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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Word "ravioli" - mass noun?
Hi. I was looking at the Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner's English Dictionary for the word "ravioli" and it had this entry.
Ravioli is a type of pasta that is shaped into small squares, filled with minced meat or cheese and served in a sauce.
Here, I see four mass nouns: ravioli, pasta, cheese and sauce. I think the word "cheese" is used generally but the word "sauce" is not. I don't see, in my limited knowledge in this area of grammar, how we need to say "a sauce," which I think means a type or brand of sauce, in the above definition. I think, based on my very limited knowledge in this area of grammar, a type or brand of sauce could work in the sentence if we take a note of our practice that we usually use a brand/type of sauce with (to serve) a ravioli menu. Could we write like this?
Ravioli is a pasta that is shaped into small squares, filled with minced meat or cheese and served in sauce.
Ravioli is a type of pasta that is shaped into small squares, filled with minced meat or cheese and served in a sauce.
Here, I see four mass nouns: ravioli, pasta, cheese and sauce. I think the word "cheese" is used generally but the word "sauce" is not. I don't see, in my limited knowledge in this area of grammar, how we need to say "a sauce," which I think means a type or brand of sauce, in the above definition. I think, based on my very limited knowledge in this area of grammar, a type or brand of sauce could work in the sentence if we take a note of our practice that we usually use a brand/type of sauce with (to serve) a ravioli menu. Could we write like this?
Ravioli is a pasta that is shaped into small squares, filled with minced meat or cheese and served in sauce.
Top answer
'Meat' is also a mass noun. 'A sauce' here is fine; it means a (not specified) kind of sauce. -- This is fine.
- 'Meat' is also a mass noun.
- 'A sauce' here is fine; it means a (not specified) kind of sauce.
- -- This is fine.
- -- This is fine, too.
- Not so common, but 'a (kind of) meat/cheese' can also appear.
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6 Answers
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'Meat' is also a mass noun.
'A sauce' here is fine; it means a (not specified) kind of sauce.
Ravioli is a pasta that is shaped into small squares, filled with minced meat or cheese and served in sauce.-- This is fine.
Ravioli is a pasta that is shaped into small squares, filled with a minced meat or a cheese and served
'A sauce' here is fine; it means a (not specified) kind of sauce.
Ravioli is a pasta that is shaped into small squares, filled with minced meat or cheese and served in sauce.-- This is fine.
Ravioli is a pasta that is shaped into small squares, filled with a minced meat or a cheese and served
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Hi. Why would a person choose to use "a meat" and "a cheese" as part of what goes in (in??) the sandwich? (Sorry, (as a side question) do you see a need to use another "in" in my question?)
You wrote this as part of your previous overall response:
Ravioli is a pasta that is shaped into small squares, filled with minced meat or cheese and served in sauce.-- This
You wrote this as part of your previous overall response:
Ravioli is a pasta that is shaped into small squares, filled with minced meat or cheese and served in sauce.-- This
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Yes, you need 'in' or 'into'.
We would choose 'a meat' or 'a cheese' when there are various meats (salami, bologna, etc) and cheeses (gorgonzola, emmenthal, etc) to choose from.
We would choose 'a meat' or 'a cheese' when there are various meats (salami, bologna, etc) and cheeses (gorgonzola, emmenthal, etc) to choose from.
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Hi. Thank you for your help, but there is something I don't understand.
I know people in countries where the variety is available, they can buy their choice of meat and cheese. But in a person's own kitchen, a person might not have all the choices of meat and cheese there for them to use.
What should we consider when using a countable form (version?) of a mass noun?
A
I know people in countries where the variety is available, they can buy their choice of meat and cheese. But in a person's own kitchen, a person might not have all the choices of meat and cheese there for them to use.
What should we consider when using a countable form (version?) of a mass noun?
A
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Hi Anon:
If I look in my Italian cookbook for ravioli, it has several versions - ravioli in meat sauce, maranara sauce, alfredo sauce. There are many different recipes for ravioli.
So the generic definition "pasta in a sauce" indicates that there will be sauce on the pasta, but it is used with the indefinite article - there can be several kinds to choose from.
Cheers,
If I look in my Italian cookbook for ravioli, it has several versions - ravioli in meat sauce, maranara sauce, alfredo sauce. There are many different recipes for ravioli.
So the generic definition "pasta in a sauce" indicates that there will be sauce on the pasta, but it is used with the indefinite article - there can be several kinds to choose from.
Cheers,
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Thank you for your prompt reply.
So, is it correct to say when we say there is "a meat" or "a cheese" in ravioli, a different variety of recipes for ravioli is what allows the use of "a meat" and "a cheese" in the definition like the one (in Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner's Dictionary) I provided in the starting post of this thread, not their availability in markets or even in a perso
So, is it correct to say when we say there is "a meat" or "a cheese" in ravioli, a different variety of recipes for ravioli is what allows the use of "a meat" and "a cheese" in the definition like the one (in Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner's Dictionary) I provided in the starting post of this thread, not their availability in markets or even in a perso
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