Many (used to talk about any plural nouns)

[Xavier da Silva]

Hello everyone,

I've read posts on the Web and here on W.R, and I'm looking for an exact answer to this. I saw a Brazilian government English test (True or False) on which one of the items says, ''We use many to talk about any plural nouns''. I must say that I consider this statement to be true, as ''many'' can refer to any plural nouns, even ''clothes'', ''scissors'', ''pants'', ''glasses'' (for the eyes) or ''jeans''. My question: Is the statement ''We use many to talk about any plural nouns'' true or false?


Thank you in advance!

 

[The Newt]

I would have used the singular "any plural noun" at the end, but yes, "many" works with nouns that are used countably and that therefore can be plural.

 

[Xavier da Silva]

Thank you very much.

So it's a true/correct statement: ''We use many to talk about any plural noun.''

 

[DonnyB]

So it's a true/correct statement: ''We use many to talk about any plural noun.''

I think it's an oversimplification. I wouldn't personally say "many scissors" or "many pants" and "many glasses" would definitely be construed as referring to the things you drink out of.

 

[Xavier da Silva]

Thank you very much. The statement is ''We use many to talk about any plural noun.''

I see. But the verb talk in ''We use many to talk about any plural noun'' leaves open the possibility to use ''many pairs of scissors'', ''many pairs of pants'' or ''many pairs of glasses'' (eye) arguing that in spite of ''pairs of'', ''many'' is still being used to talk about these nouns (indirectly, but is), so ''any'' would apply in the statement.

What do you think?

 

[DonnyB]

Thank you very much. The statement is ''We use many to talk about any plural noun.''

I see. But the verb talk in ''We use many to talk about any plural noun'' leaves open the possibility to use ''many pairs of scissors'', ''many pairs of pants'' or ''many pairs of glasses'' (eye) arguing that in spite of ''pairs of'', ''many'' is still being used to talk about these nouns (indirectly, but is), so ''any'' would apply in the statement.

If you want to look at it that way, I think "many" is really talking about the plural noun "pairs".

 

[dojibear]

So it's a true/correct statement: ''We use many to talk about any plural noun.''

No. It isn't correct. DonnyB points out some plural nouns where "many" is not used. Yes, we say "many pairs". No, we don't say "many pants".

in spite of ''pairs of'', ''many'' is still being used to talk about these nouns (indirectly, but is)

That's incorrect. We don't use "many" to talk about one pair of pants. This sentence doesn't say "We sometimes use". It says "we use", which in English means "we always use".

This certainly is not a grammar rule. I could talk about plural nouns for hours without using the word "many". I don't use "many" in sentences like "Tom had five apples. Tom gave two apples to Lucy. Lucy gave one of them to Sam." Did you see the word "many" there? No. Did I talk about plural nouns? Yes.

 

[The Newt]

I wouldn't hesitate at all to say "we don't have many scissors in this classroom" etc.

 

[Xavier da Silva]

We don't use "many" to talk about one pair of pants.

But we don't use ''many'' to talk about ''one tree'', but ''many trees'' is correct.

 

[The Newt]

If the point of the original question is that we use "many" rather than "much" when we talk about plural nouns the answer is yes. Even people who object to "I have many pants in my closet" aren't likely to work "much" into that sentence.

 

[Xavier da Silva]

Yes, the problem (I believe) is with ''pants'', ''glasses'' (for eyes), and ''jeans'' (pants). Some people may argue that we never use ''many'' as in ''many pants'', ''many glasses'', ''many jeans''.

"There aren't many jeans in the store'' / ''I don't have many pants'' / ''There aren't many glasses in the store''

 

[The Newt]

Yes, the problem (I believe) is with ''pants'', ''glasses'' (for eyes), and ''jeans'' (pants). Some people may argue that we never use ''many'' as in ''many pants'', ''many glasses'', ''many jeans''.

"There aren't many jeans in the store'' / ''I don't have many pants'' / ''There aren't many glasses in the store''

All of those sentences are at least conceivable to me. It is true, however, that we tend to avoid saying things like "I have two jeans" or "I have two reading glasses."

 

[Xavier da Silva]

Thank you very much.

All of those sentences are at least conceivable to me

I'm glad to hear that from a native speaker, who knows the language in practice, because in theory (grammar books and Google) it is also conceivable.

 

[Andygc]

It would be better stated as "We use many to talk about any plural countable noun''.

That removes the "pants" problem.