Chapter 4

NounRaveendra Tudangil

Outline• THE NOUN: KINDS OF NOUNS

• THE NOUN: GENDER

• THE NOUN: NUMBER

• THE NOUN: CASE

THE NOUN: KINDS OF NOUNS• Common Noun and Proper Noun

• A Noun is a word used as the name of a person, place or thing.

• Note: The words thing is used to mean anything that we can think of.

• Look at the following sentence:-• Ashoka was a wise king.

• The noun Ashoka refers to a particular king, but the noun king might be applied to any other king as well as to Ashoka. We call Ashoka a Proper Noun, and king a Common Noun.

THE NOUN: KINDS OF NOUNS(Contd.)• Common Noun and Proper Noun

• Similarly:-

• MIsha is a Proper Noun, while girl is a Common Noun.

• John is a Proper Noun, while boy is a Common Noun.

• London is a Proper Noun, while city is a Common Noun.

• India is a Proper Noun, while country is a Common Noun.

• The word girl is a Common Noun, because it is a name common to all girls, while Misha is a Proper Noun because it is the name of a particular girl.

THE NOUN: KINDS OF NOUNS(Contd.)• Common Noun and Proper Noun

• A Common Noun is a name given in common to every person or thing of the same class or kind.

• A Proper Noun is the name of some particular person or place.

• Proper Nouns are always written with a capital letter at the beginning.

• Proper Nouns are sometimes used as Common Nouns; as,

• He was the Lukman (=the wisest man) of his age.

• Kalidas is often called the Shakespeare (=the greatest dramatist) of India.

THE NOUN: KINDS OF NOUNS(Contd.)

Collective Nouns and Abstract Nouns

• Common Nouns include what are called Collective Nouns and Abstract Nouns.

• A Collective Noun is the name of a number (or collection) of persons or things taken together and spoken of as one whole; as,• A fleet = a collection of ships.

• An army =a collection of soldiers.

• A crowd=a collection of people.

• Some other examples of Collective Nouns are:• Mob, team, flock, herd, jury, family, nation, parliament, committee.

• The police dispersed the crowd.

• The jury found the prisoner guilty.

• A herd of cattle is passing.

THE NOUN: KINDS OF NOUNS(Contd.)

Collective Nouns and Abstract Nouns

• An Abstract Noun is usually the name of a quality, action, or state considered apart from the object to which it belongs; as,

• Quality-Goodness, kindness, whiteness, darkness, hardness, brightness, honesty, wisdom, bravery.

• Action-Laughter, theft, movement, judgement, hatred.

• State -Childhood, boyhood, youth, slavery, sleep, sickness, death, poverty.

• The names of all Arts and Sciences (e.g. grammar, music, chemistry etc.) are also Abstract Nouns.

THE NOUN: KINDS OF NOUNS(Contd.)Formation of Abstract Nouns: Abstract Nouns can be formed from Adjectives, Verbs or Common Nouns:

• Abstract Nouns from Adjectives

Bitter Bitterness

Brave Bravery

Broad Breadth

Deep Depth

False Falsehood

Great Greatness

High Height

Honest Honesty

Hot Heat

Humble Humility

Just Justice

Long Length

Poor Poverty

Proud Pride

Prudent Prudence

Short Shortness

True Truth

Vain Vanity

Wide Width

Wise Wisdom

Young Youth


• Abstract Nouns from VerbsAdvise AdviceAdmit AdmissionArrive ArrivalAgree AgreementBehave Behaviour

Believe Belief

Choose Choice

Defend Defence

Depart Departure

Die Death

Expect ExpectationFail FailureFree FreedomHate HatredJudge Judgement

Laugh Laughter

Live Life

Move Motion

Obey Obedience

Permit Permission

Please Pleasure

Protect Protection

Punish Punishment

Relieve Relief

See Sight

Serve Service

Succeed Success

Seize Seizure

Think Thought

Warm Warmth


• Abstract Nouns from Common NounsAgent Agency

Boy Boyhood

Captain Captaincy

Child Childhood

Friend Friendship

Hero Heroism

Infant Infancy

King Kingship

Man Manhood

Owner Ownership

Rascal Rascality

Regent Regency

Rogue Roguery

Slave Slavery

Thief Theft

Exercise 5

Point out the Nouns in the following sentences, and say whether they are Common, Proper, Collective or Abstract:-

• Our class consists of twenty pupils.

• The elephant has great strength.

• Soloman was famous for his wisdom.

• Cleanliness is next to godliness.

• We saw a fleet of ships in the harbour.

• The class is studying grammar.

• The Nile overflows its banks every year.

• A committee of five was appointed.

• The soldiers were rewarded for their bravery.

• Without health there is no happiness.

