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Glasses - countable or uncountable noun?
The Next CEO of Stack OverflowIs “pair of scissors” more correct than “scissors”?Countable vs. Uncountable NounsWhen does an uncountable noun become countable?Is numbers countable or uncountable?Is 'experience' countable or uncountable?Use of “age” as an uncountable & countable nounPossible “rule” for uncountable nounsWhen can uncountable nouns be countable?Does English have any singularia tantum besides mass nouns?What/such + [indefinite article] + uncountable noun (without an adjective)Is traffic a countable noun or an uncountable noun?
Is word glasses countable or uncountable?
Are these sentences correct?
These glasses (referring to one pair of glasses) are my favourite!
I have quite a few glasses in my drawer, however, my favourite ones are red, dark blue and black.
I have lots of glasses in my drawer.
I have lots of pairs of glasses.
Which question is correct when pointing at the picture of one pair of glasses ?
What is this? or What are these?
nouns uncountable-nouns countable-nouns pluralia-tantum
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
109k30295475
asked Dec 18 '18 at 19:02
Amber JAmber J
162
add a comment |
Is word glasses countable or uncountable?
Are these sentences correct?
These glasses (referring to one pair of glasses) are my favourite!
I have quite a few glasses in my drawer, however, my favourite ones are red, dark blue and black.
I have lots of glasses in my drawer.
I have lots of pairs of glasses.
Which question is correct when pointing at the picture of one pair of glasses ?
What is this? or What are these?
nouns uncountable-nouns countable-nouns pluralia-tantum
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
109k30295475
asked Dec 18 '18 at 19:02
Amber JAmber J
162
2
Glasses are like pants in English, requiring the counter pair to make them countable: pair of pants, pair of glasses ...
– Robusto
Dec 18 '18 at 19:53
add a comment |
Is word glasses countable or uncountable?
Are these sentences correct?
These glasses (referring to one pair of glasses) are my favourite!
I have quite a few glasses in my drawer, however, my favourite ones are red, dark blue and black.
I have lots of glasses in my drawer.
I have lots of pairs of glasses.
Which question is correct when pointing at the picture of one pair of glasses ?
What is this? or What are these?
nouns uncountable-nouns countable-nouns pluralia-tantum
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
109k30295475
asked Dec 18 '18 at 19:02
Amber JAmber J
162
Is word glasses countable or uncountable?
Are these sentences correct?
These glasses (referring to one pair of glasses) are my favourite!
I have quite a few glasses in my drawer, however, my favourite ones are red, dark blue and black.
I have lots of glasses in my drawer.
I have lots of pairs of glasses.
Which question is correct when pointing at the picture of one pair of glasses ?
What is this? or What are these?
nouns uncountable-nouns countable-nouns pluralia-tantum
nouns uncountable-nouns countable-nouns pluralia-tantum
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
109k30295475
asked Dec 18 '18 at 19:02
Amber JAmber J
162
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
109k30295475
asked Dec 18 '18 at 19:02
Amber JAmber J
162
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
109k30295475
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
109k30295475
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
109k30295475
109k30295475
asked Dec 18 '18 at 19:02
Amber JAmber J
162
asked Dec 18 '18 at 19:02
Amber JAmber J
162
asked Dec 18 '18 at 19:02
Amber JAmber J
162
162
2
Glasses are like pants in English, requiring the counter pair to make them countable: pair of pants, pair of glasses ...
– Robusto
Dec 18 '18 at 19:53
add a comment |
2
Glasses are like pants in English, requiring the counter pair to make them countable: pair of pants, pair of glasses ...
– Robusto
Dec 18 '18 at 19:53
2
2
Glasses are like pants in English, requiring the counter pair to make them countable: pair of pants, pair of glasses ...
– Robusto
Dec 18 '18 at 19:53
Glasses are like pants in English, requiring the counter pair to make them countable: pair of pants, pair of glasses ...
– Robusto
Dec 18 '18 at 19:53
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
Words such as glasses, pants, trousers, or scissors/shears are plural only; the technical term is the Latin pluralia tantum, sg. plurale tantum. The word in the sense of eyeglasses is not countable: if you break a pair in half, you don’t get a right and left *eyeglass, only a useless half a pair of glasses in each hand and a trip to the optometrist. You have to say my two pair(s) of sunglasses just as you have to say three pieces of luggage.
answered Dec 18 '18 at 19:24
KarlGKarlG
22.7k63261
add a comment |
Words like "glasses" (in the sense "eyeglasses", not "drinking glasses") are kind of unusual. I don't know how useful it is to just call it "countable" or "uncountable", although if I had to choose I would say "uncountable".
You’re asking about several different things here.
