From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone":

--------------
"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."

He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall.
--------------

Why is "solid wall" without "a" article? It is a countable noun, isn't it?

Bye, All!
Alexander Koryagin

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Re: Wall
By: Alexander Koryagin to All on Fri Dec 13 2024 07:56:02

Why is "solid wall" without "a" article? It is a countable noun, isn't it?

I'd just say, "oops" and call it a day.
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Hi Alexander,

13.12.2024 11:56:02, Alexander Koryagin <Alexander.Koryagin@p0.f360.n221.z2.fidonet.org> wrote:

He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway.
Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall. --------------
Why is "solid wall" without "a" article? It is a countable noun,
isn't it?

I can tell that in this case it "kind of" isn't. It's "solid wall" as an
idea (or type) of vertical surface, not one separate wall, neither one
of four wall in a room or something, you know what I mean? I'd suggest
you have a peek at context.reverso.net and look around for examples and
ideas of how words or expressions are used in written English (I find
this site very handy).

In the following phrases we can see the same "absence" of articles:

Okay, things don't just disappear into thin air.
I prefer to stand on solid ground.


--
"A closed mouth gathers no foot."
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Hi, Gleb Hlebov!
I read your message from 17.12.2024 13:54

In the following phrases we can see the same "absence" of
articles:
Okay, things don't just disappear into thin air.
I prefer to stand on solid ground.

Poor examples IMHO.

Just look in the Longman dictionary - it says bluntly - wall is a countable noun.

air is not
ground is not.

Bye, Gleb!
Alexander Koryagin
english_tutor 2024

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Hi Alexander,

19.12.2024 15:04:24, Alexander Koryagin wrote:

Okay, things don't just disappear into thin air.
I prefer to stand on solid ground.

Poor examples IMHO.

Could be. But you get the idea, don't you?

Just look in the Longman dictionary - it says bluntly - wall is a countable noun.

Here we go again. "Pie" or "Cake" are countable nouns as well, but
we're also free to say

"I want Cherry Pie", or,
"For Gods' sake, how can you not love Cake?"

air is not
ground is not.

They're not, technically, although could be used with indefinite
articles.

Same with "town", BTW:

"He's out of town", or,
"Tony's back in town, let's pay him a visit".

*Grok?*


--
"Hearing nuns' confessions is like being stoned to death with
popcorn." -- Fulton Sheen.
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Hi Alexander,

13.12.2024 11:56:02, Alexander Koryagin <Alexander.Koryagin@p0.f360.n221.z2.fidonet.org> wrote:

I can tell that in this case it "kind of" isn't. It's "solid wall" as an
idea (or type) of vertical surface, not one separate wall, neither one
of four wall in a room or something, you know what I mean? I'd suggest
you have a peek at context.reverso.net and look around for examples and
ideas of how words or expressions are used in written English (I find
this site very handy).

In the following phrases we can see the same "absence" of articles:

Okay, things don't just disappear into thin air.
I prefer to stand on solid ground.

--
"A closed mouth gathers no foot."
--- InterSquish NNTP Server/FTN Gate
* Origin: www.wfido.ru (2:5023/24.4222)

context.reverso.net

Thanks, gotta have a look at that URL.
Ed
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Hi, Gleb Hlebov!
I read your message from 19.12.2024 16:56

Okay, things don't just disappear into thin air.
I prefer to stand on solid ground.

Poor examples IMHO.

Could be. But you get the idea, don't you?

Just look in the Longman dictionary - it says bluntly -
wall is a countable noun.

Here we go again. "Pie" or "Cake" are countable nouns as well,
but we're also free to say

"I want Cherry Pie", or,
"For Gods' sake, how can you not love Cake?"

Well, let's treat "wall" as "cake". Although, if we again look into Longman dictionary we'll see that it says bluntly that
pie /paɪ/ noun [uncountable and countable] ;)

The Great Chinese wall is "wall" or "a wall" if I approach to it?

Bye, Gleb!
Alexander Koryagin
english_tutor 2024

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Hi Alexander,

Mon 23 Dec 2024 at 08:24, you wrote to me:

Just look in the Longman dictionary - it says bluntly -
wall is a countable noun.

Here we go again. "Pie" or "Cake" are countable nouns as well,
but we're also free to say
"I want Cherry Pie", or,
"For Gods' sake, how can you not love Cake?"

Well, let's treat "wall" as "cake". Although, if we again look into Longman dictionary we'll see that it says bluntly that pie /paɪ/ noun [uncountable and countable] ;)

Do you own a paper copy? I can't open the website at the moment.

