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Matthew Facchino Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Abstract as a noun and as an adjective
Hi, I posted a question yesterday as an anonymous user. I can't find the question so I have created an account and will re-post thanks to anybody that replied to the original.
Abstract
Adjective:
Existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.
Noun:
A summary or statement of the contents of a book, article, or formal speech.
I am wondering how the two are connected, or if they are at all.
Thanks again.
Abstract
Adjective:
Existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.
Noun:
A summary or statement of the contents of a book, article, or formal speech.
I am wondering how the two are connected, or if they are at all.
Thanks again.
Top answer
Hello, Matthew—and welcome to English Forums. Obviously, those two definitions, and the use of those words, have little in common, but you can see the connection, I think, through the verb (to draw or take away; remove; to consider as a general quality or characteristic apart from specific objects or instances: to abstract the notions of time,space, and matter ) Thus an abstract idea has been abstracted from (pulled out of) the concrete reality around the thinker, and an article abstract has been abstracted from (pulled out of) the greater text of the article itself.
- Hello, Matthew—and welcome to English Forums.
- Obviously, those two definitions, and the use of those words, have little in common, but you can see the connection, I think, through the verb (to draw or take away; remove; to consider as a general quality or characteristic apart from specific objects or instances: to abstract the notions of time,space, and matter ) Thus an abstract idea has been abstracted from (pulled out of) the concrete reality around the thinker, and an article abstract has been abstracted from (pulled out of) the greater text of the article itself.
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6 Answers
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Hello, Matthew—and welcome to English Forums.
Obviously, those two definitions, and the use of those words, have little in common, but you can see the connection, I think, through the verb (to draw or take away; remove; to consider as a general quality or characteristic apart from specific objects or instances: to abstract the notions of time,space, and matter)
Thus
Obviously, those two definitions, and the use of those words, have little in common, but you can see the connection, I think, through the verb (to draw or take away; remove; to consider as a general quality or characteristic apart from specific objects or instances: to abstract the notions of time,space, and matter)
Thus
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Thanks for clearing that up Mister Micawber. Would you say that an Abstraction is usually a concept?
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Matthew Facchino Would you say that an Abstraction is usually a concept?Well, what do you mean by 'concept'? Both words carry rather vague meanings, beyond not being physical manifestations.
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I mean concept in the broadest sense of the word that I can think of, which is pretty much an Idea but more specifically one that is drawn from an existing body of knowledge, So rather than just a random idea it is one you have "abstracted". I hope this makes sense.
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Matthew Facchino pretty much an Idea but more specifically one that is drawn from an existing body of knowledge, So rather than just a random idea it is one you have "abstracted"Then probably not—at least with the definition of 'abstraction' that I am thinking of: the act of considering something as a general quality or characteristic, apart from concrete
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Ok yeah it is slowly taking shape in my mind. I think it is just one of those things, the more examples I see of it being used the more I get it. Thanks again for your help
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