The Uncountable Noun

The Uncountable Noun

Once upon a time, there was a young feminist whose name was Kazuko. She was married to Kazuo. They studied English together as their hobby. 

One day, Kazuo suggested to his wife, "Today, let's study countable and uncountable nouns." Kazuko asked for an example.

 "I have a wife,"  he said. Kazuko opened her eyes wide and said, "You should say 'the wife,' instead." 

However, he insisted, "No! The word 'wife' is countable, I think." His wife disagreed, "No, it should be uncountable." 

Kazuo asked, "Why do you think so?" She replied, "Polygamy is against the law in our country." 

He said, "Well, we are talking about grammar, aren't we?" "I'm talking about the law!” “Are you dreaming about having several wives?" she asked. 

Kazuo said, "I've never had such a dream! Well, ..... Okay! I will correct my words myself." "Here and now I state that the word 'wife' is absolutely uncountable! ( / "I hereby state that the word 'wife' is absolutely uncountable! ) "I promise that you are and always will be my only wife!" ( /"I promise you that you are my only wife!" ) 

After the good discussion, they enjoyed dinner together and they lived happily ever after.

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アンカウンタブル・ナウン

ある時、数子と言う名の、若いフェミニストが居た。彼女は数雄と結婚していた。彼らは共に、趣味として英語を勉強していた。

ある日、数雄は妻に提案した。「今日は、カウンタブル・ナウンと、アンカウンタブル・ナウンについて学ぼう。」数子は彼に例文を求めた。

「アイ・ハヴ・ア・ワイフ。」彼が言った。数子は目を大きく開いて言った。「ザ・ワイフじゃないの？」

しかし、彼は抵抗する。「いや、ワイフはカウンタブルだと思うよ。」妻は反発した。「いいえ、アンカウンタブルよ！」

数雄は尋ねた。「どうして、そう思うの？」彼女は応えた。「この国では、一夫多妻は法律違反でしょ。」

 彼が言った。「うーん、今、文法の話をしているんだよね？」「私は法律の話をしているのよ！ あなた、複数の奥さんを持ちたいとか、夢に見てるの？」彼女が言った。

数雄は言った。「そんな事、夢にも思った事無いよ！ わかった、訂正する！ワイフは絶対、アンカウンタブルだ！約束します、君が僕の、ただ１人のワイフだ！」

実りある議論の後、２人は仲良くディナーを楽しんだ。めでたしめでたし！

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アンカウンタブル・ナウン
The Uncountable Nouns

カウンタブル : countable (Katanaka letters are used to write foreign words in this way. However, Katakana system does not include all the sounds which are used in foreign languages. So, we often replace a foreign sound with a katakana which has a little bit or completely different sound as needed.)

アンカウンタブル : uncountable

ナウン : noun

可算 (かさん) : countable

不可算 (ふかさん) : uncountable

名詞 (めいし) : a noun

可算名詞 : a countable noun, countable nouns (grammar term)

不可算名詞 : an uncountable noun, uncountable nouns (grammar term)



ある時、数子と言う名の、若いフェミニストが居た。
Once upon a time, there was a young feminist whose name was Kazuko. 

ある時 (あるとき) : Once upon a time

数子 (かずこ) : Kazuko, the first name of a female person

言う (いう) : to say, to tell (verb)

数子と言う : She is called "Kazuko."

名前 (なまえ) : the name, a name

名 (な) : the name, a name (poetic expression)

数子と言う名前の : whose name is "Kazuko"

数子と言う名の : whose name is "Kazuko" (poetic expression)

若い (わかい) : young

フェミニスト : a feminist

数子と言う名のフェミニスト : a feminist whose name is Kazuko (noun clause)

若いフェミニスト : a young feminist

居る。(いる) : There is a person or an animal.

フェミニストが居る。: There is a feminist.

若いフェミニストが居る。: There is a young feminist.

居た。(いた) : There was a person or an animal.

フェミニストが居た。: There was a feminist.

若いフェミニストが居た。: There was a young feminist.

ある時、若いフェミニストが居た。: Once upon a time, there was a young feminist.

数子と言う名のフェミニストが居た。 : There was a feminist whose name was Kazuko.

彼女は数雄と結婚していた。
She was married to Kazuo. 

彼女 (かのじょ) : she/her

数雄 (かずお) : Kazuo, the name of a man in this story

結婚 (けっこん) : a marriage (noun)

する : to do something (verb)

結婚する : to marry someone, to get married to someone (verb, This expression can be used for either the bride, the groom or the couple.)

結婚した。: You married. You got married. They married. (depends on who you are talking about.)

していた。: You were doing something. (past progress), You had done something already. (past situation), You did something regularly/usually/often as your job or hobby. (past activity)

彼女は結婚していた。: She was married. She had already married. She was not single.

数雄と結婚していた。: You were married to Kazuo.

彼らは共に、趣味として英語を勉強していた。
They studied English together as their hobby. 

彼ら (かれら) : they

共に (ともに) : with (in the nuance of "together"), together

趣味 (しゅみ) : a hobby
.......として : as ......

