Icelandic

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Icelandic

by GmatKiss » Tue May 15, 2012 12:14 pm
With its abundance of noun inflections, Icelandic is one of several Germanic languages that is compact when written but can lengthen considerably when translated into English.

  (A) is compact when written but can lengthen considerably when translated into English

  (B) are compact when they are written, but they can lengthen considerably when they are translated in English

  (C) is compact when written but can lengthen considerably when being translated into English

  (D) are compact when written but can lengthen considerably in English translation

  (E) is compact when it is written but can lengthen considerably when translated in English

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by gmatblood » Tue May 15, 2012 12:35 pm
IMO: D

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by ice_rush » Tue May 15, 2012 7:29 pm
(D) for me.

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by ihatemaths » Tue May 15, 2012 10:31 pm
what's the OA ?

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by ihatemaths » Tue May 15, 2012 10:37 pm
@experts please elaborate the use of IS or ARE in the above sentence . i guess it should be ARE.

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by hailmanyu » Wed May 16, 2012 11:35 pm
When the form of sentence is "one of ..(plural subject)" then are is used. Here the plural subject is german languages

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by dario.brignone » Thu May 17, 2012 3:00 am
"...languages..." require "are". So eliminate A), C) and E).

I don't see any error in B) and D). So I'd go for D).

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by GMATGuruNY » Thu May 17, 2012 3:30 am
GmatKiss wrote:With its abundance of noun inflections, Icelandic is one of several Germanic languages that is compact when written but can lengthen considerably when translated into English.

  (A) is compact when written but can lengthen considerably when translated into English

  (B) are compact when they are written, but they can lengthen considerably when they are translated in English

  (C) is compact when written but can lengthen considerably when being translated into English

  (D) are compact when written but can lengthen considerably in English translation

  (E) is compact when it is written but can lengthen considerably when translated in English
In A, C and E, is (singular) does not agree with languages (plural).
What is Icelandic one of?
Several Germanic languages that ARE compact.
Eliminate A, C and E.

The purpose of BUT is to express contrast. The contrast expressed in B -- ICELANDIC is...but THEY can -- is illogical. Icelandic is not different from the other languages; it is ONE of them. Also, translated in English is unidiomatic. The correct idiom is X is translated INTO Y. Eliminate B.

The correct answer is D.
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by sid090188 » Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:23 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
GmatKiss wrote:With its abundance of noun inflections, Icelandic is one of several Germanic languages that is compact when written but can lengthen considerably when translated into English.

  (A) is compact when written but can lengthen considerably when translated into English

  (B) are compact when they are written, but they can lengthen considerably when they are translated in English

  (C) is compact when written but can lengthen considerably when being translated into English

  (D) are compact when written but can lengthen considerably in English translation

  (E) is compact when it is written but can lengthen considerably when translated in English
In A, C and E, is (singular) does not agree with languages (plural).
What is Icelandic one of?
Several Germanic languages that ARE compact.
Eliminate A, C and E.

The purpose of BUT is to express contrast. The contrast expressed in B -- ICELANDIC is...but THEY can -- is illogical. Icelandic is not different from the other languages; it is ONE of them. Also, translated in English is unidiomatic. The correct idiom is X is translated INTO Y. Eliminate B.

The correct answer is D.

But i somehow feel that English translation is not the correct way to say translated into English.

Can you please suggest examples or rules where such adjective+noun combination is preferred rateher than the long form.

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by Tommy Wallach » Thu Feb 28, 2013 11:05 am
Hey Sid,

The way you're thinking about this is a common error made by people preparing for the GMAT. Do not try to memorize some infinite list of strange little idiomatic forms. Instead, utilize POE to cross answers off that have more glaring errors.

Do I love (D)? Not at all. Is it realistic? Probably. But is it the best answer choice? For sure. Don't be making decisions about idioms/language weirdness when there are major grammatical or meaning issues in the other answer choices.

Hope that helps!

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by dixitnagpal » Sat Mar 02, 2013 1:54 pm
Hi Mitch ,

I'm really confused here about how to choose between "is" and "Are". As to me Icelandic should be the subject of sentence and it is singular so the correct answer should contain "is". Moreover , How to judge in situation like this and choose right Verb? can u please explain this in detail with some example.

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by vabhs192003 » Sun Mar 03, 2013 12:04 am
I am a touch confused with picking the right subject and verb pair. Tommy can you clear the cobwebs?

Thanks.

