Why Are Zero Things Plural? 5

[Lunatic]

I've searched the forum and checked Wikipedia (

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero)

but I can't find anything about this topic. I know Wikipedia isn't a definitive voice, but it is a good starting point to find out what you need to look for.

Why are zero things plural?

You have zero cars/things

You have one car/thing

You have two cars/things

So why are zero things plural?


***************************************
Have a problem with my spelling or grammar? Please refer all complaints to my English teacher:
Ralphy "Me fail English? That's unpossible." Wiggum

 

[kjv1611]

Hmmm, my guess is one of the following:
[ol]
[li]That's just the way we've said it through the ages.[/li]
[li]It's more likely to compare Zero to Many items than it would be to compare Zero to just One item.[/li]
[/ol]

On the second idea, here's an example:
How many apples do you have?
Zero.



--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[CajunCenturion]

Because singular is one, and everything else is plural.

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[Lunatic]

Cajun,

That is really as simple as it is? Anything that isn't one is multiple?

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Have a problem with my spelling or grammar? Please refer all complaints to my English teacher:
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[CajunCenturion]

==> Anything that isn't one is multiple?
I'm don't think I'd say 'multiple', but yes, in many languages, it's that simple. It's either singular or plural, and only quantity that is singular is one; therefore, every other quantity, including zero, is plural.

Some languages, I think French being one, but I'm not entirely sure, use singular with zero.

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Good Luck
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[SantaMufasa]

Lunatic,

You are correct in your quandry about "zero things". It is a quirk of English tradition.

Notice these apparent inconsistencies:

"I have no car to sell you."

but, it is also acceptable to say:

"I have no cars to sell you."

However, if I use the cardinal value, "zero" instead of "no", I would normally say,

"I have zero cars to sell you."

but attempting the parallel construction:

"I have zero car to sell you."

Would cause grammatical "raised eyebrows."

No question about it: English is quirky.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[gbaughma]

Those eyes!
Those lips!
Those chin!



Just my 2¢
-ARRGH! All my clothes are wrinkled! Oh, the irony!

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[Grenage]

That chin!

Carlsberg don't run I.T departments, but if they did they'd probably be more fun.

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
And, if from some accident the chin was gone, you would say
He as Zero chins





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
I dropped my aitch and I'm not even Cockney..

Should have been:

He has Zero chins.






To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[Grenage]

Thank God for the alternative: "No chin", eh.

I think it's quite rare for people to say zero xxx, simply because it doesn't seem 'quite' right. Such is our language, and every other; full of inconsistencies.

Carlsberg don't run I.T departments, but if they did they'd probably be more fun.

 

[SantaMufasa]

Before, when my nickname was "Jabba", I had multiple chins. Now I have just one "chins" because of all the left-over "skins". <grin>

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[Grenage]

More 'Chins' than a Chinese phone book, as they say?

Carlsberg don't run I.T departments, but if they did they'd probably be more fun.

 

[mjldba]

Another common phrase that is heard everyday this time of year, at least in the US, is " ... no hits, no runs, and no errors".

 

[2ffat]

Yes, we have no bananas
We have no bananas, today

James P. Cottingham
-----------------------------------------
^{I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229!}

 

[karluk]

SantaMufasa brings up a very valid point, but in my view his "no car(s)" example carries subtly different meanings in the singular and plural. I would not use them interchangably. Consider the following examples.

Our entire stock was wiped out by the tornado yesterday. I have no cars to sell you.

I totaled my car on the way home from work. I have no car to sell you.

To me the difference is an indefinite reference to cars in general (first example) vs. a reference to a specific car (second example).

 

[Lunatic]

Another common phrase that is heard everyday this time of year, at least in the US, is " ... no hits, no runs, and no errors".

Actually that is quite rare. Only 17 times in 130 years, or rougly 1.30 per decade.

There have only been 17 perfect games in the 130 years of organized, professional, baseball.

Just about the only thing more rare is a Number-Repeat Number-Repeat Number triple play. There have only been 13 unassisted triple plays in MLB's history ;-p

***************************************
Have a problem with my spelling or grammar? Please refer all complaints to my English teacher:
Ralphy "Me fail English? That's unpossible." Wiggum

 

[SantaMufasa]

Lunatic,

As a MLB history buff, I'm sure you have some favourites amongst those 13 unassisted triple plays. I have never seen one, even on TV sports highlights, so your verbal description of some of your favourites will probably be the closest that I will ever come to "seeing" one (unless you have a link that you can post that will let me live the dream ).

Please share...

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[karluk]

I remember looking at the unassisted triple play records a few years ago. Practically all of them were some variation on

1. Line drive to the second baseman or shortstop. (Batter is out.)
2. Second baseman or shortstop tags second (catching the runner at second off base - out number two)
3. Runner at first is moving on the play. Gets tagged out by second baseman or shortstop. (out number three).

I remember that one of these plays happened in a World Series game. I think it was between Brooklyn and Cleveland around 1920. I will check after posting this to see how close I am.

 

[Lunatic]

Yeah, Karluk has it right on.

There was a cnnsi.com article recently. Of the 13, 8 have been by shortstops, 4 by second basemen and 1 by a first baseman.

They happen so quickly its hard to understand what you are witnessing until after its happened. There's really no warning or build up, it just happens.

A link to the most recent can be found here:

http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/multimedia/tp_archive.jsp?c_id=col&ym=200704

April 29
"Tulowitzki turns three"

***************************************
Have a problem with my spelling or grammar? Please refer all complaints to my English teacher:
Ralphy "Me fail English? That's unpossible." Wiggum