Well, you know what they say: a picture can say more than...
anyway, I'm trying to compose a sort of smooth transition to the next chapter.
"Who are these people on the balcony, and why are they in the spotlight?"
This sentence, I shall have to point out, was not originally written like this.
First I wrote: "Who is the couple on the balcony..." and then I stopped, and I had what one can call a singular- plural discussion with my inner demon:
Is the word "couple" singular or plural? Can I write: "and why is it in the spotlight? " ?
Is it considered correct to write: Who are the couple on the balcony, and why are they in the spotlight?
According to Webster's dictionary, if they are not a "real" couple – like a family entity – but just a couple of people who are not engaged or married to each other, then they are plural. (!)
And "a couple" might even be more than two ( it might in fact be a whole bunch!), as a pair can be just one – like a pair of tweezers or a pair of trousers - a singular item, but still plural.
Well it's too late to continue this inner debate , or too early, depending on your point of reference.
BUT, to set things straight:
They really ARE a couple,
despite being referred to as "these people".
The main question, however, still remains:
Why are they ( is it) in the spotlight?
cec