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by GMATGuruNY » Sun Mar 03, 2013 5:02 am
dixitnagpal wrote:Hi Mitch ,

I'm really confused here about how to choose between "is" and "Are". As to me Icelandic should be the subject of sentence and it is singular so the correct answer should contain "is". Moreover , How to judge in situation like this and choose right Verb? can u please explain this in detail with some example.
Icelandic is one of several Germanic LANGUAGES THAT ARE COMPACT.
The construction here is NOUN + THAT-CLAUSE.
In most cases, this construction implies that the THAT-CLAUSE serves as an ADJECTIVE modifying the immediately preceding noun.
If the immediately preceding noun is singular, the THAT-CLAUSE requires a SINGULAR verb; if the immediately preceding noun is plural, the THAT-CLAUSE requires a PLURAL verb.
Here, the immediately preceding noun (languages) is PLURAL, so the THAT-CLAUSE requires a plural verb:
languages that ARE compact.

In terms of meaning:
When a THAT-CLAUSE serves as an adjective, its purpose is to provide ESSENTIAL information about the modified noun.
Here, several Germanic languages is not sufficient to indicate which languages are being discussed.
To make the meaning clear, an additional modifier is needed.
WHAT TYPE of Germanic languages?
Germanic languages THAT ARE COMPACT.

Please note that the subject of the sentence is ICELANDIC.
The conveyed meaning is that ICELANDIC IS ONE of a particular group of languages.
Of several Germanic languages that are compact when written, ICELANDIC IS ONE.

I suggest that you also check my post here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/number-rule-t105096.html

Exceptions:
When a THAT-CLAUSE serving as an adjective does NOT refer to the immediately preceding noun, the meaning will be made clear by CONTEXT.
From the OG12:
Marconi conceived of the radio as a tool for private conversation THAT COULD SUBSTITUTE for the telephone.
Here, the THAT-CLAUSE clearly serves to modify not conversation but A TOOL:
A TOOL...THAT COULD SUBSTITUTE for the telephone.
The interceding essential modifier -- for private conversation -- serves as an adjective indicating WHAT TYPE of tool could substitute for the telephone.
WHAT TYPE OF TOOL could substitute for the telephone?
A TOOL FOR PRIVATE CONVERSATION that could substitute for the telephone.

This exception notwithstanding, in most cases, NOUN + THAT-CLAUSE implies that the THAT-CLAUSE serves to modify the immediately preceding noun.
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by dixitnagpal » Sun Mar 03, 2013 9:38 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
dixitnagpal wrote:Hi Mitch ,

I'm really confused here about how to choose between "is" and "Are". As to me Icelandic should be the subject of sentence and it is singular so the correct answer should contain "is". Moreover , How to judge in situation like this and choose right Verb? can u please explain this in detail with some example.
Icelandic is one of several Germanic LANGUAGES THAT ARE COMPACT.
The construction here is NOUN + THAT-CLAUSE.
In most cases, this construction implies that the THAT-CLAUSE serves as an ADJECTIVE modifying the immediately preceding noun.
If the immediately preceding noun is singular, the THAT-CLAUSE requires a SINGULAR verb; if the immediately preceding noun is plural, the THAT-CLAUSE requires a PLURAL verb.
Here, the immediately preceding noun (languages) is PLURAL, so the THAT-CLAUSE requires a plural verb:
languages that ARE compact.

In terms of meaning:
When a THAT-CLAUSE serves as an adjective, its purpose is to provide ESSENTIAL information about the modified noun.
Here, several Germanic languages is not sufficient to indicate which languages are being discussed.
To make the meaning clear, an additional modifier is needed.
WHAT TYPE of Germanic languages?
Germanic languages THAT ARE COMPACT.

Please note that the subject of the sentence is ICELANDIC.
The conveyed meaning is that ICELANDIC IS ONE of a particular group of languages.
Of several Germanic languages that are compact when written, ICELANDIC IS ONE.

I suggest that you also check my post here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/number-rule-t105096.html

Exceptions:
When a THAT-CLAUSE serving as an adjective does NOT refer to the immediately preceding noun, the meaning will be made clear by CONTEXT.
From the OG12:
Marconi conceived of the radio as a tool for private conversation THAT COULD SUBSTITUTE for the telephone.
Here, the THAT-CLAUSE clearly serves to modify not conversation but A TOOL:
A TOOL...THAT COULD SUBSTITUTE for the telephone.
The interceding essential modifier -- for private conversation -- serves as an adjective indicating WHAT TYPE of tool could substitute for the telephone.
WHAT TYPE OF TOOL could substitute for the telephone?
A TOOL FOR PRIVATE CONVERSATION that could substitute for the telephone.

This exception notwithstanding, in most cases, NOUN + THAT-CLAUSE implies that the THAT-CLAUSE serves to modify the immediately preceding noun.
really a great help mitch. Thanks for clarification.