These glasses (referring to one pair of glasses) are my favourite!
This is acceptable. "Glasses" triggers plural agreement on other words in the noun phrase. It also triggers plural agreement on a verb that has a noun phrase headed by "glasses" as its subject.
I have quite a few glasses in my drawer, however, my favourite ones are red, dark blue and black.
I have lots of glasses in my drawer.
These aren’t acceptable for me. The first seems worse than the second for some reason. Maybe there are some speakers that would accept one or both, but in general, "quite a few glasses" and "lots of glasses" would be understood as referring to drinking glasses.
I have lots of pairs of glasses.
This is acceptable.
You can say either “What is this?” or “What are these?”; I don’t think it makes much difference. The question doesn't contain the word "glasses", so I don't think the plural form is mandatory, but it seems possible.
Sometimes a noun that is plural for some speakers can be used as a singular by others. See this post by a speaker who says “a scissors”: Is "pair of scissors" more correct than "scissors"? (Some nouns have even started as singular and come to be used as plural, like forceps, from a Latin singular form.)
But I’ve never heard “a glasses”.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 0:52
sumelicsumelic
50.3k8120227
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
2
active
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active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Words such as glasses, pants, trousers, or scissors/shears are plural only; the technical term is the Latin pluralia tantum, sg. plurale tantum. The word in the sense of eyeglasses is not countable: if you break a pair in half, you don’t get a right and left *eyeglass, only a useless half a pair of glasses in each hand and a trip to the optometrist. You have to say my two pair(s) of sunglasses just as you have to say three pieces of luggage.
answered Dec 18 '18 at 19:24
KarlGKarlG
22.7k63261
add a comment |
Words such as glasses, pants, trousers, or scissors/shears are plural only; the technical term is the Latin pluralia tantum, sg. plurale tantum. The word in the sense of eyeglasses is not countable: if you break a pair in half, you don’t get a right and left *eyeglass, only a useless half a pair of glasses in each hand and a trip to the optometrist. You have to say my two pair(s) of sunglasses just as you have to say three pieces of luggage.
answered Dec 18 '18 at 19:24
KarlGKarlG
22.7k63261
add a comment |
Words such as glasses, pants, trousers, or scissors/shears are plural only; the technical term is the Latin pluralia tantum, sg. plurale tantum. The word in the sense of eyeglasses is not countable: if you break a pair in half, you don’t get a right and left *eyeglass, only a useless half a pair of glasses in each hand and a trip to the optometrist. You have to say my two pair(s) of sunglasses just as you have to say three pieces of luggage.
answered Dec 18 '18 at 19:24
KarlGKarlG
22.7k63261
Words such as glasses, pants, trousers, or scissors/shears are plural only; the technical term is the Latin pluralia tantum, sg. plurale tantum. The word in the sense of eyeglasses is not countable: if you break a pair in half, you don’t get a right and left *eyeglass, only a useless half a pair of glasses in each hand and a trip to the optometrist. You have to say my two pair(s) of sunglasses just as you have to say three pieces of luggage.
answered Dec 18 '18 at 19:24
KarlGKarlG
22.7k63261
edited Dec 18 '18 at 19:34
answered Dec 18 '18 at 19:24
KarlGKarlG
22.7k63261
answered Dec 18 '18 at 19:24
KarlGKarlG
22.7k63261
answered Dec 18 '18 at 19:24
KarlGKarlG
22.7k63261
22.7k63261
add a comment |
add a comment |
Words like "glasses" (in the sense "eyeglasses", not "drinking glasses") are kind of unusual. I don't know how useful it is to just call it "countable" or "uncountable", although if I had to choose I would say "uncountable".
You’re asking about several different things here.
These glasses (referring to one pair of glasses) are my favourite!
This is acceptable. "Glasses" triggers plural agreement on other words in the noun phrase. It also triggers plural agreement on a verb that has a noun phrase headed by "glasses" as its subject.
I have quite a few glasses in my drawer, however, my favourite ones are red, dark blue and black.
I have lots of glasses in my drawer.
These aren’t acceptable for me. The first seems worse than the second for some reason. Maybe there are some speakers that would accept one or both, but in general, "quite a few glasses" and "lots of glasses" would be understood as referring to drinking glasses.
I have lots of pairs of glasses.
This is acceptable.
You can say either “What is this?” or “What are these?”; I don’t think it makes much difference. The question doesn't contain the word "glasses", so I don't think the plural form is mandatory, but it seems possible.
Sometimes a noun that is plural for some speakers can be used as a singular by others. See this post by a speaker who says “a scissors”: Is "pair of scissors" more correct than "scissors"? (Some nouns have even started as singular and come to be used as plural, like forceps, from a Latin singular form.)
