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Countable and non-countable objects

Alkanadi :lta, 21. elokuuta 2014

Viestejä: 4

Kieli: English

Alkanadi (Näytä profiilli) 21. elokuuta 2014 7.20.04

As I understand, non-countable things take the singular, such as akvo (water). I don't think you would say akvoj unless you were refering to seperate bodies of water.

I just saw this in one of the courses:
...laŭ la lastaj informoj...

When should I use the singular informo and when should I use the plural informoj?

domestro (Näytä profiilli) 21. elokuuta 2014 7.49.45

Alkanadi:
When should I use the singular informo and when should I use the plural informoj?
Informo is single concept of information, e.g. informo pri tempo de aranĝo.
Informoj are more concepts within a "pack": ĉiuj necesaj informoj pri aranĝo.
Slovak language differs singular and plural for this word (informácia), so we don't have problem with it.

sergejm (Näytä profiilli) 21. elokuuta 2014 7.52.38

Sea-men can say ”akvoj" instead of "sea": "Ni venis en nekonatajn akvojn."
"Lastaj informoj" means you have information from some sources or informaion about some things.

sudanglo (Näytä profiilli) 21. elokuuta 2014 10.15.01

English doesn't use information in the plural. Some (maybe many) other languages use their equivalent word in the plural meaning separate pieces of information.

In general, it is difficult to be dogmatic and countability and non-countability.

Words that seem to be good examples of non-countability can often be used in the plural with a shift of meaning.

How many sugars do you take in your tea?

Paradoxically, in English we say 'the news is not good'

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