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!

I think “that”. She was referring to her family, singular?

No. If 'that' were referring to the family, it would mean she was saying 'the family of my family'! But she's saying 'the congratulations of my family'! - so 'those' of my family.

Isn't 'those' the word to use when referring to animate subjects?
...And 'that' when the thing referred to is, well - a 'thing'?
🤯

@onethingandonethingonly

Isn't 'those' the word to use when referring to animate subjects? ...And 'that' when the thing referred to is, well - a 'thing'? 🤯

No

@onethingandonethingonly

Isn't 'those' the word to use when referring to animate subjects? ...And 'that' when the thing referred to is, well - a 'thing'? 🤯

No.

Those is the plural of that. That error. Those errors.

These is the plural of this. This thread is amusing. These threads are amusing.

@terhou

O.
🤭

[quote ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba]

@Terhou But she isn't talking about sending presents, she is talking about congratulating the England team 🤷🏻‍♀️ She has used the correct wording for the sentence she has written.

I thought she was incorrect by starting a sentence with “55” instead of “Fifty five”.

This thread is fascinating. Are people really this confused about a straightforward grammatical construction?

I returned my hired suit and that of the best man.

I apologise for my gaffes and those of my deputy.

My buttocks are perter than those of my sister.

Her neck tattoos were more obvious than those of her two friends.

[quote Vikingintraining]@Terhou But she isn't talking about sending presents, she is talking about congratulating the England team 🤷🏻‍♀️ She has used the correct wording for the sentence she has written.[/quote]
So you are saying that her letter effectively means

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

Congratulation being the singular?

Isn't 'those' the word to use when referring to animate subjects? ...And 'that' when the thing referred to is, well - a 'thing'?

Nope.

"There are cheap houses and expensive houses. Those which are more expensive are beyond my budget."

@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba

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 agree.

GiantWingedWaspMoth

MrsSkylerWhite
I think “that”. She was referring to her family, singular?
No, she was referring to their congratulations, plural.

As I said before, try replacing it in the sentence.

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

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

You got me!

I shall return my English degree tomorrow before handing myself in to the authorities at The Tower 😁

It sounds correct to me. Formal, obviously, but correct.

@lazylinguist

Isn't 'those' the word to use when referring to animate subjects? ...And 'that' when the thing referred to is, well - a 'thing'?

Nope.

"There are cheap houses and expensive houses. Those which are more expensive are beyond my budget."

Perhaps the distinction is between physical rather than animate forms, and sentiment form.

Love/wishes/congratulations are sentiments.

Houses etc are physical forms.

@GiantWingedWaspMoth Yes, exactly that in meaning. Also, your username sounds terrifying!

I shall return my English degree tomorrow before handing myself in to the authorities at The Tower

You know it's the right thing to do.

(Although given that you were defending the Queen and I wasn't, I'll maybe see you there!)

GiantWingedWaspMoth

I shan’t need you: I shall have Her Maj for company. And a Damehood for services rendered to keep me warm.

@Fountaining

This thread is fascinating. Are people really this confused about a straightforward grammatical construction?

I returned my hired suit and that of the best man.

I apologise for my gaffes and those of my deputy.

My buttocks are perter than those of my sister.

Her neck tattoos were more obvious than those of her two friends.

@Fountaining

no.
but nothing that the Queen does is straightforward 🤣

and if her minions say it's "that" it's hard to accept that they could be wrong!

and my personal confusion comes from not knowing if "the congratulations" might be equal to "the news" here(ie it's treated as a singular noun), because it could be, in which case "that" would be correct.

[quote Vikingintraining]@GiantWingedWaspMoth Yes, exactly that in meaning. Also, your username sounds terrifying![/quote]
I'm unconvinced that she would go from using a plural for herself to a singular form for her family.

If you think my username is terrifying you should have seen the thread that inspired it 🙈😆

It’s because the family is a singular entity and ‘Congratulations’ is also singular.

@GiantWingedWaspMoth

I shall return my English degree tomorrow before handing myself in to the authorities at The Tower

You know it's the right thing to do.

(Although given that you were defending the Queen and I wasn't, I'll maybe see you there!)

You might not need me, but me and my severed head are coming to haunt you once the deed is done 👻

(Too far?)

@GiantWingedWaspMoth

I think using "we" for herself, but singular for her family is exactly what she would do.
because it's quaint and because she can🤣

@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!

Whoever wrote it probably wrote Boris's letter, his letter is signed from Gareth lol