Quasi-Count Nouns
"Cattle" is one of a few plural-only nouns which cannot be used with low numerals, but can be used with high round numerals, and hence sometimes called 'quasi-count nouns'. So we can have "Ed has two hundred cattle", or "Ed has a thousand cattle", but not *"Ed has five cattle", or *"Ed has twelve cattle"; instead we'd say "Ed has five head of cattle".
source:https://www.englishforums.com/English/200CattleHeadCattle/blgrnn/post.htm
I don't make out the concept between low nuemerals and high round numerals.
Is this a low numeral as in Ed has fifty cattle? What about forty cattle?
Top answer
You will have to get an answer from BIllJ, who wrote this advice. For me, there is no exact "cut-off" number for the use of such nouns. It all depends on context, usage, regional influences, literary style and personal preferences.
- You will have to get an answer from BIllJ, who wrote this advice.
- For me, there is no exact "cut-off" number for the use of such nouns.
- It all depends on context, usage, regional influences, literary style and personal preferences.
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You will have to get an answer from BIllJ, who wrote this advice.
For me, there is no exact "cut-off" number for the use of such nouns. It all depends on context, usage, regional influences, literary style and personal preferences.
0It's difficult to be precise about where to draw the line, as AS says. Which is why I used numerals at the higher and lower ends of the scale in my original answer.
I'm inclined to say that any round numeral over 100 is fine, but for any number below that a quantificational noun construction with "head" would probably be more appropriate.
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