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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > "Clothes" is Uncountable
"Clothes" is Uncountable
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douglas
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"Clothes" is Uncountable
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I had an interesting e-mail earlier that got me to thinking. In the internet there seems to be two different opinions as to whether "clothes" is countable or uncountable. As I see it, it is uncountable, but with a twist. The twist is that it is an uncountable noun but it is treated as a plural.
Here �s one explanation that I liked:
What is a countable noun in your language may be an uncountable noun in English. It may therefore be a good idea to try to learn uncountable nouns in groups connected with the same subject area, e.g.:
TRAVEL: information, travel, traffic, accommodation, money, equipment, luggage, clothes, pyjamas, jeans, trousers, shorts, tights, knickers, pants.
Note that all the uncountable nouns associated with clothes are plural uncountables. They cannot be used in the singular form or with numbers. We cannot say for example a shorts or two shorts. Instead we have to say:
- Can you lend me a pair of shorts? I �ve forgotten mine ~ I �ve got two pairs. Which ones would you like? Those ones or these ones? ~ I �ll have those ones.
Any differing opinions on this?
Cheers,
Douglas |
22 Sep 2011
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almaz
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Interesting, Douglas. I usually think of �clothes� (and �jeans� etc, for that matter) as an invariable plural, like �binoculars�, rather than an uncountable. �Cloth�, on the other hand, can be uncountable*.
By the way, doesn�t �underwear� have a singular usage? Or, �lingerie�, if you prefer.
*as well as countable, obviously.
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22 Sep 2011
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maryse pey�
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well I like this kind of thread !
Here in France "pyjamas" or "shorts" are singular. So I used to say - as a mnemonic measns - that as we have 2 legs the English word is more logical with its plural.
And in fact when you reflect with all this kind of words :
When you dress up you put on several pieces of clothes that make a whole.
When you travel you often have got 2 or 3 suitcases or bags.
when you read a newspaper several news are printed to be read.
when you move in a new house you don �t have only 1 chair or 1 bed.
In my opinion English is more precise and more logical.
Clothes is the general word. When you want something precise you say �coat �, "trousers �...
As information is the general word. You will say �have you heard about the last financial crisis in Greece ? �
Thanks for sharing your thought.
Have a splendid day.
Maryse. |
22 Sep 2011
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Mariethe House
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Can you give me a cloth to wipe the mess on the table, please?
I need a piece of cloth to clean my shoes .
That �s what my dear mother in law used to say and I trust she spoke good English!!
ANd from wordreference now:
cloth/klɒθ/
▶noun (pl. cloths) - 1 woven, knitted, or felted fabric made from a soft fibre such as wool or cotton.
- 2 a piece of cloth for a particular purpose.
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22 Sep 2011
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douglas
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You are right Mariethe, cloth is countable, but clothes, though similar, is not the same as cloths.
Alex: I wouldn �t say: "I have five clothes.", therefore, this would indicate that it is uncountable.
I don�t think I would say "five lingerie" either.
I do sometimes say "five underwear", but I do it knowing it is incorrect (just too lazy to add "pair" I guess)
Maryse: In German "jeans", etc. are also singular-it is difficult for me to use the singular for them when I speak German though (it just feels wrong). |
22 Sep 2011
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Mariethe House
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Douglas!! Clothes are made of cloth
! There are different types of cloth to make different types of clothes
! ANd all the cloths I have been using to make my clothes are out of
fashion now and I can throw them away! Not even good enough to make a
pair of trousers ( BTW singular in French too: un pantalon!)  OMG why is English so precise,...... or is it specific??
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22 Sep 2011
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maryse pey�
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Hey Mariethe,
Do you know if Douglas closes the clothes in the close drawer where there is the new cloth you bought in the shop selling cloths and closes at 6 pm ?
Thanks Douglas for the German clue. I love languages and interesting information about. |
22 Sep 2011
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almaz
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Perfectly correct, Douglas: you can �t say �five clothes � which would obviously suggest uncountable. I said I preferred the term �invariable plural � because of problems, for example, with quantifiers like �many � and �much � (the first refers to count nouns and the second to non-count) eg �she doesn �t have many clothes �.
PS I only mentioned underwear (singular) because your correspondent (Roger Woodham from the Beeb, isn �t it?) seemed to be insisting that all the uncountable nouns associated with clothes are plural uncountables. Unless, of course, �underwear � is not uncountable... |
22 Sep 2011
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