CppStudent Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Implication of the use of purals
Hi, I am very confused on the use of purals.
e.g. The customers' receipts are collected to draw prizes.
I have these questions:
1. Because there are many customers, there will be a lot of receipts, so we have to use customers' receipts, pural for customer and pural for receipt, right? And because there are many prizes to be drawn, of course we use prizes, pural for prize, right?
2. Now, does customers' receipts immediately give you an impression that multiple receipts of a single customer (and many of these customers) are collected or single receipt of a single customer (and many of these customers) are collected or it is ambiguous to you?
3. Similarly, does draw prizes immediately give you an impression that "Wow, a receipt can win me many prizes?" or there are simply many prizes to be won by many customers or it is ambiguous to you?
4. But what if each customer can actually only use a receipt to draw one prize? No multiple prizes for a single receipt. To avoid confusion, is it correct to say The customers' receipts are collected to draw prize. in order to enforce the impression that there will only be one prize per receipt? But then the fact that there are many prizes to be won is not reflected in the sentence?
5. Similarly, what if each customer can actually only use one receipt? No multiple entries is allowed. Is it correct to say The customers' receipt is collected to draw prize. in order to enforce the impression that there will only be one entry per customer? But then will this give you the wrong message that the customers have to collaborately group together to produce one group purchase receipt (because it is customers' receipt) to entry?
Of course, we can always make thing clearer by adding more sentences. My question is locked with this single sentence only, what impressions are given to you by the use of purals in the sentence? And in order to express specific meanings, is it correct to make the above amendments to the sentence?
Lastly, do we have a rule on the use of purals to avoid ambiguities or confusions?
Thank you!
e.g. The customers' receipts are collected to draw prizes.
I have these questions:
1. Because there are many customers, there will be a lot of receipts, so we have to use customers' receipts, pural for customer and pural for receipt, right? And because there are many prizes to be drawn, of course we use prizes, pural for prize, right?
2. Now, does customers' receipts immediately give you an impression that multiple receipts of a single customer (and many of these customers) are collected or single receipt of a single customer (and many of these customers) are collected or it is ambiguous to you?
3. Similarly, does draw prizes immediately give you an impression that "Wow, a receipt can win me many prizes?" or there are simply many prizes to be won by many customers or it is ambiguous to you?
4. But what if each customer can actually only use a receipt to draw one prize? No multiple prizes for a single receipt. To avoid confusion, is it correct to say The customers' receipts are collected to draw prize. in order to enforce the impression that there will only be one prize per receipt? But then the fact that there are many prizes to be won is not reflected in the sentence?
5. Similarly, what if each customer can actually only use one receipt? No multiple entries is allowed. Is it correct to say The customers' receipt is collected to draw prize. in order to enforce the impression that there will only be one entry per customer? But then will this give you the wrong message that the customers have to collaborately group together to produce one group purchase receipt (because it is customers' receipt) to entry?
Of course, we can always make thing clearer by adding more sentences. My question is locked with this single sentence only, what impressions are given to you by the use of purals in the sentence? And in order to express specific meanings, is it correct to make the above amendments to the sentence?
Lastly, do we have a rule on the use of purals to avoid ambiguities or confusions?
Thank you!
Top answer
The customers' receipts are collected to draw prizes. I have these questions: 1. Because there are many customers, there will be a lot of receipts, so we have to use customers' receipts, p l ural for customer and pural for receipt, right?
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The customers' receipts are collected to draw prizes.
I have these questions:
1. Because there are many customers, there will be a lot of receipts, so we have to use customers' receipts, plural for customer and pural for receipt, right? Yes, you are correct. And because there are many prizes to be drawn, of course we use prizes, plural
I have these questions:
1. Because there are many customers, there will be a lot of receipts, so we have to use customers' receipts, plural for customer and pural for receipt, right? Yes, you are correct. And because there are many prizes to be drawn, of course we use prizes, plural
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Thank you so much!
Now I know that plurals are full of ambiguities and you can't always jump to conclusion just by reading one sentence
Now I know that plurals are full of ambiguities and you can't always jump to conclusion just by reading one sentence
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Correct.
"Give me the door keys" and "Give me the doors' keys" mean there are multiple keys, of which one is for a previously defined door.The second is more explicit but pedantic.Better to say "Give me the keys to those doors"
"
"Give me the door keys" and "Give me the doors' keys" mean there are multiple keys, of which one is for a previously defined door.The second is more explicit but pedantic.Better to say "Give me the keys to those doors"
"
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Some nice examples that you have!
They covered most of the situations, like one key for one door, many keys for one door, and many keys for many doors, which are very good enough!
Still, when I say "I need the keys to open those doors"
there is no way to tell for those doors, each needs multiple keys or each only needs one key to unlock.
Haha.
They covered most of the situations, like one key for one door, many keys for one door, and many keys for many doors, which are very good enough!
Still, when I say "I need the keys to open those doors"
there is no way to tell for those doors, each needs multiple keys or each only needs one key to unlock.
Haha.
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