Eight IS Enough

I rarely reply to comment in items I write here, as I believe readers deserve their own space, but every rule (and this bit is about rules) has an exception, and today I'm exercising my right of reply.

Last Thursday I wrote about bodyguards as the new Pentagon status symbol. In that post, I noted that in Defense-speak, bodyguards are known as "High Risk Personnel Program Protective Service Program Details (why use one word, "bodyguard," when eight is much better?)".

A Pecksniffian grammarian, who only identified herself by her first name, Carol, commented, "This article has very poor grammar....The word eight is plural and requires a plural verb - ARE."

Carol, I appreciate the grammar lesson, but as you and I well know, English is a constantly evolving and living language. In the case of plural noun "eight" along with the singular verb "is", I would say that the book and TV show, both titled "Eight Is Enough", by sheer usage have moved the grammar rule cited by Carol to the dust bin. (I welcome comments from other grammarians.)

Carol then finished off her post with an ad hominem insult. "Why not try to hire Americans who can read and write English."

Tsk tsk, Carol. As someone who wants to defend the language, surely you can do better than this crude attack.

For the record, a variety of news outlets -- starting with Reuters -- have paid me to stitch words together for the past 40 years, and the only institution of higher learning I ever graduated from was the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.

Marines prize good grammar.