Mass nouns are nouns denoting something that cannot be counted, such as a substance or a quality. Mass nouns—or uncount/non-count/uncountable nouns—most times, do not attract the plural inflections (s, es and ies), and they cannot be used with the indefinite articles, ‘a’ and ‘an’. Besides, they do not admit cardinal numbers like one, three, eight and so forth as precursors. Consequently, it is grammatically abysmal to say ‘an equipment’ or ‘three cutleries’. However, mass nouns can be quantified by the instrument of partitives. Partitives are phrases of measurement that include ‘a piece of/pieces of’, ‘a lot of/lots of’, ‘a great deal of’, ‘an item of/items of’, et cetera. Against this backdrop, a substantial number of anglophones in Nigeria are inclined towards misapplying a repertoire of mass nouns. As such, this treatise will expound on commonplace examples of non-count nouns and portray them in contexts, for clarity’s sake.
For starters, a place to live, work or stay in is called ‘accommodation’. Note that this should not attract the article, ‘an’, as obtainable in the example sentences below:
We need an accommodation on Victoria Island (non-standard).
We need (some) accommodation on Victoria Island (standard).
It is, nonetheless, worthy of mention that ‘accommodations’ is quite admissible in American English; for instance:
I shall get luxury accommodations when I arrive in Washington, DC.
Thus, the foregoing statement should not come across as lousy, if you set a premium on American English.
Another mass noun that has been subjected to pervasive misapplication is ‘potential’. Oftentimes, some people emphasise other individuals’ ‘potentials’. This is an erroneous deployment, as the word cannot attract the plural marker. Its usage is illustrated below:
Nigeria has enormous potentials (non-standard).
Read Also: Commonly misrepresented mass nouns in English
Nigeria has an enormous potential (non-standard).
Nigeria has enormous potential (standard).
The Nigerian youth have a great deal of/a lot of potential (standard).
The disease does not have some potential to escalate into an epidemic (standard).
‘Slang’ and ‘jargon’ are two other ubiquitously and inappropriately pluralised mass nouns. While the former means very informal language that is usually spoken rather than written, jargon encompasses special or technical words that are used in a particular area of specialisation. It is important to add that jargon is not nonsensical words, as erroneously presumed by numerous Nigerians. The usages of both nouns are exemplified below:
Spare me your engineering jargons (non-standard).
Spare me your engineering jargon (standard).
Adjournment is a legal jargon (non-standard).
Adjournment is legal jargon (standard).
Did you utter a slang (non-standard)?
Did you utter slang (standard)?
Many slangs emerge from hip-hip (non-standard).
Much slang emerges from hip-hop (standard).
Moreover, you should be conscious of the reality that one can say ‘a slang word/term/expression’, as in:
He was punished for using a slang expression (standard).
The use of slang words/terms is prohibited in formal settings (standard).
Feedback and stationery are two other mass nouns that are predominately abused, especially by non-native speakers. All of the pieces of information or statements of opinion about something, such as a new product, are called feedback. This can be demonstrated in sentences like:
We received a useful feedback/useful feedbacks from our clients (non-standard).
We received some useful feedback/a lot of useful feedback from our clients (standard).
Similarly, writing materials, such as books, pencils, pens and envelopes, are called stationery. Hence, you should desist from adding the plural marker, ‘ies’, to stationery and refrain from misspelling the word as stationary.
Other notable examples of predominantly misrepresented mass nouns are: training, research, wear, attire, jewellery, inaction, stuff, cutlery, furniture, information, punctuation, advice, evidence, handwriting, access, (mis)conduct, rubble, yesteryear and equipment. Peruse the ensuing sentences with scrupulous attention to detail:
A three-month training will be held next year (non-standard).
Three months’ training will be held next year (standard).
Who undertook a research into the origin of the Zika virus (non-standard)?
Who undertook research/some research/a piece of research into the origin of the Zika virus (standard)?
Fascinatingly, ‘research’ has a plural variant thus:
The scientists conducted some researches last year (standard).
Away from that:
He did not have an evidence to substantiate his claims (non-standard).
He did not have evidence/a piece of evidence/a body of evidence/a mass of evidence to substantiate his claims (standard).
I gave my son an advice last night (non-standard).
I gave my son advice/a lot of advice/a piece of advice/some advice last night (standard).
Where did you source these informations from (non-standard)?
Where did you source these pieces of information from (standard)?
Patricia sells menswears, children’s wears and stuffs (non-standard).
Patricia sells menswear, children’s wear and stuff (standard).
You will be assessed by your conducts, inactions and misconducts (non-standard).
You will be assessed by your conduct, inaction and misconduct (standard).
The king was decked with a flamboyant attire (non-standard).
The king was decked with flamboyant attire (standard).
Mariam has three jewelleries (non-standard).
Mariam has three items/pieces of jewellery (standard).
She has disposed of the old cutleries (non-standard).
She has disposed of the old cutlery (standard).
A sofa is a furniture (non-standard).
A sofa is a piece/an item of furniture (standard).
Stella has a legible handwriting (non-standard).
Stella has legible handwriting (standard).
He has an unfettered access to the president (non-standard).
He has unfettered access to the president (standard).
In conclusion, whenever you are unsure about the nominal status of any noun, do not hesitate to consult a reputable dictionary and deploy such a noun with clockwork precision.
