Контрольная работа: Сategory of number of nouns
a) The names of things which consist of two similar halves such as scissors, trousers, spectacles, scales (весы), eye-glasses, tongs (щипцы):
These scissors are sharp. Your spectacles are on the table. Your opera-glasses are very good.
b) Nouns which have collective meaning (concrete or abstract):
1. Concrete: stairs, goods, eaves, slums, outskirts, tropics, memoirs, victuals [vitlz] (провизия), supplies, clothes, sweepings, slops (помои), preserves (консервы), parings (кожура), sweets, lodgings (sometimes) lodging; but always board and lodging), etc.:
The car went smoothly and swiftly through the outer suburbs… [4] Beads of water still dripped from the eaves… [ 24] At last they reached the outskirts of the forest… [15] «Got any lodgings – «No.» [10] «Come, hand in eatables.» [10] My clothes were my Sunday best. [2] «I say, can you let a lodging?» [7]
2. Abstract: holidays, tidings, goings-on (поступки), begin nings (also beginning), earnings, wages (often in the singular, especially in the following combinations: a living wage, a fixed wage, a minimum wage), contents, etc.:
She tried to adjust herself to her new surroundings. [4] These are indeed happy tidings. We get good wages. They spent their holidays in the mountains. Bad beginnings make good endings (первыйблинкомом). «Well,» said Wardle, «here are pretty goings-on…» [10] He told me of some of his doings. [5]
3. In some nouns the final – s loses the meaning of the plural inflexion and the noun is treated as a singular. This is the case with the names of sciences and occupations in – ics: mathematics, phonetics, optics, which are usually considered as singular:
Phonetics is the science of sounds. Mathematics is his strong point. Optics is a branch of physics; it treats of light.
These nouns are treated as plurals when practical application is meant:
His phonetics are excellent. The acoustics of this hall are good.
Politics, tactics, gymnastics, athletics are generally regarded as plurals.
«The only politicsI understand,» answered Magnus sternly, «are honest politics.» [6]
4. With some nouns the usage wavers, and the noun is treated either as a singular or as a plural:
The gas-works is (are) situated on the river. Price's works was small. [5] To-day we are going to visit a great smelting-works… [6]
It should be noted that with regard to nouns used only in the plural the English and the Russian usage sometimes differ. Thus the noun opera-glasses is used in English only in the plural, whereas in Russian бинокль has both numbers. The noun сани is used in Russian only in the plural; in English sledge has both numbers. Other nouns are used in one language only in the plural, in the other – only in the singular. Thus in Russian the noun сумерки is used only in the plural, whereas in English the noun twilight is used only in the singular.
1.8 Nouns Used in the Plural in a Special Sense
In some cases the plural form of the noun does not express were pluralities (as in tables = table + table…) but acquires a special meaning. Very often the plural form, besides this specific meaning, may also retain the exact meaning of the singular thus resulting in two homonymous words:
colour = tint, colours = 1) plural of tint, 2) flag:
«I do not mean regimental colours, but the watercolours.» [17]
custom = habit, customs = 1) plural of habit, 2) duties:
Many old customs are dying out. Customs (пошлины) are duties imposed by law on goods imported and exported.
pain = suffering, pains = I) plural of suffering, 2) effort:
She enlivened our journey by describing to us… the various pains she had in her back. [11] «I have examined Adele… and find you have taken great pains with her… [2]
quarter = fourth part, quarters = 1) plural of fourth part, 2) lodgings:
I have read three quarters of the book. We found him ire his old quarters.
work = toil, labour; works in various senses: the works of a watch (механизмчасов), works of art, etc.
1.9 Double Plural Forms
Some nouns have double plurals used with some difference of meaning: