OT: Euro 2016

[Mike the Brit]

Just switched on the TV at half-time of the Italy-Sweden game to hear two of the studio "experts" (Bob Ley, Taylor Twellman?) refer to Italy as "Spain".

SMH

 

[Clonamery]

Just switched on the TV at half-time of the Italy-Sweden game to hear two of the studio "experts" (Bob Ley, Taylor Twellman?) refer to Italy as "Spain".

SMH

Si!

 

[Mike the Brit]

Italy scores a goal from nothing that deserves to win a boring match.

 

[BritPat]

Sensational goal from Eder. Italy have barely got out of second gear in a very poor game, but then they haven't needed to. Sweden have been awful.

 

[BritPat]

Full time, possible penalty for Sweden right at the end not given.

 

[italian pat patriot]

yes !!!

EDER grandissimo goal after also a Parolo crossbeam

1-0 Italia !!!

FORZA AZZURRI !!!

 

[Mike the Brit]

Full time, possible penalty for Sweden right at the end not given.

No pen. Just a dive. Most imaginative thing the Swedes did, so far as I saw.

 

[resdubwhite]

how poor is that Swedish team.

We should have tore them a new one last Monday.

 

[ivanvamp]

Italy is going to be a pain in the butt to knock out of this tournament. Not sure they will win it all (probably not, in fact), but it'll take a very good effort to beat them.


EDIT: Which reminds me. I just said "Italy *is*..." Why do the Brits say "Italy *are*..."? Italy is a singular noun. Italians is a plural noun. Italy IS. Italians ARE. What possible reason is there, grammatically, to use a singular noun with a plural verb?

 

[Clonamery]

Gotta love the Irish.

Irish fans out of control at Euro 2016 - in the best possible way - CNN.com

A few more examples of the seriousness of the Irish football fan.

 

[Mike the Brit]

EDIT: Which reminds me. I just said "Italy *is*..." Why do the Brits say "Italy *are*..."? Italy is a singular noun. Italians is a plural noun. Italy IS. Italians ARE. What possible reason is there, grammatically, to use a singular noun with a plural verb?

Because it's a group.

It sounds weird to me to say "My family is all Patriots fans". Sure, you can say "The Patriots is a great team." But would you say "The Patriots is great guys"?

So it's natural enough for me to say "Italy [meaning the group who play football for the national side] are going to be hard to beat". Are you attributing agency to the set (which is singular) or to the members of the set (which is not)?

Ah, the off-season ...

 

[BritPat]

Terrific finish by Perisic puts the Croatians 1-0 up against the Cezch Republic. Deservedly so too, they've been hammering on the door.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Because it's a group.

It sounds weird to me to say "My family is all Patriots fans". Sure, you can say "The Patriots is a great team." But would you say "The Patriots is great guys"?

So it's natural enough for me to say "Italy [meaning the group who play football for the national side] are going to be hard to beat". Are you attributing agency to the set (which is singular) or to the members of the set (which is not)?

Ah, the off-season ...

It sounds as wrong to us as it sounds right to you.

On a serious note, it's just the way it is. They do at least have consistency on their side:

New England has the best offense with a GOAT. vs. The Patriots have the best offense with a GOAT.

 

[BritPat]

It's our language, don't forget

 

[BritPat]

Great half for Croatia but only one goal to show for it. The Czechs simply cannot play any worse.

 

[Mike the Brit]

It sounds as wrong to us as it sounds right to you.

Yes. English, God love it, is a mess of a language, and, let's face it, there are more annoying things we could of argued about.

 

[BritPat]

Lovely goal from Rakitic - 2-0 Croatia.

 

[BritPat]

Yes. English, God love it, is a mess of a language, and, let's face it, there are more annoying things we could of argued about.

*have

 

[BritPat]

Croatia have been just as good as any team I've seen so far.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

It's our language, don't forget

Yeah, but we now outnumber you 4 to 1.