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Marriage or marriages

General English Grammar & Vocabulary,... » ESL General English Grammar Questions

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Latest post Thu, Jun 12 2008 4:25 PM by Goodman. 36 replies.
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New2grammar  +  525257 Tue, 10 Jun 08 06:16 AM

I'm all for gay marriage/marriages.

My parents approve of arranged marriage/marriages.

Which is correct?

Thanks
New2grammar
Joined on Tue, Nov 21 2006
Veteran Member 7,676
Who wants to go sailing around the world with me?
Anonymous, 1 yr 168 days ago

I think if you want to use the term "marriage" in a general sense, which I think how you intended to use in for your first sentence, then I see no need to resort to many instances of marriages. So, I think this is good: I'm all for gay marriage. But for your second sentence, it sounds better with the plural, only because I usually hear it like that -- can't give a solid reason; I think 'arrange marriage' is OK too. My parents approve of arranged marriages/arrange marriage.
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optilang  +  525279 Tue, 10 Jun 08 08:03 AM
 

I'm all for gay marriage/marriages.

My parents approve of arranged marriage/marriages.

I don't like the idea of a gay marriage.

I don't like the idea of an arranged marriage.

 
optilang
Joined on Tue, May 13 2008
Poland
Senior Member 2,522
OptiNative British English Speaker Wherever I may roam, I'm still a Londoner.
New2grammar  +  525282 Tue, 10 Jun 08 08:10 AM

I agree with your last two sentences.

 It is possible to use the uncountable in the first sentence?

New2grammar
Yoong Liat, 1 yr 168 days ago

New2grammar
“It is possible to use the uncountable in the first sentence? ”
What do you mean by 'uncountable'?

Grammar Geek  +  525436 Tue, 10 Jun 08 04:26 PM

I support gay marriage - the concept of gay marriage. Use the singular.

For reasons I can't explain either, I too prefer arranged marriages.

Edit: That is, as a matter of style, I prefer the plural in arranged marriages. I am neutral on the actual topic!
Grammar Geek
Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006
Veteran Member 19,683
Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random!
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New2grammar  +  525439 Tue, 10 Jun 08 04:42 PM

Yoong Liat, when I said uncountable, I meant abstract or what GG said, concept. Is my choice of word confusing?

 
New2grammar
Yoong Liat  +  525454 Tue, 10 Jun 08 05:18 PM

New2grammar
“

Yoong Liat, when I said uncountable, I meant abstract or what GG said, concept. Is my choice of word confusing?

”

Yes, the word is confusing because, I think, you mean 'arranged marriage/marriages.'  So I think you should have used singular or plural.

It should be 'arranged marriages'.
Yoong Liat
, ,
New2grammar  +  525459 Tue, 10 Jun 08 05:29 PM

As far as I know singular and plural are words associated with countable. For example

An apple (is singular)

Apples(is plural)

a gay marriage ( is singular)

gay marriages (is plural)

gay marrriage (is abstract/uncountable)

The reason I chose uncountable was that I wanted to emphasize the abstractness. Is my understanding incorrect? If so, please correct me. Thanks.
New2grammar
,
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