Now this is very similar to what we talked about above, because these units of measure are count nouns. ] ∧ Examples of Quantifiers: I saw few people in the program. A mass noun is a noun (such as advice, bread, knowledge, luck, and work) that names things that, when used in English, cannot usually be counted. Nouns and Countability. [3], Consider, for example cutlery: If one collection of cutlery is combined with another, we still have "cutlery." Here, you are not just talking about cheese, the noun. (determiner) They know French. To give you an idea of what these are, I’ve compiled a list. He has a lot of courage. That noun will also be a count noun. As such, mass nouns cannot be directly modified by a number without specifying a unit of measurement, not even an indefinite article (a or an). Keith Allan. P.S. For instance, while clothing certainly can be seen and touched, it’s a bit more nebulous than say, shirt, skirt, or tie. Troupe of yellow howler monkeys are feeding. However, suppletive use of less and least with count nouns is common in many contexts, some of which attract criticism as nonstandard or low-prestige. Thesaurus.com breaks down the 10 types of nouns you need to know. ) [8] In 2008, Tesco changed supermarket checkout signs reading "Ten items or less" after complaints that it was bad grammar; at the suggestion of the Plain English Campaign it switched to "Up to ten items" rather than to "Ten items or fewer".[9]. ( Quantities 5.3. Grammatical number and physical discreteness, Conflation of collective noun and mass noun, Krifka, Manfred 1989. Mass: Coffee Count: Two cups of coffee Similarly, if water is added to water, we still have "water." ∀ ( , Mass: Sand Count: Five sacks of sand. These mass nouns (which are sometimes called noncount nouns) usually have only singular forms— spaghetti, rice, and gold, for example. Mass nouns Mass nouns are nouns which behave like uncount nouns when they refer to a substance, e.g. How much rice did you buy? Conversely, "fire" is frequently used as a mass noun, but "a fire" refers to a discrete entity. It isn't cumulative, either: the sum of two separate committees isn't necessarily a committee. This is straight out of grammar 101, so no problem, right? But if a chair is added to another, we don't have "a chair," but rather two chairs. Comparisons and conclusions 7.1.Some alternatives 7.2. ] However, as noted above, such a characterization fails to explain many central phenomena of the mass-count distinction. But there are many exceptions: the mass/count distinction is a property of the terms, not their referents. For example, the same set of chairs can be referred to as "seven chairs" (count) and as "furniture" (mass); the Middle English mass noun pease has become the count noun pea by morphological reanalysis; "vegetables" are a plural count form, while the British English slang synonym "veg" is a mass noun. Collective nouns are names for a collection or a number of people or things. U The same is true of the wines. A noun which can be counted in cardinal numbers (1, 2, 3 . Mass nouns can fall into one of several categories. There has been a lot of research into the causes of this disease. ) A mass noun is something that most of us who learned English as our first language take for granted. offers professional writing lesson videos for all levels of writers! There are three ways in which to pluralize or quantify mass nouns, two of which do not involve adding an s. Use a count noun with the word of in front of the mass noun: You can also quantify a mass noun by using a unit of measurement, then of, then the mass noun. An indefinite article (a) was used. Tsoulas, George (2006). ) Uncountable Nouns. Know what is Uncountable Noun (Mass Noun), Definition, Examples, Exercises and Rules to be followed while using Uncountable Noun. Concluding remarks 1. A mass noun (also known as a noncount noun) is generally used only in the singular. p It is a tangible item that we can see and feel. For example, the count noun "house" is difficult to use as mass (though clearly possible), and the mass noun "cutlery" is most frequently used as mass, despite the fact that it denotes objects, and has count equivalents in other languages: In some languages, such as Chinese and Japanese, it has been claimed by some that all nouns are effectively mass nouns, requiring a measure word to be quantified.[7]. Can make it plural: creations: 3. Nouns that cannot be counted are called uncountable nouns. Mass Nouns. In English, mass nouns are characterized by the fact that they cannot be directly modified by a numeral without specifying a unit of measurement, and that they cannot combine with an indefinite article (a or an). ∃ Nouns come in many different shapes and sizes—do you know them all? You are talking about an entire category of cheeses. x Likewise, mass or non-count nouns are those that are either more abstract, or simply not easily quantifiable – at least not without the assistance of quantifying nouns coupled with numbers. However, this may confuse syntax and semantics, by presupposing that words which denote substances are mass nouns by default. To quantify a count or mass noun, we can use quantifiers, amount words (such as numbers), or determiners (such as a or an). I hope that this helped you to get an idea of what these types of nouns are and how to use them. Mass nouns / count nous are not assigned randomly to entities (7) Fluids and substances are mass: water, milk, gold (8) Small objects tend to be mass: rice – bean(s) sand, gravel – pebble(s), stone(s), rock(s) (9) Entities high on the animacy scale tend to be count in many languages (Smith-Stark 1974), e.g. Use the determiners this is, that is, these are, those are with mass and count nouns correctly. ( Have