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<font size="-1"><font face="Comic Sans MS"></font></font><big><font
size="-1"><big>This is not relevant to the Bantu discussion on another
newsgroup,
but here are some comments on John's good discussion about English
nouns:</big></font></big><br>
<br>
John Roberts wrote:
<blockquote cite="midlist-115207884@mail.link77.net" type="cite">...<br>
So you can have a noun like "dust" which under the singular/plural
distinction is a singular noun but under the count/mass distinction is
a mass noun. You can have a noun like "sheep" which under the
singular/plural distinction is a singular noun but under the count/mass
distinction is a count noun, e.g. "three sheep". </blockquote>
Verb agreement here, which appears to follow the count/mass distinction
rather than the singular/plural form:<br>
<br>
The dust is very bad during dry season.<br>
vs.<br>
The sheep are invading our yard.<br>
<br>
Then take the following examples:<br>
American English: <br>
The company is announcing a major reorganization.<br>
SIL is studying languages around the world.<br>
<br>
British (and Australian, etc.) English:<br>
The company are announcing a major reorganisation.<br>
SIL are studying languages around the world.<br>
<br>
Does this indicate that we Americans depersonalize our corporations
& organizations, whereas you "original English speakers" think of a
company more in terms of its individuals? I've been puzzling over this
one for a while.<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="midlist-115207884@mail.link77.net" type="cite">Some
nouns have a singular/plural distinction but can be used in certain
senses/contexts as though they are a singular noun. E.g. "He is always
thinking about his past/*pasts. cf. They are always thinking about
their past/pasts." Here I would say "past" is being used as a mass noun
as a perspective to view all the events of his past life. Some nouns
have a singular/plural distinction but can be used in certain
senses/contexts as though they are a plural noun. E.g. 'We go to
Cheltenham for the waters/*water.' 'We live in the wilds/*wild of
Buckinghamshire.' 'I went to the pictures/*picture last night.'
Likewise I would say the plural nouns "waters", "wilds" and "pictures"
are being used as mass nouns rather than count nouns in these contexts.<br>
...<br>
</blockquote>
However, I *think* (does someone disagree with this?) that "waters",
"wilds" and "pictures" take plural verb forms, in contrast to the mass
nouns "dust" above (along with "rice" and others). So verb agreement
for these plural+mass nouns agrees with the form rather than the
count/mass distinction, at least in American English:<br>
The movies (Brit:pictures) are a good way to spend an evening.<br>
The wilds of Buckinghamshire are fascinating. <br>
(I can also say "The wilds of Buckinghamshire is a fascinating
area." <br>
But I think this is actually giving a name to the region, i.e.,
"the Wilds of Buckinghamshire...)<br>
Cheltenham's waters are famous.<br>
<br>
What do "y'all Brits" do with these examples?<br>
<br>
Kim Blewett<br>
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