Quantifying Uncountable Nouns

Quantifying Uncountable Nouns

ଏହି ଅଧ୍ୟାୟରେ, ଆମେ ଅଗଣନୀୟ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ କିପରି ମାପିବା କିମ୍ବା ପରିମାଣ କରିବା ତାହା ଶିଖିବା। ଅଗଣନୀୟ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟଗୁଡ଼ିକ ସାଧାରଣତଃ 'a' କିମ୍ବା 'an' ଗ୍ରହଣ କରନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ।

Uncountable nouns refer to things we cannot count individually, such as water, advice, information, milk, or rice [[4]]. We cannot use a/an, one, two, many, few, or several directly before them [[4]], [[5]]. However, we often need to express their quantity. This is done through specific methods.

1. Using Quantifying Units or Measurements

କେତେକ ଅଗଣନୀୟ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟକୁ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ ୟୁନିଟ୍ କିମ୍ବା ମାପ ବ୍ୟବହାର କରି ଗଣନା କରାଯାଇପାରିବ। ଏହା ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ଗଣନୀୟ ଭାବରେ ବ୍ୟବହାର କରିବାରେ ସାହାଯ୍ୟ କରେ।

Sometimes, uncountable things are sold or packed in specific units or measurements. By placing the name of these units or measurements before the uncountable noun, we can quantify them, effectively treating them as countables in context [[2]].

• a cup of tea (ଏକ କପ୍ ଚା)
• a glass of water (ଏକ ଗ୍ଲାସ୍ ପାଣି)
• a bar of soap (ଏକ ବାର୍ ସାବୁନ୍)
• a piece of advice (ଏକ ଉପଦେଶ)
• a sheet of paper (ଏକ ସିଟ୍ କାଗଜ)
• a block of ice (ଏକ ବ୍ଲକ୍ ବରଫ)
• a grain of rice (ଏକ ଚାଉଳ ଦାନା)
• a bottle of milk (ଏକ ବୋତଲ କ୍ଷୀର)
• a tin of jam (ଏକ ଟିଣ ଜାମ୍)

Example: Instead of saying "Bring tea," one might say, "Bring a tea," meaning "a cup of tea" [[1]]. Similarly, "one coffee" means "one cup of coffee," and "an ice-cream" means "a serving of ice-cream" [[1]].

2. Using Specific Quantifiers

ଅଗଣନୀୟ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟ ସହିତ କିଛି ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ ଶବ୍ଦ (quantifiers) ବ୍ୟବହାର କରାଯାଏ, ଯାହା ସେମାନଙ୍କର ପରିମାଣ ଦର୍ଶାଏ। ଏହି ଶବ୍ଦଗୁଡ଼ିକ ସାଧାରଣତଃ ଏକବଚନ କ୍ରିୟା ସହିତ ଆସେ।

Certain words, known as quantifiers, are specifically used with uncountable nouns to indicate quantity [[3]], [[5]]. These usually take singular verbs [[3]], [[5]].

• much: Used primarily in interrogative (questions) and negative sentences [[3]], [[5]].
  • How much water is left? (କେତେ ପାଣି ବାକି ଅଛି?)
  • There isn't much water left. (ବେଶୀ ପାଣି ବାକି ନାହିଁ।)
• little, a little: little means almost nothing or less than required, while a little means a small quantity [[3]], [[5]].
  • There is little water in the jug. (ଜଗରେ ବହୁତ କମ୍ ପାଣି ଅଛି।)
  • There is a little water in the jug. (ଜଗରେ ଟିକିଏ ପାଣି ଅଛି।)
• some: Used in affirmative sentences and sometimes in questions (offers/requests) [[3]], [[5]].
  • There is some water in the pot. (ପାତ୍ରରେ କିଛି ପାଣି ଅଛି।)
  • I need some advice. (ମୋତେ କିଛି ଉପଦେଶ ଦରକାର।)
• any: Used in interrogative and negative sentences [[3]], [[5]].
  • Is there any water in the pot? (ପାତ୍ରରେ କିଛି ପାଣି ଅଛି କି?)
  • They haven't left any work for me. (ସେମାନେ ମୋ ପାଇଁ କୌଣସି କାମ ଛାଡି ନାହାଁନ୍ତି।)
• a lot of, enough, more, less, no: These can be used with both plural count and uncountable nouns [[3]], [[5]].
  • I need a lot of food. (ମୋତେ ବହୁତ ଖାଦ୍ୟ ଦରକାର।)
  • They have enough food for the family. (ସେମାନଙ୍କ ପାଖରେ ପରିବାର ପାଇଁ ଯଥେଷ୍ଟ ଖାଦ୍ୟ ଅଛି।)
  • I need more water. (ମୋତେ ଅଧିକ ପାଣି ଦରକାର।)
  • I have no knowledge of computer. (ମୋର କମ୍ପ୍ୟୁଟର ବିଷୟରେ କୌଣସି ଜ୍ଞାନ ନାହିଁ।)

