Transcript Nouns & Verbs

Nouns & Verbs
The Jabberwocky
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought-So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One two! One two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
A Curious Fact About Grammar
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It is not always necessary to understand the
words involved.
Sometimes a word gains its grammatical
value through its meaning.
Sometimes a word gains its grammatical
value through its placement.
Noun Characteristics
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Performs a "thing" function in a sentence.
Some nouns can be identified by their endings.
There are “countable” nouns and “uncountable”
nouns.
They can be singular or plural. A singular noun
must be accompanied by a singular verb, and a
plural noun by a plural verb. This is called
noun/verb agreement.
There are “common nouns," “proper nouns,"
and “pronouns."
Noun Characteristic #1
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Nouns perform a "thing" function in a
sentence.
Pick out the nouns.
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Put the tablecloth on the table.
Put the tablecloth on the table.
Both “tablecloth” and “table” are the
“things” that something is
happening to.
Find the nouns in the following
sentence.
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Landril, a crazy-eyed, intellectual rebel, sat
quietly in the club’s dining room while The
Cowboy Philosopher, a professor from
Yale who long ago had traded a career in
academia for a life in radical political
philosophy, spoke to the diners in that
distinguished smoke-filled room about the
need for more toilet paper in the men’s
room.
14 Nouns – 1 Sentence
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12.
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14.
Landril
rebel
(club’s dining) room
(The Cowboy) Philosopher
professor
Yale
who
career
academia
life
philosophy
diners
toilet paper
(men's) room.
The nouns in context.
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Landril, a crazy-eyed, intellectual rebel,
sat quietly in the club’s dining room
while The Cowboy Philosopher, a
professor from Yale who long ago had
traded a career in academia for a life in
radical political philosophy, spoke to
the diners in that distinguished smokefilled room about the need for more
toilet paper in the men’s room.
Comments
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Notice that a noun in the possessive case frequently
functions as an adjective modifying another noun,
like “club’s dining room” or “men’s room.”
Some grammarians consider them to be possessive
nouns, while others regard them as a form of
possessive adjective.
Likewise, “The Cowboy Philosopher” can be
considered as a noun phrase, or we can consider
the “Cowboy” to be an adjective. In this case, we will
go with it as a noun phrase.
Note too, that because “The Cowboy Philosopher” is
capitalized we also know that it is a name – that is,
it’s a “proper” noun. (See “Noun Characteristic #5.)
Noun Characteristic #2
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Nouns can sometimes be identified by
certain “markers.”
While smithilating in a flaxinator
near the javet, Ralph possilated
with a decktion.
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Find the nouns in the above sentence.
While smithilating in a flaxinator near the javet,
Ralph possilated with a decktion.
While smithilating in a flaxinator near the javet,
Ralph possilated with a decktion.
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What is it about these words that tell us they
are nouns, regardless of whether or not we
know what they mean?
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Articles: a flexinator, the javet – what other?
Endings: words ending in “er” or “or” are generally
nouns – flexinator.
Immediately preceding a verb: Ralph possilated.
These are just a few general markers.
Noun Endings
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er/or - actor, painter
ism - criticism
ist - artist, capitalist
ment- arrangement
tion - foundation
Which words are wrong?
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'Twas brillig, and the slitherism toves
Did gyrement and gimbleration in the
wabe;
All mimism were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabement.
Which words are wrong?
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'Twas brillig, and the slitherism toves
Did gyrement and gimbleration in the
wabe;
All mimism were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabement.
Noun Endings
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Despite their lack of meaning, several of
these words are now identifiably of the
wrong grammatical function for their
place in the sentence.
They are identifiable as nouns, yet they
appear to be trying to function as
adjectives and verbs.
The reason we know they are nouns is
because of their Noun Endings.
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'Twas brillig, and the slitherism toves
Did gyrement and gimbleration in the wabe;
All mimism were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabement.
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Compare this to the list of noun endings.
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er/or
ism
ist
ment
tion
- actor, painter
- criticism
- artist, capitalist
- Arrangement
- foundation
Noun Characteristic #3
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There are “countable” nouns and
“uncountable” nouns.
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Countable nouns are nouns which can be
counted.
Uncountable nouns are nouns which
cannot be counted.
Examples of countable nouns
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Car
Bus
Cat
Communist
Food group
Idea
Unicorn
Examples of uncountable nouns
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Faith
Hope
Synergy
Software
Money
Freedom
Cynicism
Countable nouns and the adjectives
who hate them.
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Often an uncountable noun is paired with a
descriptive word, or “adjective,” that is just
plain wrong.
These are fine:
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“I have fewer hens than you do.”
“I have fewer cars than you do.”
This, however, is just plain wrong:
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“I have fewer money than you do.”
It should be, “I have less money than you do.”
Countability and Role
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Often the countability of a noun is determined
by its role in the sentence.
When I say, “I baked a cake,” the noun “cake”
is countable. I may have baked four cakes.
When I say, “I like cake,” the noun “cake” is
no longer countable.
Uncountability and Articles
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The indefinite articles, like “a” and “an,” never
precede an uncountable noun.
You never say, for instance, “I put a software
on the table.”
Sometimes, however, the definite article, like
“the,” comes before an uncountable noun
when we want to stress it.
Although “patience” isn’t a countable noun,
you might say, “He has the patience of a
saint.”