Again, as you may surmise, using articles is tricky. It's kind of a "fuzzy" subject for those with different language backgrounds. I believe even French and Deutsch have some differences in this regard with English, let alone Russian (or even some more "exotic" ones).

I'd say that you rely too much on dictionaries and try to over-formalise your approach to language learning, while in real life, in fiction, newspapers/magazines, talk shows etc., it may at times look a bit different.

In our case I'd say it's an "object vs. substance" thing.
Here are some instances from a website I find suitable:

"Brick" as substance/material:

"Drilling into brick is a key DIY skill, needed for all kinds of home
improvement projects." ...

"You'll require a masonry drill bit for drilling into brick." ...

"If you're drilling into a softer brick and don't need to
make too deep a hole, you may..." -- wait... it's no longer the same
substance here, neither a flaw in the brickwork but a "different
kind of brick material".

"Hold your drill straight and level when drilling into brick(1) - some
drills come with spirit levels built-in. Starting slowly, drill into
the brick(2), pushing the drill towards the wall." -- okay, (1) is a
"brick as generalised material"; (2) is the "stuff" that you're now
interacting with physically.

I hope it makes sense (no big deal if it doesn't though).

The Great Chinese wall is "wall" or "a wall" if I approach to it?

It can only be referred to as THE Wall, given its singular and unique nature (the same as the Moon, the Earth's only natural satellite). No other options here. :-)


... Error #010: Illegal error. Do not get this error
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Hi, Gleb! Recently you wrote in a message to Alexander Koryagin:

Again, as you may surmise, using articles is tricky.

Yes, I've noticed over the years that my Russian correspondents tend to have difficulty with articles in English. Based on what little I understand of the Russian language I figure I'd have a very similar problem there.... :-)

I'd say that you rely too much on dictionaries and try
to over-formalise your approach to language learning

!? I conclude your preferred learning styles differ. Alexander has been actively involved here for a long time & what he's doing seems to work for him. I probably own more dictionaries & refer to them more often than a lot of other people do. I'd like to think I help my readers use them more efficiently
... but you may not have been here long enough to notice I say on occasion "Did you continue reading as far as definition #12, where I found the answer?" :-))

in real life, in fiction, newspapers/magazines, talk
shows etc., it may at times look a bit different.

If you want to see & hear native speakers saying "would of never" in our local news or some advertiser telling you the XYZ Company is best qualified to update your windows because they are "real perfessionals" it certainly does. I don't rely on these sources for examples of good English usage...

In our case I'd say it's an "object vs. substance" thing.

(which any dictionary I'd give house room to will probably tell you)

Here are some instances from a website I find suitable:

"Brick" as substance/material:

"Drilling into brick is a key DIY skill, needed for
all kinds of home improvement projects."

... but I understand & appreciate that native speakers tend to learn by example while dictionaries cut these things short. We all have our talents. If you know how how to find material such as the above, I'm most grateful. :-)

The Great Chinese wall is "wall" or "a wall" if I approach
to it?

It can only be referred to as THE Wall, given its singular and
unique nature (the same as the Moon, the Earth's only natural
satellite). No other options here. :-)

To Alexander I'd say "I were to approach it" or "I approached it"... to you I'd say something more like "You've never heard of Hadrian's Wall?" :-Q




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Hi Ardith, long time no talk!

On 28.12.24 23:42:35, you wrote:

Again, as you may surmise, using articles is tricky.

Yes, I`ve noticed over the years that my Russian correspondents
tend to have difficulty with articles in English. Based on what
little I understand of the Russian language I figure I`d have a
very similar problem there.... :-)

Absolutely! Articles as a concept are non-existent in some languages,
and for many learners it's quite hard to get their mind around them.
Language and mentality barriers do exist, unfortunately. Things do get
lost in translation. I believe it may not be as bad for us English
tutees as for you English speakers who, for whatever reason, would want
to start learning Russian just to make a terrifying discovery of nearly
70 various inflection forms (AFAIK) they'd have to learn, or memorize.

I probably own more dictionaries & refer to them more often than
a lot of other people do. I`d like to think I help my readers use
them more efficiently
... but you may not have been here long enough to notice I say on occasion "Did you continue reading as far as definition #12,
where I found the answer?" :-))

Dictionaries are indispensable, I have nothing against them whatsoever
:-) In our case, as far as the subject is concerned, is it correct to
assume that a countable noun may be allowed to exist in the story
without an article attached to it? Or, on the other hand, a "strictly" uncountable noun may be used with the indef. article in a number of
cases? It seems one can't tell by simply looking it up in a dictionary.

