agreement title
asked 4 hours ago
Nams
236
asked 4 hours ago
Nams
236
asked 4 hours ago
Nams
236
asked 4 hours ago
Nams
236
asked 4 hours ago
Nams
236
236
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add a comment |
2 Answers
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It's a book title, referring to a single book. The content of the title is irrelevant to the grammar of the sentence. When constructing the sentence, think of the title as simply Title:
Title places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Or:
Memoires de Pierre de Fenin places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Note that it's wrong to start your sentence with only the definite article.
You would not say:
✘ The Moby Dick is a tale about a fisherman and a whale.
But you can start the sentence with the book:
The book Moby Dick is a tale about a fisherman and a whale.
So, if you want to use the book in your sentence:
The book Memoires de Pierre de Fenin places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Of course, if the subject of the sentence weren't the book itself, then the verb could be plural:
The memories recounted in Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
answered 3 hours ago
Jason Bassford
15.2k31941
A good answer indeed.
– A Lambent Eye
3 hours ago
Thank you. This confirms what I'd thought, but I hadn't even thought about the use of the definite article being incorrect, too! Many thanks for the detailed response.
– Nams
3 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
I would personally choose the second suggestion, since the first adjusts the title, which I would view as bad practice.
You could also write
The book "Memoires de Pierre de Fenin" places [...]
to be absolutely sure you're right.
answered 4 hours ago
A Lambent Eye
1368
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A Lambent Eye is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
It's a book title, referring to a single book. The content of the title is irrelevant to the grammar of the sentence. When constructing the sentence, think of the title as simply Title:
Title places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Or:
Memoires de Pierre de Fenin places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Note that it's wrong to start your sentence with only the definite article.
You would not say:
✘ The Moby Dick is a tale about a fisherman and a whale.
But you can start the sentence with the book:
The book Moby Dick is a tale about a fisherman and a whale.
So, if you want to use the book in your sentence:
The book Memoires de Pierre de Fenin places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Of course, if the subject of the sentence weren't the book itself, then the verb could be plural:
The memories recounted in Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
answered 3 hours ago
Jason Bassford
15.2k31941
A good answer indeed.
– A Lambent Eye
3 hours ago
Thank you. This confirms what I'd thought, but I hadn't even thought about the use of the definite article being incorrect, too! Many thanks for the detailed response.
– Nams
3 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
It's a book title, referring to a single book. The content of the title is irrelevant to the grammar of the sentence. When constructing the sentence, think of the title as simply Title:
Title places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Or:
Memoires de Pierre de Fenin places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Note that it's wrong to start your sentence with only the definite article.
You would not say:
✘ The Moby Dick is a tale about a fisherman and a whale.
But you can start the sentence with the book:
The book Moby Dick is a tale about a fisherman and a whale.
So, if you want to use the book in your sentence:
The book Memoires de Pierre de Fenin places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Of course, if the subject of the sentence weren't the book itself, then the verb could be plural:
The memories recounted in Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
answered 3 hours ago
Jason Bassford
15.2k31941
A good answer indeed.
– A Lambent Eye
3 hours ago
Thank you. This confirms what I'd thought, but I hadn't even thought about the use of the definite article being incorrect, too! Many thanks for the detailed response.
– Nams
3 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
It's a book title, referring to a single book. The content of the title is irrelevant to the grammar of the sentence. When constructing the sentence, think of the title as simply Title:
Title places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Or:
Memoires de Pierre de Fenin places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Note that it's wrong to start your sentence with only the definite article.
You would not say:
✘ The Moby Dick is a tale about a fisherman and a whale.
But you can start the sentence with the book:
The book Moby Dick is a tale about a fisherman and a whale.
So, if you want to use the book in your sentence:
The book Memoires de Pierre de Fenin places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Of course, if the subject of the sentence weren't the book itself, then the verb could be plural:
The memories recounted in Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
answered 3 hours ago
Jason Bassford
15.2k31941
It's a book title, referring to a single book. The content of the title is irrelevant to the grammar of the sentence. When constructing the sentence, think of the title as simply Title:
Title places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Or:
Memoires de Pierre de Fenin places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Note that it's wrong to start your sentence with only the definite article.
You would not say:
✘ The Moby Dick is a tale about a fisherman and a whale.
But you can start the sentence with the book:
The book Moby Dick is a tale about a fisherman and a whale.
So, if you want to use the book in your sentence:
The book Memoires de Pierre de Fenin places the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
Of course, if the subject of the sentence weren't the book itself, then the verb could be plural:
The memories recounted in Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
answered 3 hours ago
Jason Bassford
15.2k31941
edited 3 hours ago
answered 3 hours ago
Jason Bassford
15.2k31941
answered 3 hours ago
Jason Bassford
15.2k31941
answered 3 hours ago
Jason Bassford
15.2k31941
15.2k31941
A good answer indeed.
– A Lambent Eye
3 hours ago
Thank you. This confirms what I'd thought, but I hadn't even thought about the use of the definite article being incorrect, too! Many thanks for the detailed response.
– Nams
3 hours ago
add a comment |
A good answer indeed.
– A Lambent Eye
3 hours ago
Thank you. This confirms what I'd thought, but I hadn't even thought about the use of the definite article being incorrect, too! Many thanks for the detailed response.
– Nams
3 hours ago
A good answer indeed.
– A Lambent Eye
3 hours ago
A good answer indeed.
– A Lambent Eye
3 hours ago
Thank you. This confirms what I'd thought, but I hadn't even thought about the use of the definite article being incorrect, too! Many thanks for the detailed response.
– Nams
3 hours ago
Thank you. This confirms what I'd thought, but I hadn't even thought about the use of the definite article being incorrect, too! Many thanks for the detailed response.
– Nams
3 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
I would personally choose the second suggestion, since the first adjusts the title, which I would view as bad practice.
You could also write
The book "Memoires de Pierre de Fenin" places [...]
to be absolutely sure you're right.
answered 4 hours ago
A Lambent Eye
1368
New contributor
A Lambent Eye is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
I would personally choose the second suggestion, since the first adjusts the title, which I would view as bad practice.
You could also write
The book "Memoires de Pierre de Fenin" places [...]
to be absolutely sure you're right.
answered 4 hours ago
A Lambent Eye
1368
New contributor
A Lambent Eye is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
I would personally choose the second suggestion, since the first adjusts the title, which I would view as bad practice.
You could also write
The book "Memoires de Pierre de Fenin" places [...]
to be absolutely sure you're right.
answered 4 hours ago
A Lambent Eye
1368
New contributor
A Lambent Eye is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I would personally choose the second suggestion, since the first adjusts the title, which I would view as bad practice.
You could also write
The book "Memoires de Pierre de Fenin" places [...]
to be absolutely sure you're right.
answered 4 hours ago
A Lambent Eye
1368
New contributor
A Lambent Eye is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 4 hours ago
A Lambent Eye
1368
New contributor
A Lambent Eye is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 4 hours ago
A Lambent Eye
1368
answered 4 hours ago
A Lambent Eye
1368
1368
New contributor
A Lambent Eye is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
A Lambent Eye is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
A Lambent Eye is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
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