# Confused about using the plural

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confused-about-using-the-plural/669763>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 27, 2013, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confused-about-using-the-plural/669763 "2013-09-27T00:04:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confused-about-using-the-plural/669763/21 "2013-09-27T22:55:31Z")

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> [@aNewLeaf](#):
>
> We need a second-person plural. Y’all (or youse guys) just doesn’t do the job.

There was a time when \*thou \*was used for the singular and \*you \*or \*ye \*for the plural.

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**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confused-about-using-the-plural/669763/22 "2013-09-27T23:18:16Z")

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I have more of a problem with the first person plural. Does “we” include or exclude “you”? Most of the time one can infer from context, but sometimes it can be troublingly ambiguous.

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confused-about-using-the-plural/669763/23 "2013-09-28T13:38:59Z")

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> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> Brain and brain. What is brain?
> 
> (Sorry, but someone had to.)
> 
> This is a really tricky one, because ‘brain’ and ‘brains’ can be used in the context of a single individual - (I guess a bit like ‘guts’)
> 
> But even in the case of something more discrete, like legs, neither seems wrong:
> 
> “All of you - please raise your left leg”  
> “All of you - please raise your left legs”
> 
> I don’t think either of those is actually wrong.

The second is wrong because we all have only one left leg.

> [@davidmich](#):
>
> Thanks everyone. Yes I did mean to distinguish between “our brain” and “our brains”.
> 
> It is necessary to pluralize the word here:  
> “Let’s put our heads together”
> 
> but:  
> “Our bodies are not designed to sit in front of computers all day”  
> “Our body is not designed to sit in front of the computer all day”
> 
> Are both sentences acceptable?
> 
> davidmich

The second is clumsy and incorrect. Better to say - Ones body~

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confused-about-using-the-plural/669763/24 "2013-09-28T14:31:06Z")

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> [@bob\_2](#):
>
> The second is wrong because we all have only one left leg.
> 
> The second is clumsy and incorrect. Better to say - Ones body~

Or even “your body.” It depends on the tone you’re going for. “One” is a bit impersonal and, IMHO, a little stiff-sounding. “You/your” is a bit more personal/relaxed.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confused-about-using-the-plural/669763/25 "2013-09-28T15:09:44Z")

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> [@davidmich](#):
>
> but:  
> “Our bodies are not designed to sit in front of computers all day”  
> “Our body is not designed to sit in front of the computer all day”
> 
> Are both sentences acceptable?

Depends on who you are asking. Some folks would say the correct version is:

Our bodies are not evolved to sit in front of computers all day.

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