But I’ve never heard “a glasses”.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 0:52
sumelicsumelic
50.3k8120227
add a comment |
Words like "glasses" (in the sense "eyeglasses", not "drinking glasses") are kind of unusual. I don't know how useful it is to just call it "countable" or "uncountable", although if I had to choose I would say "uncountable".
You’re asking about several different things here.
These glasses (referring to one pair of glasses) are my favourite!
This is acceptable. "Glasses" triggers plural agreement on other words in the noun phrase. It also triggers plural agreement on a verb that has a noun phrase headed by "glasses" as its subject.
I have quite a few glasses in my drawer, however, my favourite ones are red, dark blue and black.
I have lots of glasses in my drawer.
These aren’t acceptable for me. The first seems worse than the second for some reason. Maybe there are some speakers that would accept one or both, but in general, "quite a few glasses" and "lots of glasses" would be understood as referring to drinking glasses.
I have lots of pairs of glasses.
This is acceptable.
You can say either “What is this?” or “What are these?”; I don’t think it makes much difference. The question doesn't contain the word "glasses", so I don't think the plural form is mandatory, but it seems possible.
Sometimes a noun that is plural for some speakers can be used as a singular by others. See this post by a speaker who says “a scissors”: Is "pair of scissors" more correct than "scissors"? (Some nouns have even started as singular and come to be used as plural, like forceps, from a Latin singular form.)
But I’ve never heard “a glasses”.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 0:52
sumelicsumelic
50.3k8120227
add a comment |
Words like "glasses" (in the sense "eyeglasses", not "drinking glasses") are kind of unusual. I don't know how useful it is to just call it "countable" or "uncountable", although if I had to choose I would say "uncountable".
You’re asking about several different things here.
These glasses (referring to one pair of glasses) are my favourite!
This is acceptable. "Glasses" triggers plural agreement on other words in the noun phrase. It also triggers plural agreement on a verb that has a noun phrase headed by "glasses" as its subject.
I have quite a few glasses in my drawer, however, my favourite ones are red, dark blue and black.
I have lots of glasses in my drawer.
These aren’t acceptable for me. The first seems worse than the second for some reason. Maybe there are some speakers that would accept one or both, but in general, "quite a few glasses" and "lots of glasses" would be understood as referring to drinking glasses.
I have lots of pairs of glasses.
This is acceptable.
You can say either “What is this?” or “What are these?”; I don’t think it makes much difference. The question doesn't contain the word "glasses", so I don't think the plural form is mandatory, but it seems possible.
Sometimes a noun that is plural for some speakers can be used as a singular by others. See this post by a speaker who says “a scissors”: Is "pair of scissors" more correct than "scissors"? (Some nouns have even started as singular and come to be used as plural, like forceps, from a Latin singular form.)
But I’ve never heard “a glasses”.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 0:52
sumelicsumelic
50.3k8120227
Words like "glasses" (in the sense "eyeglasses", not "drinking glasses") are kind of unusual. I don't know how useful it is to just call it "countable" or "uncountable", although if I had to choose I would say "uncountable".
You’re asking about several different things here.
These glasses (referring to one pair of glasses) are my favourite!
This is acceptable. "Glasses" triggers plural agreement on other words in the noun phrase. It also triggers plural agreement on a verb that has a noun phrase headed by "glasses" as its subject.
I have quite a few glasses in my drawer, however, my favourite ones are red, dark blue and black.
I have lots of glasses in my drawer.
These aren’t acceptable for me. The first seems worse than the second for some reason. Maybe there are some speakers that would accept one or both, but in general, "quite a few glasses" and "lots of glasses" would be understood as referring to drinking glasses.
I have lots of pairs of glasses.
This is acceptable.
You can say either “What is this?” or “What are these?”; I don’t think it makes much difference. The question doesn't contain the word "glasses", so I don't think the plural form is mandatory, but it seems possible.
Sometimes a noun that is plural for some speakers can be used as a singular by others. See this post by a speaker who says “a scissors”: Is "pair of scissors" more correct than "scissors"? (Some nouns have even started as singular and come to be used as plural, like forceps, from a Latin singular form.)
But I’ve never heard “a glasses”.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 0:52
sumelicsumelic
50.3k8120227
edited Dec 19 '18 at 4:51
answered Dec 19 '18 at 0:52
sumelicsumelic
50.3k8120227
answered Dec 19 '18 at 0:52
sumelicsumelic
50.3k8120227
answered Dec 19 '18 at 0:52
sumelicsumelic
50.3k8120227
50.3k8120227
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Glasses are like pants in English, requiring the counter pair to make them countable: pair of pants, pair of glasses ...
– Robusto
Dec 18 '18 at 19:53