Search results for 'tag:Apostrophes tag:Uncountable nouns' matching tags 'Apostrophes' and 'Uncountable nouns'

Re: Noun followed by noun, plural issue

Avangi — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:45:22 GMT

Hi Explor1ing,

I'm confused too. Which of the two nouns needs to be plural? Both? The meaning of the sentence is unclear. How do you make a category? Are you cataloguing books? Setting up a new system?

If you wanted to say, "How many book categories are there?" then "book" is acting like an adjective modifying "categories" (what kind of categories) and in English adjectives don't need to agree with their nouns in number.

If you wanted to say, "How many categories of books can you name?" then "books" is a noun and would usually be plural. If you said, "How many types of food can you name?" food would probably be singular, I guess because it can be a countable or an uncountable noun.

Are you trying to get possession into the picture? The book's dust jacket is missing. (singular book) All the books' dust jackets are missing. (plural books, plural jackets)

I believe the apostrophe is used in making a plural only when the noun is a proper noun: She has two Jaguar's in the garage.

I believe possession for proper nouns ending in "s" is rendered by an apostrophe plus another optional "s." I just listened to Saint-Saens'(s) organ concerto.

I hope some of this helped answer your question. - A.

Re: Uncountable noun - genitive case

Clive — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 13:16:34 GMT

Hi,

You are not asking an easy question. The 'apostrophe ess' form is called the Saxon genitive, which is derived from 'Old English', so it's a very old feature of the English language.

It indicates possession or close association. Perhaps it's easier to see/feel close association when you are talking about something you can count?

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Lesson on issue of descriptive adjective and choice

Mister Micawber — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 13:23:37 GMT

Actually, I think I have already said what I had to say in my response to your post about the cats and alligators. But I'll go over some of your concerns:

I think I saw from a post here that kind of said that many times, having "descriptive adjectives" in front of UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS trigger the need (necesssity??) to have the indefinite article "a" -- I don't think there is the need, but certainly there is the possibility:

I have great faith in you.
I have a great sadness in my heart for their plight.

and I think Mr. M said to the effect that in many cases, the choice to put "a" or not to put it is optional for the cases like one below ("a great happiness" vs. just "great happiness")-- generally optional because both are possible; each case demands its own decision on which should be used.

Here, I think happiness is one-hundred percent uncountable noun??, not a variable noun.-- No, we have no context, and the noun itself is capable of either form.

His dog is a great happiness in his life. (Sounds good, isn't it? I think the writer is talking about a kind of happiness and not the general term, happiness.) -- I agree

His dog is great happiness in his life. (Sounds good, I think, and the writer seems to be saying that his dog is great happiness in a general sense, not to mean any kind of happiness.) -- I don't agree. You have set up a predicate nominative. His dog has brought great happiness into his life would be fine. I leave further analysis to you.

1) So, can I say in almost all the cases, the choice to put a or not to put a when you have some descriptive adjectives in front of them depend on the context and perspective of the writer? -- Yes, that sounds good-- but more critical is the semantic meaning.

2) Can you give me some cases where the choices as described above in not available? -- Not offhand, but I am sure there are many-- I am sure that not all candidate nouns are capable of such permutations.

3) Can you check if these are right?

This form of words is fantastic English. -- OK

This form of words is perfectly acceptable English. -- OK

This form of words is "good" English -- OK

This form of words is a fantastic English.-- Not so.

This form of words is a perfectly acceptable English. -- Not so.

This form of words is a "good" English. -- Not so

This form of words is a regional English -- OK. English and Englishes are specific concepts in linguistics; perhaps that is why the countable form is not so attractive in your sentences. Context, flexibility, semantics.
4) Right now, I have this uneasy feeling when I try to put what look to be descriptive adjectives in front of uncountable nouns because I am afraid I might accidently turn them into paticular kinds of something and not to mean generally. Do you think my feeling regarding that is unwarranted because the control is in me whether I want to make them to mean kinds of something or refer (or use them to mean something) in general terms? -- Fear not; just think what you are trying to say: are you speaking of a general concept or an individual instance? and choose accordingly.

5) Can I be able to put "a" in front of uncountable nouns which have what I think are descriptive adjectives? -- Generally yes, if you realize that it then becomes countable.

Is something in apostrophes qualify like "good" above qualify as a descriptive adjective? -- Yes.

Help. -- I hope this did.

Lesson on issue of descriptive adjective and choice

Believer — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 23:25:20 GMT

Can anyone answer those questions categorically?

I think I saw from a post here that kind of said that many times, having "descriptive adjectives" in front of UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS trigger the need (necesssity??) to have the indefinite article "a" and I think Mr. M said to the effect that in many cases, the choice to put "a" or not to put it is optional for the cases like one below.

a great happiness vs. just "great happiness"

Here, I think happiness is one-hundred percent uncountable noun??, not a variable noun where the choice depends the context and the mind of the writer at the time, I think. I think we can say "great" is a descriptive adjective.

Let's make simple sentences with the above phrases.

His dog is a great happiness in his life. (Sounds good, isn't it? I think the writer is talking about a kind of happiness and not the general term, happiness.)

His dog is great happiness in his life. (Sounds good, I think, and the writer seems to be saying that his dog is great happiness in a general sense, not to mean any kind of happiness.)

1) So, can I say in almost all the cases, the choice to put a or not to put a when you have some descriptive adjectives in front of them depend on the context and perspective of the writer?

2) Can you give me some cases where the choices as described above in not available?

3) Can you check if these are right?

This form of words is fantastic English.

This form of words is perfectly acceptable English.

This form of words is "good" English

This form of words is a fantastic English.

This form of words is a perfectly acceptable English.

This form of words is a "good" English.

4) Right now, I have this uneasy feeling when I try to put what look to be descriptive adjectives in front of uncountable nouns because I am afraid I might accidently turn them into paticular kinds of something and not to mean generally. Do you think my feeling regarding that is unwarranted because the control is in me whether I want to make them to mean kinds of something or refer (or use them to mean something) in general terms?

5) Can I be able to put "a" in front of uncountable nouns which have what I think are descriptive adjectives? Is something in apostrophes qualify like "good" above qualify as a descriptive adjective? Help.