Much problem

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Guest

#108876 Tue, 14 Jun 05 10:30 PM

if problem is uncountable, why people say "much problem"? Is it a shortened version of "much of a problem" or problem can be uncountable, depending on meaning?

Guest

MrPedantic

#108925 Wed, 15 Jun 05 01:56 AM

Hello Guest

Are you able to give more context for 'much problem'? It's not a phrase I've heard used; though perhaps it's more common elsewhere.

MrP

MrPedantic

Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004

Veteran Member (12,168)

...opella forensis / adducit febris...

CalifJim

#108969 Wed, 15 Jun 05 06:29 AM

If 'problem' is uncountable, which it isn't, 'much problem' should be the norm.

Nevertheless, 'problems' are countable, so 'many problems' is the norm.

As you point out "much of a problem" is a different phrase, where 'problem' is still countable, as shown by "a".

I'm not aware of any situation in which people would say "much problem", even as a short form of "much of a problem", so I can't help you on that.

CJ

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (17,773)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Guest

#109196 Wed, 15 Jun 05 05:19 PM

An example:
Between now and then I don't really see MUCH PROBLEM in taking the recommended steps to prevent manmade global warming.
If you google for "Much problem", you will get 77,800 hits (which does not prove the correctness of the phrase, but shows it's popularity)
[link]
Any thoughts on that?

Guest

MrPedantic

#109263 Wed, 15 Jun 05 11:20 PM

Hello Guest

As you say, an astonishing number of hits. I've looked through the first few pages; to my ears, they all sound like mistakes for 'much of a problem' or 'much trouble'.

I have to declare myself firmly in the 'frankly baffled' camp, at this stage.

MrP

MrPedantic

Numbers

CalifJim

#109349 Thu, 16 Jun 05 05:31 AM

Any thought on that?, you say.

Yes. I share Mr. P.'s opinion in that it just sounds like a mistake to me! Amazing! I suppose the easiest interpretation is, as stated earlier, that it's a short form of "much of a problem".

CJ

CalifJim

katsudon

#109362 Thu, 16 Jun 05 06:43 AM

I have little problem with 'much problem'. Smile [:)]

"... in reality I have little problem with them having some fun and ...

"... in reality I don't have much problem with them having some fun and ...

Results 1 - 10 of about 2,120 English pages for "I don't have much problem with".

katsudon

Joined on Fri, Jun 10 2005

Junior Member (53)

Guest

#109399 Thu, 16 Jun 05 09:42 AM

It seems true many native speakers confuse "problem" with "trouble". But still the majority of them use "much trouble", not "much trouble". Google hit number for "much trouble with" is 101,000, and that for "much problem with" is 17,400.

Guest

Guest

Numbers

MrPedantic

#109751 Thu, 16 Jun 05 11:32 PM

An uncountable noun can stand on its own as the subject of a sentence:

1. Despair is contagious.
2. Homework is boring.

But we can't construct a parallel sentence with 'problem'.

MrP

MrPedantic