以「-tion」結尾的名詞,通常是「不可數的」抽象名詞

 最近我帶女兒到playgroup時,看到這樣的一張告示:


雖然以整體文法結構而言,這句子是沒有問題的,但使用「considerations」(名詞「consideration」的眾數字形)是不自然的。現在我們就來討論一下為甚麼吧。


以文法字尾「-tion」(發音為/ʃən/)結尾的名詞,通常是代表「無形」事物(如概念或想法)的抽象名詞。


在不同語境中,「consideration」是能指「考慮」、「體諒」、「為他人著想(的態度和行為)」等意思的抽象名詞。


例如:


Everyone’s opinions should be taken into consideration.

每個人的意見都應該被納入考量


Thank you for your consideration.

謝謝你的體諒


作為一個代表抽象事物的抽象名詞,「consideration」在文法上有「不可數」的特徵,即它在出現時並不會以它的眾數字形出現。


正因如此,告示上加了眾數字尾「s」的「due considerations」讓我感覺有點奇怪。這裡使用單數字形「consideration」較自然:


Please give due consideration… 

請給予適當的考量…


我們也能從這例子中看到「不可數」名詞的另一個特徵 – 它們可以直接以單數字形出現,而無需被任何名詞標記所標記。


名詞組「due consideration」中只包含了形容詞「due」和名詞「consideration」,並沒有諸如冠詞(像是「the due consideration」)、數量詞(像是「some due consideration」),或者限定詞(像是「this due consideration」)之類的名詞標記。只是「due consideration」。


因為抽象名詞表達的含義是「概念性」或「全包性」的,所以它們可直接以單數形式出現,而無需名詞標記(不用特別地「指出」它)。


反之,當「可數的」名詞以單數字形出現,基本上一定會名詞標記。例如:


I have a delicious apple. ✔️


(I have delicious apple. ❌)


我們再看看其他字尾是「-tion」的抽象名詞例子。它們同樣都屬於文法上的「不可數」,並通常都以不帶名詞標記的單數字形出現:


She paid attention throughout the entire class.

她整堂課都專心聽講


We achieved this through cooperation

我們通過合作達成了這一目標


與「consideration」一樣,名詞「attention」和「cooperation」都屬於「不可數」名詞,它們在以上例子中都是以不帶名詞標記的單數字形出現。


在表達例子中這些意思時,它們不會是眾數字形。例如:


She paid a lot of attentions throughout the entire class. ❌


We achieved this through cooperations. ❌


我在同一地點的另一張告示上也看到這些名詞的正確用法:


一些以「-tion」結尾的名詞在表達某些含義時,會是文法上「可數的」版本。當你遇到這些名詞的例子時,要了解它們在表達不同的意義時,是會出現分別「可數」或「不可數」版本的。


例如名詞「creation」,當要表達「創作」這個抽象的概念或過程時,它是「不可數的」名詞;但當要表達「所創作的東西」時,它便是「可數的」:


Artistic creation is a tiring process. 

藝術創作是一個令人疲憊的過程


This pastry chef’s creations are delicious. 

這位糕點師傅創作出來的糕點非常美味



__________________________________


小練習:


請為下列句子選取名詞「operation」的正確字形。


“Operation” (Countable: “手術”)

“Operation” (Uncountable: “操作”)


  1. The ____________________ of this machine requires careful monitoring.
    這台機器的操作需要仔細監控


  1. The doctor finished multiple ___________________ today.
    這醫生今天完成了幾個手術


_________

答案:


  1. Operation

  2. Operations

_____

備註:


*

「可數性」是英文名詞的一種文法特徵。


如果一個名詞要表達某個特定意思(因為在不同語境下名詞可能會出現多於一種意思),並在文法上是「可數的」,它便能以單數或眾數字形出現在名詞組中。例如:


I have one apple. He has two apples


而當它們是單數字形時,基本上都會配合一個名詞標記,像是冠詞(例如「the」)、物主代名詞詞(例如「my」)、限定詞(例如「that」)等等。它們一般也不會自己獨立出現的:


I have an apple. ✔️    I have apple. ❌


I have his old computer. ✔️ I have old computer. ❌


They won the gold medal.  ✔️ They won gold medal. ❌


相反,如果名詞要表達某個特定意思,並在文法上屬於「不可數」,是不會用到眾數的字形,而只會以單數的字形出現。


這個「不可數」名詞的單數字形,可以在不添加名詞標記的情況下獨立出現。(但如果意思需要,當然也是可以有名詞標記的。)


例如:


I have some help. ✔️

I have help. ✔️


(「Help」 – 幫忙 ,是「不可數的」名詞 )


Our cooperation is important. ✔️

Cooperation is important. ✔️


(「Cooperation」 – 合作 ,是「不可數的」名詞 )


嚴格來說,英語名詞的「可數性」只是文法上的範疇。它是名詞的文法屬性,而文法屬性跟英文名詞在「現實」中所表達的意思並沒有直接關係。因此你不必在意「為何」某個名詞是「可數」或「不可數」,你只要知道它是屬於哪一類便可以了。


------------


Nouns Ending in “-tion” are Often “Uncountable” Abstract Nouns


I recently saw this sign when I brought my daughter to a playgroup:




While there are no problems with the overall grammatical structure of the sentence, the use of the word “considerations” -- that is, the plural form of the noun “consideration” -- is quite unnatural, and I wanted to write a short newsletter to discuss why.


