Hello!
Is "copyright" a mass noun?
Is "copyright" a mass noun?
Copyright
- Thread starter Zahella
- Start date
If you're asking whether it's countable or uncountable, it can be either.
I can't think of an example of its being used as an uncountable noun. Could you give me one?
So... is "copyrights" correct English?
"He has two copyrights."
If you are asking if there is a plural and if it's "copyrights", the answer is yes in this case. It is countable if you have, say, one for a book and one for a poem or even one for two different books.
BUTTTTT....since it can also be used as an uncountable noun, you'd be better off listing a concrete example OR doing a search for yourself, to find out the difference.
If you are asking if there is a plural and if it's "copyrights", the answer is yes in this case. It is countable if you have, say, one for a book and one for a poem or even one for two different books.
BUTTTTT....since it can also be used as an uncountable noun, you'd be better off listing a concrete example OR doing a search for yourself, to find out the difference.
Couldn’t that have also been: “Copywrites are a separate legal area from trademarks.”?
The non-countable form isn’t striking my ear very naturally.
[edit] Admittedly, I'm not a lawyer, much less a copywriter lawyer, so I may not be in the know regarding their lingo.
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I'm glad I'm not the only one. To me, that example (in the uncountable form) sounds almost as bad as "Cat is a separate veterinarian area from dog."
No, although we might say "copyrights are a separate issue from reprint rights."
But there are entire legal textbooks specifically devoted to the (uncountable) subject of "copyright." I don't see any objection to it at all.
Eek. That was a silly mistake on my part.