3. Using Determiners for Specific Reference

ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ ଅଗଣନୀୟ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟକୁ ସୂଚାଇବା ପାଇଁ 'the', 'this', 'that' ଏବଂ possessive (ମୋର, ତୁମର ଇତ୍ୟାଦି) ବ୍ୟବହାର କରାଯାଏ।

While a/an is not used with uncountables, the can be used when referring to a specific instance of an uncountable noun, not in a general sense [[5]], [[8]]. Similarly, this, that, and possessives (my, his) can be used [[5]], [[8]].

• Water is essential for life. (General) (ଜୀବନ ପାଇଁ ପାଣି ଅତ୍ୟାବଶ୍ୟକ।)
• The water in this pot is muddy. (Specific) (ଏହି ପାତ୍ରରେ ଥିବା ପାଣି ମଇଳା ଅଛି।)
• This water is not good to drink. (ଏହି ପାଣି ପିଇବା ପାଇଁ ଭଲ ନୁହେଁ।)
• This is my milk. (ଏହା ମୋର କ୍ଷୀର।)

4. Uncountable Nouns with Plural Forms and Different Meanings

କେତେକ ଅଗଣନୀୟ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟର ବହୁବଚନ ରୂପ ଭିନ୍ନ ଅର୍ଥ ପ୍ରକାଶ କରେ।

Some uncount nouns have different meanings in their plural forms [[2]].

• Sand (material) : We need sand and stone to build houses. (ଘର ତିଆରି କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଆମକୁ ବାଲି ଓ ପଥର ଦରକାର।)
• Sands (large area of sand) : Children are playing in the sands of the river. (ପିଲାମାନେ ନଦୀର ବାଲିରେ ଖେଳୁଛନ୍ତି।)
• Water (a liquid material) : Give me some water to drink. (ମୋତେ ପିଇବାକୁ କିଛି ପାଣି ଦିଅ।)
• Waters (a large water body) : We swam in the waters of Chilika. (ଆମେ ଚିଲିକାର ଜଳରେ ପହଁରିଲୁ।)
• Work (physical or mental labour) : Work is worship. (କର୍ମ ହିଁ ପୂଜା।)
• Works (factory, workshop) : I have got a job in a steel works. (ମୁଁ ଏକ ଷ୍ଟିଲ୍ କାରଖାନାରେ ଚାକିରି ପାଇଛି।)

5. Uncountable Nouns Ending in '-s'

କେତେକ ଅଗଣନୀୟ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟ '-s' ରେ ଶେଷ ହୁଅନ୍ତି, କିନ୍ତୁ ସେମାନେ ଏକବଚନ କ୍ରିୟା ଗ୍ରହଣ କରନ୍ତି।

There are certain nouns ending in '-s' that look like plural countables but are actually uncountable nouns and always go with singular verbs [[6]]. These are mainly names of diseases, subjects of study, or sports activities [[1]], [[6]].

• Diseases: mumps, measles, rabies, diabetes [[1]], [[6]]
  • Measles is a common childhood disease. (ମିଳିମିଳା ଏକ ସାଧାରଣ ଶିଶୁ ରୋଗ।)
• Subjects of study: physics, statistics, economics, electronics, politics, mathematics [[1]], [[6]]
  • Mathematics is my favourite subject. (ଗଣିତ ମୋର ପ୍ରିୟ ବିଷୟ।)
• Sports activities: athletics, billiards, gymnastics [[1]], [[6]]
  • Gymnastics is good for health. (ଜିମ୍ନାଷ୍ଟିକ୍ସ ସ୍ୱାସ୍ଥ୍ୟ ପାଇଁ ଭଲ।)

Worked Example:

Fill in the blanks with appropriate quantifiers or quantifying phrases:

1. I need ____ advice from you. (some/a few)
2. How ____ money do you have? (much/many)
3. Please give me ____ water. (a glass of/a sheet of)
4. There is ____ milk left in the bottle. (little/a little) (meaning a small amount)

Solutions:

1. I need some advice from you. (advice is uncountable, some is appropriate) [[5]]
2. How much money do you have? (money is uncountable, much is used in questions) [[3]], [[5]]
3. Please give me a glass of water. (water is quantified by a unit) [[2]]
4. There is a little milk left in the bottle. (milk is uncountable, a little indicates a small amount) [[3]], [[5]]