What I always found a bit disconcerting over in jolly ole England was their concept of noun and verb agreement. We use the singular verb form with a collective noun. They use the plural verb form.
We say, The team is practicing.
Brits say, The Team are practicing.
We say, The UN is a pile of crap.
They say, The UN are heaven incarnate.
Just kind of jars the ears when you hear it in conversation and when reading the newspapers. But then I liked the ‘Haste Ye’ back signs when you pull out of a gas station.
“We say, The UN is a pile of crap.
They say, The UN are heaven incarnate.”
Speaking as an Englishman, I don’t know anyone here who would describe an organisation like the UN in the plural.
“Just kind of jars the ears when you hear it in conversation and when reading the newspapers”
Not as badly as ‘Just kind of’ jars my ears sir! :)
The singular or plural verb for a collective noun in British English depends on the context — if you mean the team as a whole or the UN as a whole you would say the team is practicing or the UN is heaven incarnate. If you mean the team as referring to individuals, then the plural is used: the team are practising amongst themselves.
We use both, I hear both being used.
I think it depends on area and individual.