Exercise 5• Form Abstract Nouns from the following Adjectives:-

Long

___________

Strong

___________

Wide

___________

Broad

___________

High

___________

Young

__________

True

__________

Wise

___________

Free

__________

Poor

___________

Humble

___________

Short

___________

Good

___________

Proud

___________

Just

___________

Decent

___________

Prudent

__________

Vacant

__________

Brave

__________

Vain

__________

Exercise 5• Form Abstract Nouns from the following Verbs:-

Laugh

___________

Believe

___________

Choose

___________

Defend

___________

Free

___________

Obey

__________

Serve

__________

Move

___________

Think

__________

See

___________

Live

___________

Hate

___________

Conceal

___________

Protect

___________

Judge

___________

Expect

___________

Please

__________

Seize

__________

Advise

__________

Pursue

__________

Exercise 5• Form Abstract Nouns from the following Common Nouns:-

King

___________

Infant

___________

Mother

___________

Priest

___________

Friend

___________Man

__________

Owner

__________

Agent

___________

Boy

__________

Captain

___________Thief

___________

Rogue

___________

Hero

___________

Bond

___________

Rascal

___________Woman

___________

Regent

__________

Beggar

__________

Pirate

__________

Patriot

__________

THE NOUN: GENDER• You know that living beings are of either male or the female sex.

Now compare the words in the following pairs:-

• What do you notice?

• The first word of each pair is the name of a male animal.

• The second word of each pair is the name of a female animal.

Boy

Girl

Lion

Lioness

Hero

Heroine

Cock-sparrow

Hen-Sparrow

THE NOUN: GENDER• A noun that denotes a male animal is said to be of the Masculine

Gender.

• The noun that denotes a female animal is said to be of the Feminine Gender.

• A noun that denotes either a male or a female is said to be the Common Gender; as,

• Parent, child, friend, pupil, servant, thief, relation, enemy, cousin, person, orphan, student, baby, monarch, neighbour, infant.

• A noun that denotes a thing that is neither male nor female (i.e., a thing without life) is said to be of Neuter Gender; as,

• Book, pen, room, tree.

• [Neuter means nether, that is, neither male nor female]

THE NOUN: GENDER• Thus we have four kind of genders:

• Note:

• Collective Nouns, even when they denote living beings, are considered of the neuter gender.

• Young children and the lower animals are also referred to as of the neuter gender.

Masculine(male)

Feminine(female)

Common(either sex)

Neuter(neither

sex)

THE NOUN: GENDERTHE FORMATION OF THE FEMININE OF NOUNS

By using an entirely different word; as,Masculine Feminine Bachelor MaidBoy GirlBrother SisterBuck DoeBull(or ox) CowBullock HeiferCock HenColt FillyDog BitchDrake DuckEarl CountessFather MotherFox VixenGander GooseGentleman Lady

Masculine FeminineHart RoeHorse MareHusband WifeKing QueenLord LadyMan WomanMonk NunNephew NiecePapa MammaRam EweSir MadamSon DaughterStag HindUncle AuntWizard Witch


• By adding a syllable (-ess, -ine, -trix, -a, etc.); as,

Masculine Feminine

Author Authoress

Baron Baroness

Count Countess

Giant Giantess

Heir Heiress

Host Hostess

Jew Jewess

Lion Lioness

Manager Manageress

Masculine

Feminine

Mayor Mayoress

Patron Patroness

Peer Peeress

Poet Poetess

Priest Priestess

Prophet Prophetess

Shepherd

Shepherdess

Steward Stewardess

Viscount Viscountess


• [Note that in the following –ess is added after dropping the vowel of the masculine ending.]

Masculine FeminineActor ActressAbbot AbbessBenefactor BenefactressConductor ConductressDuke DuchessEmperor EmpressEnchanter EnchantressFounder FoundressHunter HuntressInstructor InstructressMaster Mistress

Masculine FeminineMurderer MurderessNegro NegressPreceptor PreceptressPrince PrincessSongster SongstressSorcerer SorceressSeamster SeamstressTempter TemptressTiger TigressTraitor TraitressWaiter Waitress

Note: The suffix –ess is the commonestsuffix used to form feminine nouns from the masculine, and it is the only one which we now use in forming a new feminine noun.


Masculine Feminine

Hero Heroine

Administrator Administratrix

Executer Executrix

Testator Testatrix

Masculine Feminine

Czar Czarina

Sultan Sultana

Signor Signora


• By changing a word before or after; as,

Masculine Feminine

Bull-calf Cow-calf

Cock-sparrow Hen-sparrow

He-goat She-goat

He-bear She-bear

Jack-ass Jenny-ass

Man-servant Maid-servant

Masculine Feminine

Grandfather Grandmother

Greatuncle Greataunt

Landlord Landlady

Milkman Milkmaid

Peacock Peahen

Washerman Washerwoman

THE NOUN: NUMBER• Notice the change of form in the second word of each pair:-

• The first word of each pair denotes one thing, the second word of each pair denotes more than one.

