Martin S Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Classifying Nouns
I am being asked, by my children, for help in classifying a selection of nouns into: person, place, thing or idea.
The word I am having trouble with is family.
Family, as I normally think of it, can be a collection of people as in "I went to the theater with my family." However, it can also be an idea or concept as in "I always treated my guests as if they were family."
Finally, we have a 6th grade exercise book which lists family as thing in the answers, but that just doesn't feel right.
So, which is it, person, thing or idea?
Am I over-analyzing?
The word I am having trouble with is family.
Family, as I normally think of it, can be a collection of people as in "I went to the theater with my family." However, it can also be an idea or concept as in "I always treated my guests as if they were family."
Finally, we have a 6th grade exercise book which lists family as thing in the answers, but that just doesn't feel right.
So, which is it, person, thing or idea?
Am I over-analyzing?
Top answer
Hi Martin; That's the problem with all classification systems. There are always some things that fit more than one category. But "family" classified with "things" is strange to me.
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Hi Martin;
That's the problem with all classification systems. There are always some things that fit more than one category.
But "family" classified with "things" is strange to me. Perhaps they were thinking about animals that live in family groups, or families of dogs or cats rather than human families.
That's the problem with all classification systems. There are always some things that fit more than one category.
But "family" classified with "things" is strange to me. Perhaps they were thinking about animals that live in family groups, or families of dogs or cats rather than human families.
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I think the answer to your question is yes. It is a person (people), thing, and an idea.
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