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Believer Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
making a countable noun into an countable noun
Hi,
Please tell me some simple examples of this transformation where a countable noun becomes an uncountable noun.
I think Aperisic said something like you can also perceive the ball as the game you play, as well as the gadget you play the game with. OK, I heard many times the expression "Let's play ball" and I surmised or thought it meant that it is talking about the playing a game in the playing field -- that is actual playing a game in a ball park, but I didn't realize it is the incident where this transformation has occurred. I just thought it is just another expression with the word 'ball' in it.
Can I make this transformation by assigning some quality to a countable noun like 'desk'? If I think a desk as a hard and inanimate object that doesn't respond to emotions that is hard to get along; what I have done is I have assigned some human quality to this object. Then can I make a sentence using it an uncountable noun like "I don't like desk because of the reasons I stated."
Please tell me some simple examples of this transformation where a countable noun becomes an uncountable noun.
I think Aperisic said something like you can also perceive the ball as the game you play, as well as the gadget you play the game with. OK, I heard many times the expression "Let's play ball" and I surmised or thought it meant that it is talking about the playing a game in the playing field -- that is actual playing a game in a ball park, but I didn't realize it is the incident where this transformation has occurred. I just thought it is just another expression with the word 'ball' in it.
Can I make this transformation by assigning some quality to a countable noun like 'desk'? If I think a desk as a hard and inanimate object that doesn't respond to emotions that is hard to get along; what I have done is I have assigned some human quality to this object. Then can I make a sentence using it an uncountable noun like "I don't like desk because of the reasons I stated."
Top answer
Interesting question. I have the same problem because I noticed that English countable nouns can - under some circumstances - be treated as uncountables. g.
- Interesting question.
- I have the same problem because I noticed that English countable nouns can - under some circumstances - be treated as uncountables.
- g.
- What type of car do you like?
- Can I have 9 Budweiser ?
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2 Answers
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Interesting question. I have the same problem because I noticed that English countable nouns can - under some circumstances - be treated as uncountables. E.g. What type of car do you like? Can I have 9 Budweiser?
I've noticed this countable -> uncountable transition in many computer games as well. Examples:
In Age of Empires III, look at the items you can
I've noticed this countable -> uncountable transition in many computer games as well. Examples:
In Age of Empires III, look at the items you can
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