Of course I welcome all input, but I'd especially like to hear Maryn's bent on this because we are often like-minded in our old-school, grammar-Nazi ways.
Yes, I readily acknowledge that the HOL is usually the last place we discuss in-depth writing issues as we soak and drink, but I just don't want to get out of the hot tub to explore other venues right now. So, here's the issue:
Examine this line: "Let the detectives do their jobs."
Now, what think y'all about the plurality of the last word in that sentence? I can make several arguments, pro and con, for both cases, but I'd like to hear what less-insane minds (maybe) think. And let's make the line, "Let the police do their jobs," as it was originally written, I find on a second look...damn my short-term memory.
EDIT: Overall, I lean toward 'job' rather than 'jobs' because all the detectives, or more accurately, the singular form, 'police', have the same job, hence the singularity of their job. Granted, there's leeway because it's dialog rather than narrative. (Maybe I should get back on the meds.)
Russ, thinking, "Mommas, don't let your babies grow up to be writers."