Tree

Trees

Box

Boxes

Ox

Oxen

Man

Men

THE NOUN: NUMBER• A Noun that denotes one person or thing is said to be in the

Singular Number; as,

• Boy, girl, cow, bird, tree, book, pen.

• A Noun that denotes more than one person or thing is said to be in the Plural Number; as,

• Boys, girls, cows, birds, trees, books, pens.

• Thus there are two Numbers in English–Singular and the Plural.

THE NOUN: NUMBER• Most Nouns ending in –o also form the plural by adding –es to the

singular; as,

Buffalo, buffaloes; Mango, mangoes; Hero, heroes;

Potato, potatoes; Cargo, cargoes; Echo, echoes;

Negro, negroes;Volcano, volcanoes;

• A few Nouns ending in –o, generally those which are in less common use and are used as abbreviations merely add –s; as,

Dynamo, dynamos; Solo, solos; Ratio, ratios;

Canto, cantos; Memento, mementos; Quarto, quartos;

Piano, pianos; Photo, photos; Stereo, stereos;

THE NOUN: NUMBER• Nouns ending in –y , precede by a consonant, form their plural by changing –y

into I and adding –es; as,

Baby, babies; Lady, ladies; City, cities;

Army, armies; Story, stories; Pony, ponies;

• Several nouns ending in –f or –fe form their plural by changing –f or –fe into v and adding –es; as,

Thief, thieves Wife, wives; Wolf, wolves;

Life, lives; Calf, calves; Leaf, leaves;

Loaf, loaves; Knife, knives; Shelf, shelves;

• EXCEPTIONS: –

Chief, chiefs; Dwarf, dwarfs; Hoof, hooves;

Roof, roofs; Safe, safes; Proof, proofs;

Gulf, gulfs; Serf, serfs; Strife, strifes;

Grief, griefs; Brief, briefs; Belief, beliefs;

THE NOUN: NUMBER• A few nouns form their plural by changing the inside vowel of the

singular; as,

Man, men; Woman, women; Foot, feet Tooth, teeth;

Goose, geese; Mouse, mice Louse, lice;

• There are a few nouns that form their plural by adding –en to the singular; as,

Ox, oxen; Child, children;

THE NOUN: NUMBER• A Compound Noun generally forms its plural by adding –s to the principal word; as,

Singular Plural

Commander-in-chief Commanders-in-chief

Coat-of-mail Coats-of-mail

Son-in-law Sons-in-law

Daughter-in-law Daughters-in-law

Step-son Step-sons

Step-daughter Step-daughters

Maid-servant Maid-servants (but man-servant, plural men-servants)

Passer-by Passers-by

Looker-on Lookers-on

Man-of-war Men-of-war

• Note: We say spoonfuls and handfuls, because spoonful and handful are regarded as one word.

THE NOUN: NUMBER• Letters, figures and other symbols are made plural by adding an

apostrophe and s; as,

• There are more e’s than a’s in this page.

• Dot your i’s and cross your t’s.

• Add two 5’s and four 2’s.

THE NOUN: NUMBERTHE USE OF NOUNS

• Some nouns are used only in the plural.

• Names of instruments which have two parts forming a kind of fair; as,• Bellows, Scissors, Tongs, Pincers, Spectacles.

• Names of certain articles of dress; as,• Trousers, Drawers, breeches.

• Names of certain diseases , as;• Measles, Mumps.

• Names of certain games; as,• Billiards, Draughts.

• Certain other nouns; as,• Annals, Thanks, Tidings, Environs, Nuptials, Obsequies, Assets, Chattels, Proceeds (of

sales).

THE NOUN: NUMBER

THE USE OF NOUNS

• Some Nouns originally singular are now generally used in the plural; as,

• Alms, Riches, Eaves.

• Alms were given to the poor.

• Riches have turned his head.

• The following plural forms are commonly used in singular:-

• Mathematics, Physics, Mechanics, Politics, News, Innings.

• Mathematics is his favourite study.

• No news is good news.

• We won by an innings and three runs.

THE NOUN: NUMBER

THE USE OF NOUNS

• Certain Collective Nouns, though singular in form, are always used as plurals; as,

• Poultry, Cattle, Vermin, People, Gentry.

• These poultry are mine.

• Whose are these cattle?

• Vermin destroy our property and carry disease.

• Who are those people (=persons)?

• There are few gentry in this town.

THE NOUN: CASE• The relation in which a Noun stands to some other word, or the

change of form by which this relation is indicated, is called the Case.

• There are four cases in English:

• The Nominative Case

• The Objective Case

• The Possessive Case

• The Vocative Case

THE NOUN: CASE• When a Noun is used as the Subject of a Verb, it is said to be in the

Nominative Case.

