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I recently stumbled across the sentence below, but I'm not sure which version is correct (or more specifically, I personally am pretty sure it's the second one, but other people disagreed):

The problem is the rules.

or

The problem are the rules.

I would argue that the second version is correct, as I think "the rules" are what dictate the conjugation here. If the sentence were flipped, "The rules is the problem" is very obviously incorrect (as far as I can tell).

Curiously, when using DeepL to translate this sentence from my mother tongue (German) to English, I'm given the option between is/are, but "is" is the default suggestion. However, when translating from EN to DE, I don't get an option to pick the singular "ist", which makes sense, as that would most certainly be incorrect (but English grammar might be different, hence the question).
Even more interestingly, when translating the flipped sentence to EN, I also get both options, but the default is "are".

What is, therefore, the correct conjugation for the sentence above?

PixelMaster
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    The form of the verb to be depends on the preceding noun, so The problem is the rules but The rules are the problem. – Kate Bunting Apr 07 '22 at 08:54
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    Does this answer your question? Subject/Complement Agreement. How to describe problem with "The thing is/are the objects." – Edwin Ashworth Apr 07 '22 at 11:58
  • @EdwinAshworth in my opinion, the linked answer (and to a lesser extent the question) needlessly uses overly pompous and technical language* (I'm neither a native speaker, nor do I generally dive into English grammar rules in my free time), but yes, I think it does answer my question. (I'm not active on this SE too much, but I would think that as on the SEs that I am* more active on, the goal of answers should be to explain topics as accessibly as possible; but if only an English professor can follow the explanation fluidly, that goal is missed). – PixelMaster Apr 09 '22 at 13:34
  • Overall, my confusion probably stems from being a native German speaker, and in German, I'm 100% sure both "the rules are the problem" and the flipped version "the problem is the rules" would use the plural form of "to be" ("Die Regeln sind das Problem", "Das Problem sind die Regeln"). German in general does have "subject-verb-object" order, but the subject is the thing that's doing something. In this case, that would be the rules, which are "being sth". And the conjugation of the verb depends on the subject, hence why it's always plural. – PixelMaster Apr 09 '22 at 13:43
  • @EdwinAshworth I googled some more, and Wikipedia actually has a directly equivalent sentence for my case (with a different plural noun, but otherwise identical). "The problem is Jack and Jill" is listed as an example under "Copular inversion"; apparently, subject and object switch roles in this case. Another Wikipedia page actually directly compares English and German handling of copular inversion. – PixelMaster Apr 09 '22 at 14:04
  • In conclusion, I don't think the linked question is particularly useful. From my research, this clearly seems to be a case of copular inversion, which the answer to the other question doesn't mention at all. In my opinion, this justifies reopening my question, as - while I have answered it for myself by now - it is NOT answered by the currently linked duplicate. If it is reopened, I might post an answer myself, but that depends on whether I find the time to do so, as it would require researching more sources (I wouldn't just want to quote Wikipedia for a qualified answer ^^) – PixelMaster Apr 09 '22 at 14:14
  • 'the goal of answers should be to explain topics as accessibly as possible' has to be held in tension with the fact that ELU is aimed at quite accomplished linguists; ELL is aimed more at learners. // Spelling out the answer here: (1) Unless there are sound arguments not to (this is at least first degree level), in << X is/are Y >> [X, Y noun phrases], X is recognised as the subject. (2) Agreement of the copula / link verb is then always with the subject. (3) This agreement may be notional ('Bacon and eggs are both to be found on the next aisle' but 'Bacon and eggs is my favourite meal'; – Edwin Ashworth Apr 09 '22 at 16:43
  • 'The jury has been sworn in' but 'The jury are arguing among themselves'. (4) When subject and complement don't match, some consider it best to rephrase ... but it is never the singularity/plurality of the trailing complement that determines the verb-form. Only 'The problem is the rules' is available. Only 'The thing is the girls' tutus' is available. ///// About the possible 'copular inversion' analysis here: note that Wikipedia is far more guarded: ' ... if one acknowledges that copular inversion has occurred, one can argue ...' The schools are divided on copular inversion interpretations. – Edwin Ashworth Apr 09 '22 at 16:44
  • One useful rule that seems rather more than a rule of thumb is mentioned in the Wikipedia article: '[Whether one considers that copular inversion has taken place with << [X] is [Y] >> or not], the verb agrees with X, the NP preceding it [... whether subject or fronted complement]' (bolding mine; adjusted) – Edwin Ashworth Apr 09 '22 at 16:44
  • @EdwinAshworth Thank you for your input! That being said: I wasn't actually aware of ELL, but I still might not have posted it there, as I didn't know before asking that my confusion was related to me not being a native English speaker. – PixelMaster Apr 09 '22 at 23:02
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    There is no sinister discrimination involved, merely an attempt to keep more basic questions and those asked by seasoned Anglophones reasonably far apart (think perhaps junior school / high school and college). This question is certainly not basic, as there is the argument for copular inversion here. My response to 'the goal of answers should be to explain topics as accessibly as possible' is essentially 'that's not going to work well with Lagrangian functions and people not having taken GCSEs in physics and maths'. I'd struggle uselessly on a Swahili website. – Edwin Ashworth Apr 10 '22 at 15:20

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