Oops - I meant "I am finished." Janet -----Original Message----- From: Castilleja, Janet Sent: Friday, September 21, 2007 9:15 AM To: 'Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar' Subject: RE: ATEG Digest - 19 Sep 2007 to 20 Sep 2007 (#2007-116) OK - maybe not "three embarrassments" but what about a sentence lie "the embarrassments mounted up"? 'Embarrassment' seems like a count noun here. I forgot what it is called when the perfect tense - 'I have finished' - is realized with a form of be - 'I have finished.' Can anyone remind me? I tried looking it up in Quirk et al, and the Cambridge, Longman & Oxford grammars, but I couldn' t find it. Thanks Janet Castilleja Heritage University -----Original Message----- From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Scott Sent: Jueves, 20 de Septiembre de 2007 10:27 p.m. To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: ATEG Digest - 19 Sep 2007 to 20 Sep 2007 (#2007-116) English has mass nouns, count nouns, and limited count nouns. Limited count nouns can be plural but not enumerated without a counter. Not three embarrassments but three instances of embarrassment. People is another limited count noun that is often incorrectly quantified. When I hear someone say three people. I ask if there were three persons and two left the room, how many persons would be left; puzzled, they say "one person. Then I ask if there were three people and two left the room, how many people would be left. Guts is a limited count noun in its normal meaning. His guts spilled out onto the floor--all five of them;{)> My 1982 doctoral dissertation, entitled "Discrepant Subcategorization of nouns in Spanish and English" dealt specifically with matrices identifying mass nouns, count nouns, and limited count nouns in Spanish and English--specifically where the languages do not agree. Note too, that translations of foreign phrases often, but not always, follow the rules of the original language. 3. question on countable and uncountable nouns (3) I would be grateful for your thoughts as to whether or not embarrassment is a countable or uncountable noun or both. In the phrase "to protect the State Department from political embarrassment" it seems to me to be an uncountable noun; yet in the phrase "an embarrassment of riches," embarrassment follows the property of a countable noun, i.e., it can be modified by the indefinite article.=20 =20 Can one say I faced several embarrassments as opposed to I faced several kinds of embarrassment? i.e., embarrassment as a count noun is an instance of embarrassment whereas embarrassment as a noncount noun is the state of being embarrassed? And is there a reliable resource for checking the status of common nouns? =20 Thanks for your thoughts- =20 Natalie Gerber SUNY Fredonia =20 =20 =20 To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ ------_=_NextPart_001_01C7FBBB.8354DBF0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html xmlns:v=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" = xmlns:o=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" = xmlns:w=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" = xmlns:m=3D"http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" = xmlns=3D"http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; = charset=3Dus-ascii"> <meta name=3DGenerator content=3D"Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; text-decoration:underline;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; text-decoration:underline;} span.EmailStyle17 {mso-style-type:personal-compose; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:windowtext;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults v:ext=3D"edit" spidmax=3D"1026" /> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout v:ext=3D"edit"> <o:idmap v:ext=3D"edit" data=3D"1" /> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> </head> <body lang=3DEN-US link=3Dblue vlink=3Dpurple> <div class=3DSection1> <p class=3DMsoNormal>Hello:<o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal>I would be grateful for your thoughts as to whether = or not <i>embarrassment</i> is a countable or uncountable noun or both. In the phrase “to = protect the State Department from political embarrassment” it seems to me to = be an uncountable noun; yet in the phrase “an embarrassment of = riches,” embarrassment follows the property of a countable noun, i.e., it can be modified by the indefinite article. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal>Can one say <i>I faced several embarrassments</i> = as opposed to <i>I faced several kinds of embarrassment</i>? i.e., <i>embarrassment = </i>as a count noun is an instance of embarrassment whereas = <i>embarrassment</i> as a noncount noun is the state of being embarrassed? And is there a reliable = resource for checking the status of common nouns?<o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal>Thanks for your thoughts—<o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal>Natalie Gerber<o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal>SUNY Fredonia<o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> </body> </html> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" <p> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ ------_=_NextPart_001_01C7FBBB.8354DBF0-- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:49:10 -0400 From: "Spruiell, William C" <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: question on countable and uncountable nouns This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C7FBBF.51F9DA16 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Natalie, =20 Your "state" vs. "instance" distinction sounds right on the money to me. The word is usable in either sense, e.g. "Senator Pouncetrifle faced the latest in a string of embarrassments today as his former finance advisor admitted changing the status of some of his campaign funds" vs. "Senator Pouncetrifle has had to deal with a lot of embarrassment recently."=20 =20 ---- Bill Spruiell =20 From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Natalie Gerber Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 3:22 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: question on countable and uncountable nouns =20 Hello: =20 I would be grateful for your thoughts as to whether or not embarrassment is a countable or uncountable noun or both. In the phrase "to protect the State Department from political embarrassment" it seems to me to be an uncountable noun; yet in the phrase "an embarrassment of riches," embarrassment follows the property of a countable noun, i.e., it can be modified by the indefinite article.