English question...

Fry750 · 20 Oct 2017 at 09:34

Using a mix of it and us/we in a statement, perfectly okay or English faux pas?

For example:

A: <Company name> is a powerhouse in its industry. We believe in our values... etc

B: <Company name> is a powerhouse in its industry. It believes in its values... etc

C: <Company name> are a powerhouse in our industry. We believe in our values... etc

Personally I'm not a fan of mixing first and third party English in the above scenarios, consistency is King!

However I would be keen to know if anyone cares and find it matters to them or if I'm being overly and unnecessarily critical.

THANKS GD <3

subbytna · 20 Oct 2017 at 09:38

A for me

From a marketing blurb point of view, it connects the company...."is a powerhouse etc",

to the workers who work there ....."we believe in etc"

Having a positive link between staff and business.

subbytna · 20 Oct 2017 at 09:41

...or have I given a point of view that's not even close to what you wanted?? lol

[FnG]magnolia · 20 Oct 2017 at 09:47

It's A unless you want to **** about with third person split narratives and general English badwrong.

Rroff · 20 Oct 2017 at 09:50

Well English isn't exactly my strong point... I've often seen A but with its changed for the.

Bluecube · 20 Oct 2017 at 10:02

Definitely not B. I’d use A myself but I’ve seen C being used on occasion. Sometimes it depends on whether the company name fits with “is” or “are”.

LeMson · 20 Oct 2017 at 10:04

I think you can use A and C

Edrof · 20 Oct 2017 at 13:08

Fry750 said:
Using a mix of it and us/we in a statement, perfectly okay or English faux pas?

For example:

A: <Company name> is a powerhouse in its industry. We believe in our values... etc

B: <Company name> is a powerhouse in its industry. It believes in its values... etc

C: <Company name> are a powerhouse in our industry. We believe in our values... etc

Personally I'm not a fan of mixing first and third party English in the above scenarios, consistency is King!

However I would be keen to know if anyone cares and find it matters to them or if I'm being overly and unnecessarily critical.

THANKS GD <3

Like you, I hate mixing it up as I'm quite a logical writer. Marketing copy, however, uses the structure of Example A a lot so it is definitely acceptable. You can make the jump to first-person plural (we) more fluid, though (and your second sentence is clunky as heck, but I suspect it's just there as an example). Example B is okay too, but has its drawbacks. Example C is incorrect as a company name, as a collective noun, is always singular even if it is technically pluralised.

Chris Wilson · 20 Oct 2017 at 13:21

They're all probably lies

BDEE · 20 Oct 2017 at 13:23

Vonhelmet · 20 Oct 2017 at 13:32

A.

You could maybe use C if you referring to a group of companies, but even that might be a bit weird.

Angilion · 21 Oct 2017 at 02:11

Fry750 said:
Using a mix of it and us/we in a statement, perfectly okay or English faux pas?

For example:

A: <Company name> is a powerhouse in its industry. We believe in our values... etc

B: <Company name> is a powerhouse in its industry. It believes in its values... etc

C: <Company name> are a powerhouse in our industry. We believe in our values... etc

Personally I'm not a fan of mixing first and third party English in the above scenarios, consistency is King!

However I would be keen to know if anyone cares and find it matters to them or if I'm being overly and unnecessarily critical.

THANKS GD <3

From that choice alone I would go with A on the basis that B and C have more serious flaws than a possible English faux pas, although I think all 3 options are wrong.

B states that the company is sentient, a living entity with a mind. Not the people who work for it. The company itself. Sentience is necessary to have values or beliefs.

C makes the company plural. Not the people who work for it, the company itself. Even if it's a company comprised of a group of different companies, that organisation is the thing you're referring to and it's one thing. My hand has 5 digits, but it's one hand.

I don't like A either, but I think it's less bad than B or C. I think that the switch from the company to the people working for the company can be understood without being explicitly stated.

I would go with this: <Company name> is a powerhouse in its industry. We believe in its values... etc

Strictly speaking, "we believe in our values" is stating that the people you're referring to believe in whatever values they have. Which isn't really meaningful, since everyone believes in their values. That's what "values" means in that context - things that a person believes in. I don't doubt that a person who understands English would interpret A as being a statement that the people being referred to support the values that have been claimed for the company, but I'd prefer to state that more clearly.

I wouldn't care if I was reading it because it's just advertising blather anyway and doesn't really mean anything so any version of it would do well enough. It's the sort of statement that's expected but not meaningful. But if I was writing it I'd go with the "we believe in its values" version.

MissChief · 21 Oct 2017 at 02:13

A seems to be the most logical, especially if this is someone from the company or written by someone working for them. B is talking about the company in the third person, as if someone from outside were talking about the company. C just sounds all kinds of wrong.