• When a Noun is used as the Object of a Verb, it is said to be in the Objective Case.

• Note:

• To find the Nominative put Who? or What? before the Verb.

• To find the Objective put Whom? or What? before the Verb and its Subject.

THE NOUN: CASE• Example

• John threw a stone.

• The horse kicked the boy.

• Who threw a stone? …………. John (Nominative Case)

• What did John throw? …………. A stone (Objective Case)

• Who kicked the boy? …………. The horse (Nominative Case)

• Whom did the horse kick? …………. The boy(Objective Case)

• A noun which comes after a preposition is also said to be in the Objective Case; as,

• The book is in the desk.

• The noun desk is in Objective Case, governed by the preposition in.

THE NOUN: CASE• When the form of a Noun is changed to show ownership or

possession, it is said to be in the Possessive Case.

• Examine the sentence:

• This is Rama’s umbrella.

• Rama’s umbrella=the umbrella belonging to Rama.

• The form of the noun Rama is changed to Rama’s to show ownership or possession. The Noun Rama’s is therefore aid to be in the Possessive Case.

• The Possessive answers the question, ‘whose?’

• Whose umbrella? – Rama’s.

THE NOUN: CASE

FORMATION OF THE POSSESSIVE CASE

• When the noun is Singular, the Possessive Case is formed by adding ‘s (which is called apostrophe s) to the noun; as,

• The boy’s book; the king’s crown.

• When the noun is Plural, and ends in s, the Possessive Case is formed by adding only an apostrophe; as,

• Boys’ school; girls’ school; horses’ tail.

• When the noun is Plural but does not end in s, the Possessive Case is formed by adding ‘s; as,

• Men’s club; Children’s books.

THE NOUN: CASE• USE OF THE POSSESSIVE CASE

• The Possessive case is now used chiefly with the names of living things; as,

• The Governor’s bodyguard; the lion’s mane.

• Nouns denoting inanimate objects are seldom put in the Possessive Case.

• So we must say:

• The leg of the table [not the table’s leg].

• The cover of the book [not the book’s cover]

• The roof of the house [not the house’s roof]

• Relation in such cases is indicated by the preposition ‘of’.

THE NOUN: CASEUSE OF THE POSSESSIVE CASE

• The Possessive Case was once used with any kind of Noun; but it is now usually restricted to those show below:-

• Nouns denoting persons; as,• Misha’s book; a man’s face.

• Nouns denoting any kind of living thing other than man; as,• A cat’s tail; a horse’s head; a bird’s feather.

• Nouns denoting personified things; as,• India’s heroes, Nature’s laws; Fortune’s favourite; at duty’s call; at death’s door.

• [When an inanimate thing has ascribed to it the attributes of a person, it is said to be personified.]

• Nouns denoting time or space or weight or value; as,• TIME – A day’s journey; a month’s holiday; three week’s leave; a year’s absence; in hours’ time.

• SPACE – A boat’s length; a hair’s breadth; a razor’s edge; a stone’s throw; a needle’s point.

• WEIGHT – A pound’s weight; a ton’s weight;

• VALUE – A shilling’s worth; five pounds’ worth

General Rule: When you are in doubt whether to use a noun in the possessive case or with the preposition ‘of’, remember that, as a general rule, the possessive case is used to denote possession or ownership Thus it is better to say ‘defeat of the enemy’ than the ‘enemy’s defeat’, even though no doubt as to the meaning would arise

THE NOUN: CASE

When a noun is used for the sake of address, it is said to be in the Vocative Case.

• Come on, boys.

• Come into the garden, Mohan.

• Drink, pretty creature drink.

• O Death, where is thy siting?

• Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your years.

THE NOUN: CASE

DIRECT AND INDIRECT OBJECT

• Compare –

• Rama gave a ball.

• Rama gave Hari a ball.

• In each of these sentences the noun ball is the Object of gave.

• In the second sentence, we are told that Hari was the person to whom Rama gave a ball.

• The noun Hari is called the Indirect Object of the verb gave.

• The noun ball, the ordinary object, is called the Direct Object of the verb gave.

THE NOUN: CASE

DIRECT AND INDIRECT OBJECT

• Study the following sentences:

• Rama gave Hari a ball. = Rama gave a ball to Hari.

• Will you do me a favour? = Will you do a favour to me?

• I bought Rama a ball. = I bought a ball for Rama.

• Fetch the boy a book = Fetch a book for the boy.

• She made Ruth a new address. = She made a new address for Ruth.

• Get me a taxi. = Get a taxi for me.

Note:

(1) The position of the Indirect Object is immediately after the verb and before the Direct Object.

(2) The Indirect Object of a verb denotes the person to whom something is given, or for whom something is done.

Chapter 4

Education

Transcript of Chapter 4