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The answer to the question, though, does not leave space for any uncertainty: the category of number is one
of the regular variable categories in the grammatical system of the English language. The variability of the
category is simply given in its form, i.e. in the forms of the bulk of English nouns which do distinguish it by
means of the described binary paradigm. As for the differences in meaning, these arise from the interaction
between the underlying oppositional sememic marks of the category and the more concrete lexical differences
in the semantics of individual words.
§  3. The most general quantitative characteristics of individual words constitute the lexico-grammatical
base for dividing the nounal vocabulary as a whole into countable nouns and uncountable nouns. The constant
categorial feature "quantitative structure" (see Ch. V, § 3) is directly connected with the variable feature
"number", since uncountable nouns are treated grammatically as either singular or plural. Namely, the singular
uncountable nouns are modified by the non-discrete quantifiers much or little, and they take the finite verb in
the singular, while the plural uncountable nouns take the finite verb in the plural.
The two subclasses of uncountable nouns are usually referred to, respectively, as singularia tantum (only
singular) and pluralia tantum (only plural). In terms of oppositions we may say that in the formation of the two
subclasses of uncountable nouns the number opposition is "constantly" (lexically) reduced either to the weak
member (singularia tantum) or to the strong member (pluralia tantum).
Since the grammatical form of the uncountable nouns of the singularia tantum subclass is not excluded from
the category of number, it stands to reason to speak of it as the "absolute" singular, as different from the
"correlative" or "common" singular of the countable nouns. The absolute singular excludes the use of the
modifying numeral one, as well as the indefinite article.
The absolute singular is characteristic of the names of abstract notions (peace, love, joy, courage, friendship,
etc.), the names of the branches of professional activity (chemistry, architecture, mathematics, linguistics, etc.),
the names of mass materials (water, snow, steel, hair, etc.), the names of collective inanimate objects (foliage,
fruit, furniture, machinery, etc.). Some of these words can be used in the form of the common singular with the
common plural counterpart, but in this case they come to mean either different sorts of materials, or separate
concrete manifestations of the qualities denoted by abstract nouns, or concrete objects exhibiting the respective
qualities. Cf.:
Joy is absolutely necessary for normal human life.-It was a joy to see her among us. Helmets for motor-
cycling are nowadays made of plastics instead of steel. - Using different modifications of the described method,
super-strong steels are produced for various purposes. Etc.
The lexicalizing effect of the correlative number forms (both singular and plural) in such cases is evident,
since the categorial component of the referential meaning in each of them is changed from uncountability to
countability. Thus, the oppositional reduction is here nullified in a peculiarly lexicalizing way, and the full
oppositional force of the category of number is rehabilitated.
Common number with uncountable singular nouns can also be expressed by means of combining them with
words showing discreteness, such as bit, piece, item, sort. Cf.:
The last two items of news were quite sensational. Now I'd like to add one more bit of information. You
might as well dispense with one or two pieces of furniture in the hall.                  
This kind of rendering the grammatical meaning of common number with uncountable nouns is, in due
siluational conditions, so regular that it can be regarded as special suppletivity in the categorial system of
number (see Ch. III, § 4).
On the other hand, the absolute singular, by way of functional oppositional reduction, can be used with
countable nouns. In such cases the nouns are taken to express either the corresponding abstract ideas, or else,
the meaning of some mass material correlated with its countable referent. Cf.:
Waltz is a lovely dance. There was dead desert all around them. The refugees needed shelter. Have we got
chicken for the second course?
Under this heading (namely, the first of the above two sub-points) comes also the generic use of the
singular. Cf.:
Man's immortality lies in his deeds. Wild elephant in the Jungle can be very dangerous.
In the sphere of the plural, likewise, we must recognize the common plural form as the regular feature of
countability, and the absolute plural form peculiar to the uncountable subclass of pluralia tantum nouns. The
absolute plural, as different from the common plural, cannot directly combine with numerals, and only
occasionally does it combine with discrete quantifiers (many, few, etc.).
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