Dear Legal Writer:
A “company” is an “it,” not a “they.”
Do you question what I say?
Here’s a primer plus a question for my friends across the pond:
***
In the U.S., and in U.S. legal English:
1: A “company” is a “collective noun.”
Other collective nouns common in legal writing are:
department
business
group
entity
Congress
organization
2: A collective noun takes a SINGULAR verb.
“The company is.”
“The company are.”
3: A collective noun takes a SINGULAR pronoun.
“The Company is famous for its dark chocolate.” “The Company is famous for their dark chocolate.”
4: The collective-noun designation does not disappear when you are talking about one particular collective noun.
ABC Co. is an “it” that “is.”
It is “its” chocolate that’s dark.
ABC Co. is not a “they” that “are.”
It is NOT “their” chocolate that’s dark.
***
UK and British-English friends:
Is the above true where you are?
—I’ve been told that in the UK, the word “team” should be referred to as a “they” that “are.”
—I also see U.K. folks on here say things like, “LinkedIn are making changes.” {Is that correct
)
I’d love to learn more about different countries’ conventions!
Thanks,
Amanda
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