=20 =20 Can one say I faced several embarrassments as opposed to I faced several kinds of embarrassment? i.e., embarrassment as a count noun is an instance of embarrassment whereas embarrassment as a noncount noun is the state of being embarrassed? And is there a reliable resource for checking the status of common nouns? =20 Thanks for your thoughts- =20 Natalie Gerber SUNY Fredonia =20 =20 =20 To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list"=20 Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/=20 To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ ------_=_NextPart_001_01C7FBBF.51F9DA16 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html xmlns:v=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" = xmlns:o=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" = xmlns:w=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" = xmlns:m=3D"http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" = xmlns=3D"http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; = charset=3Dus-ascii"> <meta name=3DGenerator content=3D"Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;} @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; text-decoration:underline;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; text-decoration:underline;} p {mso-style-priority:99; mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} span.EmailStyle17 {mso-style-type:personal; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:windowtext;} span.EmailStyle19 {mso-style-type:personal-reply; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#1F497D;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; font-size:10.0pt;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults v:ext=3D"edit" spidmax=3D"1026" /> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout v:ext=3D"edit"> <o:idmap v:ext=3D"edit" data=3D"1" /> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> </head> <body lang=3DEN-US link=3Dblue vlink=3Dpurple> <div class=3DSection1> <p class=3DMsoNormal><span = style=3D'color:#1F497D'>Natalie,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><span = style=3D'color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'color:#1F497D'>Your = “state” vs. “instance” distinction sounds right on the money to me. The word is usable in = either sense, e.g. “Senator Pouncetrifle faced the latest in a string of = embarrassments today as his former finance advisor admitted changing the status of some of = his campaign funds” vs. “Senator Pouncetrifle has had to deal = with a lot of embarrassment recently.” <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><span = style=3D'color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'color:#1F497D'>---- Bill = Spruiell<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><span = style=3D'color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <div> <div style=3D'border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt = 0in 0in 0in'> <p class=3DMsoNormal><b><span = style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span >= </b><span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Assembly = for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] <b>On = Behalf Of </b>Natalie Gerber<br> <b>Sent:</b> Thursday, September 20, 2007 3:22 PM<br> <b>To:</b> [log in to unmask]<br> <b>Subject:</b> question on countable and uncountable = nouns<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> </div> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal>Hello:<o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal>I would be grateful for your thoughts as to whether = or not <i>embarrassment</i> is a countable or uncountable noun or both. In the phrase “to = protect the State Department from political embarrassment” it seems to me to be an = uncountable noun; yet in the phrase “an embarrassment of riches,” = embarrassment follows the property of a countable noun, i.e., it can be modified by the indefinite article. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal>Can one say <i>I faced several embarrassments</i> = as opposed to <i>I faced several kinds of embarrassment</i>? i.e., <i>embarrassment = </i>as a count noun is an instance of embarrassment whereas = <i>embarrassment</i> as a noncount noun is the state of being embarrassed? And is there a reliable resource for checking the status of common nouns?<o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal>Thanks for your thoughts—<o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal>Natalie Gerber<o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal>SUNY Fredonia<o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times = New Roman","serif"'>To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface = at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or = leave the list" <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p>Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ <o:p></o:p></p> </div> </body> </html> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" <p> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ ------_=_NextPart_001_01C7FBBF.51F9DA16-- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:51:41 -0400 From: "Veit, Richard" <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: question on countable and uncountable nouns This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C7FBBF.AA914BCA Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Clearly both, as your examples demonstrate. Sometimes we use it as a mass noun, sometimes as a count noun. =20 Dick Veit ________________________________ Richard Veit Department of English University of North Carolina Wilmington ________________________________ From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Natalie Gerber Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 3:22 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: question on countable and uncountable nouns =20 Hello: =20 I would be grateful for your thoughts as to whether or not embarrassment is a countable or uncountable noun or both. In the phrase "to protect the State Department from political embarrassment" it seems to me to be an uncountable noun; yet in the phrase "an embarrassment of riches," embarrassment follows the property of a countable noun, i.e., it can be modified by the indefinite article.=20 =20 Can one say I faced several embarrassments as opposed to I faced several kinds of embarrassment? i.e., embarrassment as a count noun is an instance of embarrassment whereas embarrassment as a noncount noun is the state of being embarrassed? And is there a reliable resource for checking the status of common nouns? =20 Thanks for your thoughts- =20 Natalie Gerber SUNY Fredonia =20 =20 =20 To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list"=20 Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ ------_=_NextPart_001_01C7FBBF.AA914BCA Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html xmlns:v=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" = xmlns:o=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" = xmlns:w=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" = xmlns:st1=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = xmlns=3D"http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:ns0=3D"http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns:ns1=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; = charset=3Dus-ascii"> <meta name=3DGenerator content=3D"Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <!