October 2, 2006: All is Well, No News
Ok, poll: is the word “news” officially plural? So for example which of the following is hypercorrect (which is to say, not just correct in casual speech, but in its formal definition?)
a) Are there any news?
b) Is there any news?
It seems to me that this question came up very much by the way (as it would) in discussion some time ago and was quickly put to rest, and I could easily look up the answer on this here Internet thingie, but why do that when I could ask y’all?
In any case, neither is there nor are there any news, lab results-wise, that is. Nor any news about when we can expect such results.
However, all is well in terms of surgery recovery. In the course of a neighborhood walk, we stopped at the Stacey abode and spoke with all and sundry for several minutes before I even remembered about the surgery. This is embarassing to relate, as it reveals a certain level of sociopathy on my part, but I relate it because it also shows how completely normal Stacey looked and seemed. At a check in with TFDC at the end of last week, TFDC removed the drains (eew) and pronounced her satisfaction with the healing of the incision. With a bra and shirt on, looking at Stacey, you really would never know at all. Thinking back, she might have looked a little washed out, but other than that she seemed quite well indeed.
So… how’s everything with you? The kids? Weather good? Honestly, knock wood, nothing much doing here. Which, believe me, is perfectly all right with your humble authorette.
The Stacey Report 
Singluar – or option “b”. I’ve not heard it used in the plural form. This is not the same for the word “data”, which is plural although most of us treat it as singular. Perhaps this is why some have started to question the word news, but that’s just my hypothesis.
How great to be concerned about such ordinary things!
Or, you could avoid the whole singular/plural thing by using the Newtonian construction (Robert, not Isaac) – Aarrr, be there any news?
Ladies and Gentlemen, our parents.
The wonderful combination of the highly specific and the blithely obscure explains a really lot about why we are the way we are.
By the way, Robert Newton is “the colorful British actor who literally put the ‘Arr’ in pirate…” bio here (it’s totally worth it) http://www.mooncove.com/newton/index.htm.