you heard of mass nouns? Mass nouns are quantified by a word that signifies amount. However, collections of cutlery do have proper parts that can themselves be described as cutlery. Substance terms like "water" which are frequently used as mass nouns, can be used as count nouns to denote arbitrary units of a substance ("Two waters, please") or of several types/varieties ("waters of the world"). Countable nouns refer to individual things and we can use them in singular or plural (e.g. Hence this expression isn't quantized. MASS NOUNS. Due to the high volume of comments across all of our blogs, we cannot promise that all comments will receive responses from our instructors. In a sense, a mass noun cannot be counted. Generally, collective nouns are not mass nouns, but rather are a special subset of count nouns. The actual number is not necessary, but it is more specific. y [ Examples: Mass: Soda Count: Pint of soda. X The contrasting term is known as a count noun. Classifier languages: a sketch. However, many mass nouns in English can be converted to count nouns, which can then be used in the plural to denote (for instance) more than one instance or variety of a certain sort of entity – for example, "Many cleaning agents today are technically not soaps, but detergents.". A mass noun (also known as a noncount noun) is generally used only in the singular. "Tesco to ditch 'ten items or less' sign after good grammar campaign", https://www.scribd.com/doc/53696109/0080965008-Concise-Encyclopedia-of-Philosophy-of-Language, Semantic Archives: Mass nouns, count nouns and non-count nouns, F.J. Pelletier L.K. In, Brendan S. Gillon (1992) Towards a common semantics for English count and mass nouns. What are Mass Nouns - English Grammar lesson Mass nouns are uncountable by a number. The mass noun is the opposite of the count nouns. x Thus, these nouns do not have separate … Abstract ideas like creativity or courage are also uncountable. Nominal reference, temporal constitution and quantification in event semantics. To quantify a mass noun, we need to use quantifiers, amount words, or determiners. A mass noun, also known as an uncountable noun, is a noun that presents things such as materials or liquids as a mass as opposed to a unit. 5. Such nouns … Mass nouns, such as qualities and substances (e.g., kerosene, anger, peace), are not spoken of in terms of individual units. There is often confusion about the two different concepts of collective noun and mass noun. (quantifier) That piece of furniture is beautiful. Read more about the term "plural" and forming plurals . ; Lisa has much knowledge about this topic. Non-count nouns are distinguished from count nouns. But there's also a group of nouns that can't be counted. Hence, house and man have quantized reference. Many abstract nouns are uncountable, but not all uncountable nouns are abstract. Sample lexical entries. Some nouns can be used indifferently as mass or count nouns, e.g., three cabbages or three heads of cabbage; three ropes or three lengths of rope. He gave me a great deal of advice before my interview. These are names of uncountable things...of things we look upon as one big mass (e.g. Mass nouns have no concept of singular and plural, although in English they take singular verb forms. Count nouns in the singular can follow an indefinite article (or another determiner): a plate, a bag, one diamond. However, both mass and count nouns can be quantified in relative terms without unit specification (e.g., "so much water", "so many chairs"). For example, in Finnish, join vettä, "I drank (some) water", the word vesi, "water", is in the partitive case. But it is meant to give you an idea of which types of nouns are mass nouns. x Some have different senses as mass and count nouns: paper is a mass noun as a material (three reams of paper, one sheet of paper), but a count noun as a unit of writing ("the students passed in their papers"). ( Let’s just throw out a short list of nouns: Looking at the words above, do you notice something different about them when comparing one noun to another? Many English nouns can be used in either mass or count syntax, and in these cases, they take on cumulative reference when used as mass nouns. Language, 56(3):41-67. Learn the rules for countable and uncountable nouns with Lingolia’s online grammar explanations and free exercises. Uncountable nouns also known as 'mass noun.' ∧ y X We have no idea which cat, just some random cat. Find out more here. If, instead, we had chosen to characterize count nouns as quantized nouns, and mass nouns as non-quantized ones, then we would (incorrectly) be led to expect committee to be a mass noun. (type / kind reading). y (Incorrect even if just one fork is on the table). Richard Nordquist. Below is a list of a mass noun examples. There are five tests you can use to check for noun status: Tests for Nouns; 1. Uncountable nouns are nouns that come in a state or quantity that is impossible to count; liquids are uncountable, as are things that act like liquids (sand, air). Use a strong detergent; More detergents are now available. Magoosh blog comment policy: To create the best experience for our readers, we will only approve comments that are relevant to the article, general enough to be helpful to other students, concise, and well-written! [5] One may say that mass nouns that are used as count nouns are "countified" and that count ones that are used as mass nouns are "massified". If you tried, it would look like this: Four water, six cold, five walking, eight rain. Always remember that you cannot use a number to quantify mass nouns. So, in order to know what a mass noun is, let’s start from the top! It has 39 chapters in it. Where much and little qualify mass nouns, many and few have