Google, are …like fish?

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   Southernmapartposted 12 years ago

   Rapid changes in our ‘netdom make it difficult to keep pace with the changes. 
   
   In another thread somewhere, we were chatting that some people were writing “Google are …” as though the corporation were plural.  One responder said “That is the way we do it in the UK. “ and there was more chat.
   
   Since, I have run across “Google” in the sense that the word represents a Google corporate employee.  Thus, if we read, “Google are …” perhaps we are to think that Google employees are …, and that there is no separate plural for more than one Google employee.  Unless, of course, someone knows that we have various species of Google and In that case, we would call them "Googles."
   
   If anyone can, please clear up this matter of the current use of the word “Google.”

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      psycheskinnerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There is a US/UK-correlated difference in how to treat a collective known. I can't say it is an issue that keeps me up at night so long as the sentence is comprehensible.

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         Quilligrapherposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I ounce  knew a noun that I thought were a collective known. Just the thought of collective knowns as nouns keeped me up all nite.
         Q.

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      galleryofgraceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Writing "Google are" anything sounds like backwoods hillbilly slang.

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         Southernmapartposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         An understanding of what is meant by “Google” is relevant in recent days because of the flurry of news surrounding Google.  It would be nice to know the intent of what is being written.
         
         How are we to make sense of something that reads as follows (Example Only):
         
         Google have tweeted the Google SEC report which exposed early the loss in earnings of Google.  A huge loss over earnings projected by Google is causing a sharp drop in the company's stock price (GOOG.)   Google are now beset with improving poor earnings while Google’s ad prices are plummeting.  Perhaps the Google are being smart to get helpful suggestions. They could provide Google’s customers and consumers with a “Suggestion Box” for ideas to improve public relations.

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            galleryofgraceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Google "has"  tweeted their SEC report which exposed early "their "loss of earnings.
            Google "is" now beset with...         while "their" ad prices...
            Perhaps Google "is" being smart
            They could provide "their' customers...
            
            A paragraph written as you laid it out tells me the author is very Southern USA.

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            1. 57

               Southernmapartposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               True, the author is very Southern, USA.  Nonetheless, as the author, I apologize for not making my point clear.

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   Hollie Thomasposted 12 years ago

   Difficult one, I'm a Brit and can think of scenarios where I would use Google are and is. Or, perhaps it's just really late at night and I'm knackered.

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