AIBU to wonder if the Queen made a grammatical error?

[deardiary66]

The Queen has written a letter to Gareth Southgate ahead of tonight’s football game that includes the words:

“I want to send my congratulations and that of my family to you all”

Is “that” correct here or should it be “those”, as “congratulations” is plural?

I don’t mean to nitpick, but I saw the letter and genuinely wondered what was technically correct!

where are all the pedants and grammar nazis where we need them?

I have to know the answer!!!

*when

Does the that refer to my family and not congratulations?

No it's not, because "that" is referring to the congratulations not the family.

@BarberQueue

It also seemed wrong to me that the first line of the letter started with a numeric 55 and not fifty-five.

Only the numbers one through ten are spelled out, the digits are given for anything higher.

@Morechocmorechoc

Pretty sure it is correct and you would say 'I hear congratulations is in order'

No you wouldn't. Congratulations is plural so it should be "are in order"

Only the numbers one through ten are spelled out, the digits are given for anything higher

Unless the number is at the start of a sentence. Usually people do a work around, so she could have said 'It was 55 years ago ...'

I think “that” as she has one family, obviously there is more than one person in the family but just one family.

No, that's incorrect. The word 'that/those' is referring to the congratulations, not the family.

that of my family = the congratulations of my family

that = the congratulations

that is a relative pronoun and can be either singular or plural.
so it's correct.

I would think those was the correct word rather than that. But phrases like bored of rather than bored with are in common use now

What she says goes so I wouldn't question it

@TheQueef

She pointed out there is a thing 'The Queens English'. This is an example. If you continue to be treasonous you will be stuck in the Tower. After she's binge watched Clarksons Farm.

😂😂😂

that is a relative pronoun and can be either singular or plural.
so it's correct

I'm unconvinced by that argument. I think it very much depends on how it's used.

'she read all the books that she bought' would make sense if you changed it to 'she read all the books those she bought'.

Whereas in the letter, those would work perfectly well.

Wouldn't make sense*

Gah!

Yeah Esspee I should have had my morning tea before posting on here! In my defence I'll toddler and no sleep for 2 nights!!

I stand by the queen's Post being correct though

It sounds correct to me, for very formal writing.

Ill.....autocorrect is so annoying! Not a good post for typos

It sounds correct here too and better than those when I read it

But couldn’t say more on rules / if right

@Morechocmorechoc

Pretty sure it is correct and you would say 'I hear congratulations is in order'

I’d definitely say ‘Congratulations are in order’!

(Speaking as a fully paid-up Grumpy Old Pedant and former EFL teacher.)

I dare say whichever Palace Minion wrote it will have their arse kicked, since sending people to The Tower for a minor offence is no longer permitted.

@GiantWingedWaspMoth

*that is a relative pronoun and can be either singular or plural. so it's correct*

I'm unconvinced by that argument. I think it very much depends on how it's used.

'she read all the books that she bought' would make sense if you changed it to 'she read all the books those she bought'.

Whereas in the letter, those would work perfectly well.

but "all the books" is singular and "those" can't be used in singular

so your example doesn't make sense.

my point was that "that" can be used either way because it'sa relativepronoun (and that's not my argument but a grammatical fact).
"which" is the same, also a relative pronoun

excuse no spaces between words

@GiantWingedWaspMoth

Congratulation is used occasionally. You could send, for example, a letter of congratulation. But it's not commonly used.

'Congratulations' is definitely plural. And now I'm contemplating whether that should say 'congratulations' are definitely plural 🙈😁

No, you were right first time. I notice one or two pp slightly confused about this.

'Congratulations' is a word; a plural word, to be sure, but still just one word. Singular.

Congratulations, however, are what you offer in praise when you congratulate someone. Plural.

There is a useful convention here, involving quote marks.

Another example: 'words' is a word referring to words, which we use in speech and writing to express what we mean. That is, words are what we use in sentences. 'Words' is a word I used in that sentence I just wrote.

The distinction in play here between words and 'words' or congratulations and 'congratulations' is often known as the use/mention distinction. (Or should that be "the 'use/mention' distinction" ? ) It is not uncontroversial. Look it up for good pedantic fun. (Here, for instance: Stanford on quotation, see section 2.2. Or, well, Wikipedia, whatever.)

The queen got it wrong, of course, as OP and others said. For shame, your majesty!

@Morechocmorechoc

Ill.....autocorrect is so annoying! Not a good post for typos

@Morechocmorechoc

look up Muphry's law!🤣

yes, Muphry's. that's not a typo, it's the very point (and meta)

Ok. 'she read the books that she bought'. 'she read the books those she bought'.

'That' is usually only plural in certain circumstances, where 'those' doesn't fit. In the letter, 'those' fits.

No, you were right first time yeah, I'm aware. It was just a light-hearted poking fun at myself kind of joke