--[if !mso]> <style> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </style> <![endif]--><o:SmartTagType namespaceuri=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = name=3D"City"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name=3D"PlaceName"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name=3D"PlaceType"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name=3D"place"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name=3D"PersonName"/> <!--[if !mso]> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--> <style> <!--a:link {mso-style-priority:99;} span.MSOHYPERLINK {mso-style-priority:99;} a:visited {mso-style-priority:99;} span.MSOHYPERLINKFOLLOWED {mso-style-priority:99;} /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline;} span.EmailStyle17 {mso-style-type:personal; font-family:Calibri; color:windowtext;} span.EmailStyle18 {mso-style-type:personal-reply; font-family:Arial; color:navy;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults v:ext=3D"edit" spidmax=3D"1026" /> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout v:ext=3D"edit"> <o:idmap v:ext=3D"edit" data=3D"1" /> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> </head> <body lang=3DEN-US link=3Dblue vlink=3Dpurple> <div class=3DSection1> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span = style=3D'font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Clearly both, as your examples = demonstrate. Sometimes we use it as a mass noun, sometimes as a count = noun.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span = style=3D'font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span = style=3D'font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Dick = Veit<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <div> <p class=3DMsoNormal = style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font size=3D2 color=3Dteal face=3DArial><span = style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:teal'>________________________________</span></font><font = color=3Dnavy><span style=3D'color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal = style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font size=3D2 color=3Dteal face=3DArial><span = style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:teal'>Richard Veit<br> Department of English<br> </span></font><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span = style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family: Arial'><ns1:PlaceType w:insAuthor=3D"UNCW" = w:insDate=3D"2007-09-20T15:49:00Z" w:endInsAuthor=3D"UNCW" = w:endInsDate=3D"2007-09-20T15:49:00Z"><st1:PlaceType w:st=3D"on"><font color=3Dteal><span = style=3D'color:teal'>University</span></font></st1:PlaceType></ns1:Place T= ype><font color=3Dteal><span style=3D'color:teal'> of </span></font><ns1:PlaceName w:insAuthor=3D"UNCW" w:insDate=3D"2007-09-20T15:49:00Z" = w:endInsAuthor=3D"UNCW" w:endInsDate=3D"2007-09-20T15:49:00Z"><st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on"><font = color=3Dteal><span style=3D'color:teal'>North = Carolina</span></font></st1:PlaceName></ns1:PlaceName><font color=3Dteal><span style=3D'color:teal'> </span></font><ns1:City = w:insAuthor=3D"UNCW" w:insDate=3D"2007-09-20T15:49:00Z" w:endInsAuthor=3D"UNCW" w:endInsDate=3D"2007-09-20T15:49:00Z"><ns1:place w:insAuthor=3D"UNCW" w:insDate=3D"2007-09-20T15:49:00Z" w:endInsAuthor=3D"UNCW" w:endInsDate=3D"2007-09-20T15:49:00Z"><st1:City w:st=3D"on"><st1:place = w:st=3D"on"><font color=3Dteal><span = style=3D'color:teal'>Wilmington</span></font></st1:place></st1:City></ns 1= :place></ns1:City></span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <div> <div class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><font = size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span = style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'> <hr size=3D2 width=3D"100%" align=3Dcenter tabindex=3D-1> </span></font></div> <p class=3DMsoNormal><b><font size=3D2 face=3DTahoma><span = style=3D'font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font = size=3D2 face=3DTahoma><span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> = <st1:PersonName w:st=3D"on">Assembly for the Teaching of English = Grammar</st1:PersonName> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] <b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>On = Behalf Of </span></b>Natalie Gerber<br> <b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Thursday, September = 20, 2007 3:22 PM<br> <b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> = [log in to unmask]<br> <b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> question on = countable and uncountable nouns</span></font><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New = Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New = Roman"'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'>Hello:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'>I would be grateful for your thoughts as to whether or not <i><span style=3D'font-style:italic'>embarrassment</span></i> is a countable or uncountable noun or both. In the phrase “to protect the State = Department from political embarrassment” it seems to me to be an uncountable = noun; yet in the phrase “an embarrassment of riches,” = embarrassment follows the property of a countable noun, i.e., it can be modified by = the indefinite article. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'>Can one say <i><span style=3D'font-style:italic'>I faced several = embarrassments</span></i> as opposed to <i><span style=3D'font-style:italic'>I faced several kinds = of embarrassment</span></i>? i.e., <i><span = style=3D'font-style:italic'>embarrassment </span></i>as a count noun is an instance of embarrassment whereas = <i><span style=3D'font-style:italic'>embarrassment</span></i> as a noncount noun = is the state of being embarrassed? And is there a reliable resource for = checking the status of common nouns?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'>Thanks for your thoughts—<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'>Natalie Gerber<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'>SUNY Fredonia<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DCalibri><span = style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> </body> </html> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web = interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" <p> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" <p> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ ------_=_NextPart_001_01C7FBBF.AA914BCA-- ------------------------------ End of ATEG Digest - 19 Sep 2007 to 20 Sep 2007 (#2007-116) *********************************************************** To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/