Countable and uncountable

wjserson · Post by **wjserson** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 3:43 am

By the way LL, I sincerely thank you for the encouragement and the complement.

markphillips_helsinki · Post by **markphillips_helsinki** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 6:21 pm

Whenever you hear of people saying what is 'grammatical' and 'ungrammatical', us linguistics think we've found a prescriptivist in the house and start rounding up a lynch mob forewith...

What I find interesting about this talk of countable and uncountable nouns is that in amongst the 'rules' or habitual ways of structuring language, there is this drive for efficiency, manifested in the great many contractions and instances of ellipsis (words going missing) that native speakers use.

And yet, it's also significant to note that we will often use elaborate, complex and original phrasing, with a total disregard for efficiency (and relevance sometimes), to communicate our thoughts and feelings.

I guess in the case of ordering food, you don't want to be too long conversing with the lowly folk working in these fast food joints or restaurants who have the honour of serving us, it wouldn't do to be seen to be having a real conversation with these smucks...(tongue in cheek

)

P.S. sorry this is not a more scientific reply..

lolwhites · Post by **lolwhites** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 9:47 am

Some interesting discussion (or should that be an interesting discussion?). While talking about countable vs uncountable always leads to food examples, I think it can be widened. You can say "my jumper is covered in cat hair/cat hairs", right? What about "the old lady's house smells of dog"? I still feel that any noun can be used in a mass or individual way where the sense demands.

mwert · Post by **mwert** » Tue Aug 19, 2003 7:32 pm

Joanne "Or how about, 'I'll have the steak' There's only one steak?"

I thought that "the" here, doesn't imply there's only one steak but that it's the steak that is already familiar ,being on the menu....

Also,I agree with Larry Latham-this discussion is stimulating and so are some others....

I must admit that , the more I go into grammar issues the more doubts I have...It's nice to see I'm not the only one ( being a non native English teacher)...