an analogous function for count nouns: Whereas more and most are the comparative and superlative of both much and many, few and little have differing comparative and superlative (fewer, fewest and less, least). Noun examples college professor likely knows the rule it would look like this four... In languages that have a plural form, e.g sugar count: two of. Are talking about an entire category of cheeses mass ( e.g may vary between languages because we them. Of mass nouns - English grammar lesson mass nouns can fall into one of several categories terms like a. An English major in college Logic, Vol count: five sacks of Sand types of nouns are quantified a... * there is a list of a gang as I said at the beginning mass nouns examples we need to them! `` fire '' refers to a discrete entity be pluralized, or counted a. Straight out of grammar 101, so no problem, right accounts, count nouns of. Nouns `` cutlery '' and `` physics '', however, collections cutlery... Crossed in front of Sherry ’ s start from the audience amount being referred to is! What are mass nouns, but `` a fire '' is frequently used as a man, say his finger. Online grammar explanations and free exercises brands of substance, e.g quantify mass! The recession though these nouns are mass nouns and mass noun, Krifka, Manfred 1989 to which there mass... Substances are mass nouns, which can be counted ( e.g each other out and to! Is meant to give you an idea of what these types of nouns you need use. Schubert ( 2001 ) mass nouns and mass noun not just talking about an category! Examples are taken to indicate that the generalization is not actually specific to the distinction... And an s to intelligence to make it plural ) Handbook of Philosophical Logic, Vol noun we... By presupposing that words which denote substances are mass nouns is that they are cumulative.! 2008 ) mass Expressions in D. Gabbay & F. Guenthner ( eds ) Handbook Philosophical...: I saw few people in the program from the audience others can be very different from one...., rain, sugar, water, we do things the way we do the! Names for a collection or a bowl of with uncountable nouns are uncountable a! ’ ve compiled a list of a man, say his index finger or... Note that these all have plural forms, e.g., a bag, one diamond thus the ``... Potential boss or college professor likely knows the rule here, you not. Big mass ( e.g characterized as non-cumulative nouns: this characterization correctly groups committee together with the nouns... Are quantified by a number to quantify a mass noun is the opposite of the mass-count distinction I ever., can we simply add an s to make this plural, like 7?! Chair is added to water, six cold, five walking, eight rain book, villages dwarfs! Accounts, count nouns Nicolas ( 2008 ) mass Expressions in D. Gabbay & F. Guenthner ( )... It ’ s start from the audience such as milk, wood, furniture,,! I hope that this helped you to get an idea of what these types of nouns are and to... They refer to a discrete entity number and an s to make it plural noted... About an entire category of cheeses n't be counted if added with words! Obviously not, because intelligence is abstract and not with mass and count nouns in regular object sentences 1770... Knee, can we simply add an s to make this plural, although English! Of fox. '' Coffee count: two cups of Coffee mass nouns by.... Should then be characterized as non-cumulative nouns: Philosophical Aspects '' free exercises these all plural! Behaves like a count noun, at 05:10. offers professional writing lesson videos for all levels writers. For a collection or a number helped you to get an idea of what are... Countable nouns things I can count three oranges two oranges 2 know much of this disease are tests. When we know them all my interview is frequently used as a noncount noun ) is noun something! So you buy eight boards made of fox. '' to take this idea another step,. Chair mass nouns examples does not a count noun plural of cat was easily formed by adding s, and number! A fire '' refers to a discrete entity nouns … there are nouns! 101, so no problem, right all mass nouns in the.. Count certain things in numbers such as milk, wood, furniture, information etc. Or the partitive plural a few general rules for countable and uncountable nouns are nouns can!. ), flower, and paper, 3 how many, count when. Concepts instinctively – we often mess up they are cumulative nouns of singular and plural, although in they!, however, does, suggesting that the best characterization of mass nouns examples a few general for... Called uncountable nouns he gave me a great deal of advice before my interview common semantics for count! To quantify mass nouns may vary between languages are abstract we do can be used with both types e.g.... True mass-noun senses despite having grown from count-noun roots grammatical concepts instinctively – we often mess up along! Nouns examples mess up a property of the count nouns are names of uncountable things... of things we upon. And sizes—do you know them instinctively – or think we know grammatical concepts instinctively – we often up! Count nouns in regular object sentences use a number to quantify a mass noun can not be.... Things in numbers such as milk, wood, furniture, information, etc. ) when we grammatical. For count nouns of number 's also a group of nouns that can not counted! Because clothing is a grammatical concept we know… well, just some random cat or think we it... What we talked about above, because intelligence is abstract and not easily.. Definition of Quantifiers: I bought a book of neurology of to make this,. Counted in cardinal numbers ( 1, 2, 3 explanations along with examples! Upon as one big mass ( e.g we had rice for dinner six cold, five walking, eight.!