Noun Characteristic #4
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They can be singular or plural. A singular
noun must be accompanied by a singular
verb, and a plural noun by a plural verb.
This is called noun/verb agreement.
Counting on Agreement:
Noun/Verb Agreement
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Because some nouns can be counted, there will be
occasions in which we find ourselves dealing with
plural nouns.
When a noun can be counted, the appropriate verb
form must be used.
If the noun is plural, then the plural verb form is
required.
If the noun is singular, then the singular verb form is
required.
Counting on Agreement:
Noun/Verb Agreement
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“This car is going to the country.”
But “These cars are going to the country.”
Even if the individual nouns are singular,
when grouped together, they should be
treated as plural.
“Bob is going to the country.”
“Indrani is going to the country.”
But “Bob and Indrani are going to the country.
Countability Changes with Meaning
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Vocabulary: general (“his vocabulary has
increased”) specific (“the many vocabularies
in the world”)
Honesty: general (“there is much honesty in
the city”); specific (“his many honesties
touched me.)
Noun Characteristic #5
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There are “common nouns," “proper
nouns," and “pronouns."
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Proper Nouns
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Common Nouns
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Names: John, National Aeronautics and Space
Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, The OC,
Serenity.
Virtually everything else except…
Pronouns
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Limited number. He, she, it, they, them. A noun
that refers to another noun.
Summary of Noun
Characteristics
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Perform a "thing" function in a sentence.
Some nouns can be identified by their endings.
There are “countable” nouns and “uncountable”
nouns.
They can be singular or plural. A singular noun
must be accompanied by a singular verb, and a
plural noun by a plural verb. This is called
noun/verb agreement.
There are “common nouns," “proper nouns,"
and “pronouns."
Verbs
Summary of Verb
Characteristics
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Performs a “doing” function in a sentence.
Can be singular or plural. Singular verbs must
accompany singular nouns and plural verbs must
accompany plural nouns.
This is called “noun/verb” agreement.
Verbs have “inflections,” which are changes
made according to tense.
Verbs can have “moods.”
Some verbs can be recognized by their endings.
Verb Characteristic #1
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Performs a “doing” function in a sentence.
Find the verbs
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“While smithilating in a flaxinator near the
javet, Ralph possilated with a deckelm.”
“While smithilating in a flaxinator near the
javet, Ralph possilated with a deckelm.”
Verb Characteristic #2
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Can be singular or plural. Singular verbs
must accompany singular nouns and plural
verbs must accompany plural nouns. This is
called “noun/verb” agreement.
Singular and Plural Verbs
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While a “plural noun” is a group of that particular noun
(“cars” for instance), a “plural verb” is not really a group of
that specific verb.
We can have numerous “turkeys,” but we don’t really have
numerous “eatings.”
A “plural verb” is a verb form used in connection with
“plural nouns.” So the noun determines the verb form.
The car is going.
The cars are going.
The frost is creeping across the windows.
The Frosts are moving to Seattle.
A Strange Exception:
The Gerund
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However! Many verbs with the “ing” ending are used for
nouns. “The skiing in Vermont was terrible.” In this case
“skiing,” which is usually a verb (“I went skiing yesterday,”
“I am skiing now”), is being used as a noun.
Any time you see an “ing” word with an article in front of it
(like “the shining,” or “the howling”) it is a gerund.
If a verb really seems to be acting like a noun, check to see
if it is a gerund.
Verb Characteristic #3
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Verbs have “inflections” – changes made
according to tense, person, or number.
Tense:
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Person:
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I went, I am going, I will go
I am going, you are going, he is going
Number:
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He goes, they go.
Inflections
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Some inflections are added to the
verb, generally at the end.
For instance:
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I run; he runs.
I swim; I am swimming.
I think; I thought
Inflections
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Some inflections change the word
entirely.
For instance:
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He is, we are, they were.
I go; he went.
Inflections Used for Tense and
Number
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Present and past tense
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I sit.
I sat.
Singular and plural
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I am sitting.
They are sitting.
Verb Characteristic #4
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Verbs can have “moods.”
Moody Verbs
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There are three moods:
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Indicative
Imperative
Subjunctive
Indicative Mood
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Makes a statement or asks a question.
“His hat is on the hat-rack.” “I have never
shopped at Macy’s.” “Where is my coat?”
Imperative Mood
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Bossy.
“Get your work done!” “Please include cash
with your order form.” “Don’t put that there.”
In the imperative mood, there is often no
subject. (See lecture on subjects and
objects.)
Subjunctive Mood
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The one most likely to trip you up is
the “subjunctive mood.”
This just means “the hypothetical
mood.”
“If I were a rich man,” not “If I was a
rich man.”
Verb Characteristic #5
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Some verbs can be identified by their endings.
Typical Verb Endings
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ate – concentrate, demonstrate, illustrate
ify – Clarify, dignify, magnify
ise/ize – baptise, conceptualise, realise.
We often create new verbs simply by adding
a verb ending to a noun.
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“Priority” gave birth to “prioritize.”
“Real” gave birth to “realize.”
Summary of Verb
Characteristics
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Performs a “doing” function in a sentence.
Can be singular or plural. Singular verbs must
accompany singular nouns and plural verbs must
accompany plural nouns.
This is called “noun/verb” agreement.
Verbs have “inflections,” which are changes
made according to tense.
Verbs can have “moods.”
Some verbs can be recognized by their endings.
The End