Why do Americans say 'a savings' (eg 'That's a savings of $24')? Singular article, plural noun. Anyone know where this came from?
Yeah, it came from the dumbing down of American English.
And it will continue to count as dumb until it has become universal, from which point on only intelligent people will be capable of learning that it is correct. The dumb bunnies will then begin to say "those are a saving of $24" (after all, it's two or more dollars ain't they?). And after a time that will have become universal and therefore correct, and will thereby have moved beyond the intellectual reach of its dumb originators, and intelligence will once again be required to learn that it is indeed correct, and the dumbbells will begin to say, with a completely straight face, the grammatically abominable "that's a saving of $24".
Language rules are observation, not arbitration. The language got there before the rules were formulated.
"A savings," you make a good point. Maybe think of "savings" as a category and some transaction falls under that category.
What really bugs me is plural subjects with singular verbs. I hear it all the time, constantly. "There is clouds in the sky," for example.
"Savings" is a singular noun. There is no such thing as a "saving".
eli_damon said:
"Savings" is a singular noun. There is no such thing as a "saving".
His saving money was a benefit to his family.