If you want to see & hear native speakers saying "would of never"
in our local news or some advertiser telling you the XYZ Company
is best qualified to update your windows because they are "real perfessionals" it certainly does. I don`t rely on these sources
for examples of good English usage...

Would of never... Well, I've had my share of those, and Could-of-been's
too, reading various posts on forums/boards back in the day. I even
remember asking somewhere, "I wonder if this could be a contemporary
acceptable form of writing it?" :-)

As with that XYZ company, maybe they're just good average IT
professionals, not perfectionists? That is, if you mean "Windows" the
OS, I assume, not windows in the house. (Are those even "updatable"?)

We have to admit, not any source is reliable in this regard. And as a
side note, I've been listening to a great song earlier today, and it's
titled "Shoulda": "I shoulda let go... bla-bla... etc." (It's British
BTW).

In our case I`d say it`s an "object vs. substance" thing.

(which any dictionary I`d give house room to will probably tell
you)

Nice one! :-) "...give house room to" is not about "a room in the
house", but "room" as in "Make room!", right? House room = house space.

If you know how how to find material such as the above, I`m most
grateful. :-)

Search engines now make it easier than ever, that's for sure. Some of
us are just sleeping on such an opportunity.

... to you I`d say something more like "You`ve never heard of
Hadrian`s Wall?" :-Q

I think I haven't until just now, but Hadrian is/was a proper noun
(thus no articles needed)? Anyway, given its present condition,
shouldn't it be more aptly termed "The leftovers of Hadrian's Wall"?


--
"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age
eighteen." -- Albert Einstein
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Hi, Gleb -- on Dec 30 2024 at 19:40, you wrote:

I think I haven't until just now, but Hadrian is/was a proper noun
(thus no articles needed)? Anyway, given its present condition,
shouldn't it be more aptly termed "The leftovers of Hadrian's Wall"?

There's a lot of the Wall left standing, and some being restored: www.mickledore.co.uk/blog/walking-hadrians-wall-guide



Cheers... Dallas

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Hi Dallas!

On 30.12.24 23:12:48, Dallas Hinton wrote:

I think I haven't until just now, but Hadrian is/was a proper noun
(thus no articles needed)? Anyway, given its present condition,
shouldn't it be more aptly termed "The leftovers of Hadrian's
Wall"?

There's a lot of the Wall left standing, and some being restored: www.mickledore.co.uk/blog/walking-hadrians-wall-guide

My bad, it is now actually "The Reconstruction of H's Wall" :-)


--
Estridge's Law: No matter how large and standardized the
marketplace is, IBM can redefine it.
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Hi Ardith,

Thu 16 Jan 2025 at 20:26, you wrote to Alexander Koryagin:

If I were travelling in China, I'd ask the locals what they call this thing. If you were to approach it you could do the same.
But I understand only a few words in Chinese & I'm not sure whether or
not they use articles.... :-))

As a matter of fact they don't have articles.


... All things are possible. Except skiing through a revolving door
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Hi, Ardith Hinton!
I read your message from 29.01.2025 02:20

Would of never... Well, I've had my share of those, and
Could- of-been's too, reading various posts on
forums/boards back in the day. I even remember asking
somewhere, "I wonder if this could be a contemporary
acceptable form of writing it?" :-)

The FREE DICTIONARY regards "would of" as a misspelling of
"would've" ... according to an entry dated 2024... and that's
my take on it. It is fairly common among kids in grade eight,
but most people seem to know better later on. In grade eight I
made notes re what I thought I had heard in French class. :-Q

Very soon it will be over. The AI helper answers us any such question and gives as hundred kilograms of examples. ;-)

Bye, Ardith!
Alexander Koryagin
english_tutor 2025

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Hi, Ardith Hinton!
I read your message from 07.03.2025 02:42

In grade eight I made notes re what I thought I had
heard in French class. :-Q

Very soon it will be over. The AI helper answers us any such
questions and gives as hundred kilograms of examples. ;-)

While I do like the idea that AI can generate examples more
quickly & easily than I can, I'm not always happy as yet
with the results... [chuckle].

IMHO, AI can quickly peruse the tons of most honourable books and find the sentences which can serve as examples. The main thing the AI must realise what it is asked for. ;)

And if it does realise it I can only have a pity for those poor translators of 197x and earlier. They have in their disposal only tattered dictionaries.

Bye, Ardith!
Alexander Koryagin
english_tutor 2025

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