Bylaw or Bylaws

[Kim-See Teo]

In the latest (Summer) edition of the NP, on page 3 was a letter to the Editor highlighting the correct phrase Bylaw Amendment or Bylaw Amendments. Yet, in the index of the Rulebook, we read of that, and Bylaws Committee? Why two versions of description? 

[Richard Brown]

Kim-See, I would attribute it to the peculiarities of the English language and not lose sleep over it. It is one person's opinion, or maybe even the opinion of a group of people, as to how things"ought to be". I doubt you will be criticized for choosing one version over the other.

It could also be that the whole of the bylaws are considered the plural bylaws, but amending one particular provision of the bylaws is considered amending a particular bylaw provision, thus the term"bylaw amendment".

I really dunno . . . And really don't care! I'm certainly not going to lose any sleep over it! ?

[Kim Goldsworthy]

4 hours ago, Kim-See Teo said:

. . . Bylaw Amendment or Bylaw Amendments.

. . . Bylaws Committee?

Why two versions of description? 

I assume the the writer of each version (singular vs. plural) had in mind a vision that (a.) one targeted bylaw is to be amended; or (b.) any number of bylaws could be targeted for amendment.

It depends on the context of the writer's scenario.

***

The "committee" is always put in the plural form because you are always referring to the whole document -- i.e., you never have a Bylaw Committee.

 

 

[Kim-See Teo]

I dun lose sleep over these peculiarities. Having been trained as a common law attorney in the U.K. and later as an I.P. attorney, I'm conscious of what has been stated by esteemed parliamentarians, Richard and Kim. 

I'm actually referring these terms found in the Index of the RONR, per se. Otherwise, I sleep well, over other even more intractable English phrases, clauses and poetic paras. Cheers.