Nouns that end in the grammatical suffix “-tion” (pronounced /ʃən/) are very often abstract nouns that represent “intangible” entities like concepts and ideas.


For example, the noun in question here, “consideration,” is an abstract noun that can variously mean “考慮,” “體諒,” or “為他人著想(的態度和行為)” in different contexts.


For example:


Everyone’s opinions should be taken into consideration.

每個人的意見都應該被納入考量


Thank you for your consideration.

謝謝你的體諒


As an abstract noun representing such abstract entities, “consideration” has the characteristic of being grammatically “uncountable”* -- that is, it does not appear in usage in its plural form. 


Because of this, the use of “due considerations” on the sign, with the plural ending “-s,” struck me as unnatural. “Consideration” should be in singular form here instead: 


Please give due consideration… 

請給予適當的考量…


With this example, we can also see another characteristic of “uncountable” nouns, which is that they can appear in singular form without any noun markers marking them.


The noun phrase “due consideration” consists of the adjective “due” and the noun “consideration” only, without a noun marker like an article (like “the due consideration”), or quantifier (like “some due consideration”), or determiner (like “this due consideration”). 


This noun phrase with the abstract noun “consideration” is correct just as “due consideration.” 


The idea is that the meanings abstract nouns express are “conceptual” or “all-encompassing” -- so they can appear in singular form without noun markers (without being “pointed out”). 


In contrast, when grammatically “countable” nouns appear in singular form, they cannot be without noun markers. For example:


I have a delicious apple. ✔️


(I have delicious apple. ❌)


Now, let’s look at some other examples of abstract nouns ending in “-tion” that are also grammatically “uncountable” and often appear without noun markers in singular form: 


She paid attention throughout the entire class.

她整堂課都專心聽講


We achieved this through cooperation

我們通過合作達成了這一目標


The nouns “attention” and “cooperation” are also “uncountable” abstract nouns like “consideration.” In these examples, they are also in singular form without a noun marker.


They do not appear in plural forms when expressing these meanings. For example:


She paid a lot of attentions throughout the entire class. ❌


We achieved this through cooperations. ❌


In another sign within the same complex, I found two correct usages of such nouns:



Now, certain nouns that end in “-tion” have “countable” versions as well when they are expressing certain meanings. When you encounter examples of these nouns, remember to learn that they are variously “countable” and “uncountable” when expressing different meanings. 


For example, the noun “creation” is “uncountable” when it expresses the abstract noun meaning of “創作(概念/過程),” but it is “countable” when it expresses “所創作的東西": 


Artistic creation is a tiring process. 

藝術創作是一個令人疲憊的過程


This pastry chef’s creations are delicious. 

這位糕點師傅創作出來的糕點非常美味




__________________________________


Mini Exercise: 


Choose the right form of the noun “operation” for the following sentences.


“Operation” (Countable: “手術”)

“Operation” (Uncountable: “操作”)


  1. The ____________________ of this machine requires careful monitoring.
    這台機器的操作需要仔細監控


  1. The doctor finished multiple ___________________ today.
    這醫生今天完成了幾個手術



_____

Notes:


*

“Countability” is a grammatical characteristic of nouns in English grammar.


If a noun (when expressing one particular meaning -- since a noun can express more than one meaning in different contexts) is grammatically “countable,” it can appear in its singular and plural forms within noun phrases, like: 


I have one apple. He has two apples


Another thing to note about “countable” nouns is that, when they appear in singular form, they would almost always have a noun marker -- e.g. an article like “the,” a possessive like “my,” a determiner like “that” etc. -- marking them. They would not appear just by themselves: 


I have an apple. ✔️    I have apple. ❌


I have his old computer. ✔️ I have old computer. ❌


They won the gold medal.  ✔️ They won gold medal. ❌


On the other hand, if a noun (when expressing one particular meaning) is grammatically “uncountable,” it would never appear in plural form. It would only appear in its singular form.


In its singular form, an “uncountable” noun can have no noun marker and appear on its own (but it can of course also have noun markers, depending on the intended meaning). For example: 


I have some help. ✔️

I have help. ✔️


(“Help” -- 幫忙 -- is an “uncountable” noun)


Our cooperation is important. ✔️

Cooperation is important. ✔️


(“Cooperation” -- 合作 -- is an “uncountable” noun)


One further thing is that grammatical “countability” in English nouns is strictly a grammatical category. It is just a grammatical property of nouns. This grammatical property is not directly linked to the meanings that English nouns express in real life -- so you do not need to think about “why” a certain noun “countable” or “uncountable.” You just need to know which it is. 



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