Unit 13: The expression of quantity

The notion of quantity Quantity is defined as = determinate, infinite, estimated/total

amount of something. It Involves relation of magnitude, multitude, dimension, equality &
proportion. Original marker for quantity = NUMBER = affects nouns (countable &
uncountable) + pronouns & determiners, quantifyers, partitives, adverbs (gradation).
Nouns= Definition: member of a large, open part of speech = occur as the main word in
subject/clause, the object of verb, the object of preposition.
Types of nouns:
a) Proper nouns = unique reference = number is possible
b) Common nouns = not unique reference = number is possible
countable vs uncountable
take the definite/indefinite article (in singular) & the definite & indefinite determinant
in plural.
Non-count = definite article & indefinite determinant
c) Singular/plural (according to number). Singular = quantity (one), unique reference,
undifferentiated mass
Plural = quantity (one or more), unique referent, units plural composition.
d) Concrete/abstract (semantically)
Concrete = measurable & countable
Abstract = non-measurable & uncountable
The grammatical category of number
Plural formation (general rules)
 Sound = Voiceless sounds /s/, Voiced sounds /z/, sibilants /iz/
 Spelling= sibilant (es), vowel + Y (s), consonant + y (ies), o (s/es).
Irregular plural formation
 Voicing /f/ ending = scarf, calf, knife, leaf & /ɵ/ ending = No changes in spelling =
voiced in lots of cases.
 Vowels change = due to declensions in the Old English language (man, woman, foot,
goose...)
 Zero Plural = animals (sheep, deer, cod, fish) & other words (woodcock, peasant,
herring, salmon).
 Foreign Plurals (regular & plural formation)
us i Stimuli, bacilli
us a Corpora, general
a ae Antennae, formulae
um a Curricula, strata
Ex/ix ices Appendices, indices
is es Analyses, theses
on a Criteria, phenomena
ou i Tempi, virtuosi
 Nouns of Quantity – Premodified with another quantitative word
 Nouns resistant to number contrast
 Ordinarily singular- proper nouns, uncountable, ending in “S” (physics),
Collective (Ame)
 Ordinarily plural – Binary nouns (two parts as “glasses” ) & aggregate nouns with
many parts (data, media)
Pronouns
Pro-forms associated with noun phrases. The grammar rules & situational context –
establishment of referential meaning of pronouns.
5 classes; (1) Central, (2) relative, (3), Interrogative, (4) demonstrative, (5) indefinite
 Relative & interrogative – characterized by lack of number distinction
 Demonstrative – Deictic contrast (time & space perception) & number distinction in
accordance with the accompanied noun.
 Central: (1) subject (primary), (2) reflexive, (3) possessive – 1st, 2nd & 3rd person in
the plural & the singular to distinguish them (also in gender).
 Pronoun “we” = inclusive value & exclusive value
 Plural forms = generic reference; (1) we (involvement), (2) you (interest in the
person addressed, (3) they (detachment/regret)
 Reflexive pronouns= co-referential with noun in so far as noun, gender, person,
number
 Indefinite pronouns = quantity (either zero to totality) = countability & number. Two
main classes; (1) universal & (2) partitive.
Universal indefinites
Countable Uncountable
Singular assertive (+) Everyone/everybody All, none
Everything
Each
Singular non-assertive (-) No one/nobody None
Nothing
None/either
Plural assertive (+) All, both
Plural non-assertive (-) None
Written as single words except for “no one”
Plural reference (compounds) & “each” – usage of singular nouns
The others – Plural reference
Partitive indefinites
Countable Uncountable
Singular assertive (+) Someone/somebody some
Something
Plural assertive (+) Some
Singular non-assertive (-) Anyone/anybody any
Anything
Plural non-assertive (-) Any
 Some (usage with countable & uncountable) & any (no number distinction)
Determiners
3 classifications in line with position in the noun phrase;
1) Central determiners
Countable Uncountable
The singular The book The Music
Plural The books
A singular A book
Zero singular Music
Plural Books
 Demonstratives (This, these, that, those) (work the same as the determiner/definite
article “the”)
 Negative determiner: “No” as in “no books”, “it makes no sense”
 Indefinite article/determiner “a” = “every/each”, “either/neither”
 Zero determiner = “some”, “any”, “enough”

2) Pre-determiners
 All/both = always plural nouns (all the books) & zero determiner (both books)
 Half = (1) plural nouns, (2) singular count nouns, (3) uncount nouns
 Fractions = represent a section/part of the whole (three quarters of the book)
 Multipliers = (1) preceding definite article/demonstrative/possesive of the noun
(three times his age), (2) preceding indefinite article, each, every (quantity of
determiner) (twice each game)
3) Post-determiners = ORDINALS (First, Second, third, last...); “the first man to
arrive”
Numerals
3 different sets of numerals can be distinguished
1) Cardinal numbers giving exact amount of smth = function as determiners &
ocurrence in the plural is possible (one egg, two balls)
2) Ordinal numbers expressing sequence of order of items =
3) Fractions formed by two measurement units
Quantifyers
1) Much/many, Little/few = similar meaning but different usage with uncountable, plural
countable nouns & pronouns
2) A lot of, lots of, plenty of = Similar meaning to much/many but more informal use.
Usage is possible with countable & uncountable nouns
3) Several = determiner with plural nouns & pronoun (indefinite amount). It can have a
preposition (of) after a determinant (several of my friends).
4) Either= (1) determiner with singular/plural count nouns to indicate 2 possibilities, (2)
before other determinants (preposition of), (3) as a pronoun
Partitive Constructions
 Denote a part/section of a whole
 Formed by countable/uncountable noun (Partitive) + Of-Phrase (a piece of, an
amount of...).
 Usage (usually with cardinal nouns)
 Uncountable nouns (two slices of bread)
 Countable nouns (a flock of pigeons)
 The singular (a piece of a tie) = premodified by an adjective (a great number of
students), precise units of measurement in so far as volume (a pint of beer), weight
(a pound of tobacco), length (a meter of fabric)
 Used with ordinal numbers (fractions); a quarter of beer
 Restrictive partitives (used in expressions) of (1) uncountable nouns (an atom of
truth, a lump of sugar) & (2) countable nouns (a crown of people, a herd of cattle, a
flock of birds).
The Notion of Gradability
 Adjectives & Adverbs = no number constrast = gradability is possible because (1)
they can be premodified (very happy), (2) can be compared (happier)
 Semantically, a number of adjectives indicatge quantity (as in “a small number”)
 Adverbs convey the idea of “amplification” (he badly needed) & “Diminution” (She
helped him a little)