Can the word “personnel” ever be singular? [closed]

Question

Can personnel be used in reference to a single person? See the example below:

Testing must take place by a qualified personnel other than the requestor.

As the dictionary states, personnel is a plural noun. So, no. Such questions are deemed to be general reference and I'm marking it to be closed as such.
But the sentence would be acceptable without a, even if there was only every going to be one tester.
Thank you, Colin. That was the major question here. I realize it was quite simple. Evidently, simplistic questions are frowned upon here. Research before submitting this question turned up various discussions that had no real resolution. Interesting that although it is defined as a plural noun, it can be a single tester?
(Maybe simple answers are frowned upon here, too.) Would it work to simply say, "Testing must take place by a qualified person?" That would solve the single tester/plural personnel conundrum. If you must keep "personnel," then keep the plural verb even if you are thinking of a single tester, as in, "All personnel test in 30 minute intervals."
@aeternus828: Testing doesn't normally "take place by" anybody. The standard phrasing is "Testing must be undertaken by qualified personnel".

rajah9 · Answer 1 · 2012-12-07 16:48:03Z

up vote 1 down vote

No, as personnel is plural.

answered Dec 7 '12 at 16:48

rajah9
2,966415

	Perhaps the downvoter can add a comment explaining what is wrong ? – jwpat7 Dec 7 '12 at 20:22
	@jwpat7 wrong with the answer or wrong with the down voter? Could be the later. – Kris Dec 8 '12 at 7:24
	@Kris, could be! That would be an interesting explanation. – jwpat7 Dec 8 '12 at 16:16
	Thank you, upvoters. – rajah9 Dec 9 '12 at 3:18

closed as general reference by tchrist, coleopterist, Andrew Leach, Cameron, Robusto Dec 7 '12 at 18:13