Quantifiers and Possessives

Introduction to Determiners (ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରକ)

ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରକଗୁଡ଼ିକ Noun Phrase ର ପୂର୍ବ-ବିଶେଷଣ (pre-modifiers) ଭାବରେ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରନ୍ତି, ଯାହା Noun ବିଷୟରେ ଅଧିକ ସୂଚନା ଦିଏ। (Determiners act as pre-modifiers of a Noun Phrase, providing additional information about the Noun.)

Determiners are words that come before a noun to clarify what the noun refers to. They include articles, demonstratives, numerals, quantifiers, and possessives. In this lesson, we will focus on Quantifiers and Possessives.

Quantifiers (ପରିମାଣବାଚକ)

ଏହି ଶବ୍ଦଗୁଡ଼ିକ କୌଣସି ଜିନିଷର "କେତେ" ବା "କେତେଗୁଡ଼ିଏ" ଅଛି ତାହା ଦର୍ଶାଏ। (These words show "how much" or "how many" of something there is.)

Quantifiers are determiners that indicate the quantity or amount of a noun. They tell us "how much" or "how many" of something there is. The choice of quantifier often depends on whether the noun is countable (ଗଣନୀୟ) or uncountable (ଅଗଣନୀୟ).

Types of Quantifiers:

• For Plural Count Nouns (ବହୁବଚନ ଗଣନୀୟ Noun ପାଇଁ): These are used with nouns that can be counted and have a plural form.

  • Examples: many, few, a few, several.
  • Example: Many people were present there.
  • Note: Few means almost none (less than expected), while a few means a small number (less in number).

• For Uncount Nouns (ଅଗଣନୀୟ Noun ପାଇଁ): These are used with nouns that cannot be counted individually.

  • Examples: much, little, a little.
  • Example: How much water is left?
  • Note: Much is generally used in interrogative (ପ୍ରଶ୍ନବାଚକ) and negative (ନକାରାତ୍ମକ) sentences. Little means almost nothing (less than required), while a little means a small quantity (very less in quantity).

• For Both Plural Count and Uncount Nouns (ଉଭୟ ପାଇଁ): These can be used with both types of nouns.

  • Examples: any, no, some, enough, more, less, both, all, a lot of, a great deal of.
  • Example (Count): Some birds are flying.
  • Example (Uncount): There is some water in the pot.
  • Note: A lot of is usually used in affirmative (ସକାରାତ୍ମକ) sentences.

Possessives (ଅଧିକାରବାଚକ)

ଏହି ଶବ୍ଦଗୁଡ଼ିକ କିଏ କାହାର ମାଲିକ ତାହା ଦର୍ଶାଏ। (These words show who owns what.)

Possessives are determiners that show ownership or belonging. They answer the question "Whose?" (କାହାର?).

Types of Possessives:

• Nominal Possessives (ନାମବାଚକ ଅଧିକାରବାଚକ): These are formed by adding an apostrophe and 's' to a noun.

  • Examples: Raja's, Meera's.
  • Example: Rashmi’s brother is my friend.

• Pronominal Possessives (ସର୍ବନାମବାଚକ ଅଧିକାରବାଚକ): These are possessive forms of pronouns.

  • Examples: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.
  • Example: Where are my books?

Important Rule:

Possessives do not go with articles (a, an, the), demonstratives (this, that, these, those), and quantifiers (many, much, some, etc.). For example, you cannot say "the my book" or "many my friends." [[1]]

Sequence of Determiners (ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରକର କ୍ରମ)

ଯେତେବେଳେ ଏକାଧିକ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରକ ବ୍ୟବହାର କରାଯାଏ, ସେମାନେ ଏକ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ କ୍ରମରେ ଆସନ୍ତି। (When multiple determiners are used, they come in a specific order.)

When more than one determiner is used in a noun phrase, they follow a definite order. For instance, a quantifier usually comes before a possessive and a cardinal number.

• Example: All my two sons are employed. (Quantifier + Possessive + Cardinal) [[3]]

Worked Examples:

1. Fill in the blank: There isn't ____ oil in the lamp. (many / much)

   • Solution: much (Oil is an uncount noun, so much is appropriate in a negative sentence). [[1]]

2. Correct the error: His all sisters are doctors.

   • Solution: All his sisters are doctors. (The quantifier All must come before the possessive his). [[3]]