Ambiguity in comparative construction

Robby zhuMember

Hi,

I want to know if the following construction is ambiguous:

1. the whole NP is clearly plural, not singular, as it would be if xxx were the determiner.

Because it seems to me that I could understand it to mean either 2 or 3:

2. it would be plural if xxx were the determiner.

3. it would be singular if xxx were the determiner.

The original version of this sentence is.

1a. the whole NP is clearly plural, not singular, as it would be if a were the determiner. (CGEL, p. 385)

6/10/226:30 PM

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Original Post

Gustavo, Co-ModeratorProfessor of Legal and Financial Translation

Hi, Robby zhu,

@Robby zhu posted:
1a. the whole NP is clearly plural, not singular, as it would be if a were the determiner. (CGEL, p. 385)

I don't find the sentence to be ambiguous because of the contrast between the present "is" and the conditional "would be." According to the sentence, the NP is plural and would be singular (which is not the case) if "a" were the determiner.

6/11/223:44 PM

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