Korean Job Discussion Forums

[schwa]

K-teacher would like an explanation for the following but I'm stumped. Can anyone help?

"to make a lot of effort to do something"

Its used in our 3rd-grade MS text. Theres nothing wrong with it (I've found it cited in dictionary examples). "Effort" in this usage is obviously non-count. So why is the basic form "make an effort" as if "effort" were in fact countable here?

Thanks for any insight.

[The Cosmic Hum]

[meangradin]

"make an effort" is an idiom, and is rather silly, not to mention pointless to try and explain the grammar of idiomatic usage.

[spaceman]

effort is not uncountable

[schwa]

Thanks for the input.

"Effort" has both countable & uncountable uses. But if its a countable noun in this construction, as "make an effort" suggests, then logically it should read "make a lot of efforts to ...."

I cant think of any other parallel examples that work this way.

Maybe it is just idiomatic, but if possible I'd like to offer a better explanation than English is crazy!

[Moldy Rutabaga]

Good avatar.

I do not see why logic dictates that the usage should be "make a lot of efforts to" as opposed to "make an effort." The former suggests multiple attempts, and the latter can imply a focused single attempt.

Other than that quibble, I think the entire expression is just used in this way because it is euphonic. To me "make an effort" sounds better than "make numerous efforts" or "make twenty-six efforts." It has a stronger ring of group unity (usually it's we'll make an effort) and of action. "Make efforts" to me sounds like bureaucratic dithering.

That's just my subjective view of the nuances, but it's not a cop-out to say that sometimes English usage really doesn't have a logical reason for preferring one form to another. We also say, "Give it a try!" even if we know that the construction and literal meaning are strange.

Ken:>

[some waygug-in]

to make a lot of effort to do something = correct. Why?

I don't know (obviously) but "to make a lot of efforts" sounds wrong to me.

The only time I can think of "efforts" with the plural "s" would be something like,"Our efforts were self defeating".

or "our combined efforts brought success".

It takes a lot of effort to explain this, it's just one of those things I suppose.

Check out dictionary.com:

noun 1. exertion of physical or mental power: It will take great effort to achieve victory.
2. an earnest or strenuous attempt: an effort to keep to the schedule.
3. something done by exertion or hard work: I thought it would be easy, but it was an effort.
4. an achievement, as in literature or art: The painting is one of his finest efforts.
5. the amount of exertion expended for a specified purpose: the war effort.
6. Chiefly British. a. an organized community drive or achievement.
b. a fund-raising drive.

7. Mechanics. the force or energy that is applied to a machine for the accomplishment of useful work.


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Origin:
1480�90; < MF; OF esfort, esforz, deriv. of esforcier to force (es- ex- 1 + forcier to force )


Synonyms:
1. struggle, striving. Effort, application, endeavor, exertion imply actions directed or force expended toward a definite end. Effort is an expenditure of energy to accomplish some objective: He made an effort to control himself. Application is continuous effort plus careful attention: constant application to duties. Endeavor means a continued and sustained series of efforts to achieve some, often worthy and difficult, end: a constant endeavor to be useful. Exertion is the vigorous and often strenuous expenditure of energy, frequently without an end: out of breath from exertion.