Pledge (An) Allegiance

Question

If I am loyal to somebody, do I write: "I pledge allegiance to somebody."or"I pledge AN allegiance to somebody."

Ivanhr · Accepted Answer

pledge allegiance to somebody

PamQueue · Answer

http://articles.latimes.com/2000/feb/02/news/mn-60206

"The firm faced four tough contract negotiations last year that threatened to divide employee loyalties and forced the carrier to cancel some flights."

When to use the countable form and the uncountable form?

Ivanhr · Answer

Clive · Answer

Hi,

If I am loyal to somebody, do I write:

"I pledge allegiance to somebody." Yes
or
"I pledge AN allegiance to somebody." No

OR I pledge my allegiance to somebody.

Note that, other than the American 'Pledge of Allegiance', this is an uncommon thing to say.

I don't think I've ever said these words in my life.

I'd say it another way, eg You can always count on me.

Clive

PamQueue · Answer

"His loyalties lie with the team."
"His loyalty lies with the team."

It must be that both countable and uncountable forms have the same meanings and are used the same way.

Ivanhr · Answer

I would use only the second sentence. Apparently you can use the first one too. I think it's just a matter of idiomatic usage and not so much about the noun being countable or uncountable. One additional note, many uncountable nouns can be used with "a", but to me, that still doesn't mean they're truly countable. There are countless exampless of this usage.

Ex

There's a silence that speaks volumes. (I still don't consider "silence" countable (regardless of the "a") because you would never say "2 silences that speak volumes".

I remember MrM saying on one occasion that "a silence that speaks volumes" can be interpreted as " a kind of silence that speaks volumes" and his explanation seems much better than a simple countable/noncountable distinction, usually resorted to by grammarians.

Pledge (An) Allegiance

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