Hi, I have recently heard on media a phrase ‘no commentS’. It causes confusion as I was taught at school it’s wrong, only ‘no comment’ exists in English. So, do people on media make such gross mistakes?
Hi,
‘No comment’ is the standard remark made by someone who is being asked questions by the press and doesn’t want to say anything. ‘No comments’ would be used in a fuller statement as in: I have no comments to make on the situation. As a question it would be: Have you any comments you would like to make on the present crisis? In other words the use of ‘comment’ in the plural is when you are asking or replying in a complete sentence.
Alan
Media professionals make all kinds of mistakes, but I don’t find that particularly egregious. “No comment” is, after all, conversational English. It is not a full sentence anyway. Furthermore, “no comments” also makes sense, even if it is unnecessary and unconventional. I wouldn’t say it, but I wouldn’t run in horror if it escaped my lips either.
Thank you Alan!
Thank you Mordant!
As I understand ‘no comments’ is also OK. I didn’t know that.