英語 (えいご) : English (language)

勉強 (べんきょう) : a study, studying, learning (noun)

勉強する : to study/learn (verb)

英語を勉強する : to study/learn English (verb)

していた。: You were doing it. (past progress), You did it regularly, usually, often or sometimes as your job or hobby. (past activity)

彼らは、勉強していた。: They were studying/learning. (past progress), They studied/learned it regularly, usually, often or sometimes as their job or hobby. (past activity)

彼らは共に、していた。: They were doing it together. (past progress), They did it together regularly, usually, often or sometimes as their job or hobby. (past activity)

彼らは、趣味としてしていた。: They did it regularly, usually, often or sometimes as their hobby. (past activity)

ある日、数雄は妻に提案した。「........」
One day, Kazuo suggested to his wife, "............" 

ある日 (あるひ) : one day

数雄 (かずお) : Kazuo

妻 (つま) : wife, his wife in this context

提案 (ていあん) : a suggestion, suggesting (noun)

提案する。: to suggest (verb)

提案した。: You suggested.

数雄は提案した。: Kazuo suggested.

ある日、数雄は提案した。: One day, Kazuo suggested.

妻に提案した。: You suggested to your wife.

「........」: ".........."






「今日は、カウンタブル・ナウンと、アンカウンタブル・ナウンについて学ぼう。」
"Today, let's study countable and uncountable nouns."

今日 (きょう) : today

カウンタブル・ナウン : a countable noun, countable nouns

アンカウンタブル・ナウン : an uncountable noun, uncountable nouns

カウンタブル・ナウンと、アンカウンタブル・ナウン : a countable noun and an uncountable noun, countable nouns and uncountable nouns

について : about it

カウンタブル・ナウンについて : about countable nouns

アンカウンタブル・ナウンについて : about uncountable nouns

学ぶ (まなぶ) : to learn (verb)

学ぼう (まなぼう) : Let's learn it.

カウンタブル・ナウンについて学ぼう。: Let's learn countable nouns.

アンカウンタブル・ナウンについて学ぼう。: Let's learn uncountable nouns.

今日は、学ぼう。: Let's learn it today.






数子は彼に例文を求めた。
Kazuko asked for an example. 

数子 (かずこ) : Kazuko

彼 (かれ) : he/his/him

例文 (れいぶん) : an example sentence (noun)

求める (もとめる) : to ask for something (verb)

求めた。 : You asked for it.

数子は求めた。: Kazuko asked for it.

彼に求めた。: You asked him for something.

数子は例文を求めた。: Kazuko asked someone for an example sentence.





「アイ・ハヴ・ア・ワイフ。」彼が言った。
"I have a wife,"  he said.

「アイ・ハヴ・ア・ワイフ。」: "I have a wife."  (We also quote foreign phrases with Katakana in this way.)

彼 (かれ) : he/his/him

言う (いう) : to say, to tell (verb)

言った。(いった) : You said. You told.

数子は目を大きく開いて言った。「ザ・ワイフじゃないの？」 
Kazuko opened her eyes wide and said, "You should say 'the wife,' instead." 

和子 (かずこ) : Kazuko

目 (め) : an eye, eyes

大きい (おおきい) : large, big, wide (adjective with or without a following noun)

大きく (おおきく) : largely, widely, in big size,  (adverb)

開く (ひらく) : to open something (verb), You open it.

開いた。(ひらいた) : You opened it.

開いて..... : You opened it and/then/so ......

言う (いう) : to say, to tell (verb)

言った。(いった) : You said. You told.

「ザ・ワイフ」 : "the wife" (We sometimes quote foreign words with katakana in this way.)

「.....じゃない。」 : "It's not .....", "It should not be ......."  (casual, spoken expression)

「.....じゃないの？」 : "It should be ....., isn't it?", "You should say '........,' instead."  (casual, spoken expression)




しかし、彼は抵抗する。「いや、ワイフはカウンタブルだと思うよ。」
However, he insisted, "No! The word 'wife' is countable, I think." 

しかし : however, but

彼 (かれ) : he/his/him

抵抗 (ていこう) : resistance (noun), resisting against someone or something (noun)

抵抗する。: to resist against someone or something (verb), to argue with someone (verb), to disagree with someone's idea or opinion (verb), to insist (verb)

彼は抵抗する。: He insists. He will insist. He insisted. (in this context, Please pay attention to the context rather than the grammar.)

いや : That's not true. I disagree. yes/no (depends on the form of question which is asked)

ワイフ : wife

カウンタブル : countable

思う (おもう) : to think (verb), I think so.

だと思うよ。: I think so. (casual, spoken expression)

ワイフはカウンタブルだ。: The word "wife" is countable.

カウンタブルだと思う。: I think it is countable.

妻は反発した。「いいえ、アンカウンタブルよ！」
His wife disagreed, "No, it should be uncountable." 

妻 (つま) : wife, his wife (in this context)

反発 (はんぱつ) : disagreeing with someone's opinion or an aidea (noun)

した。: You did it.

いいえ : That's not true. I disagree with you. I don't think so. yes/no (depends on the form of the question which is asked)

アンカウンタブル : uncountable

アンカウンタブルよ！: It's uncountable! (This is a feminine, casual, spoken expression often used by women)

数雄は尋ねた。「どうして、そう思うの？」
Kazuo asked, "Why do you think so?" 

数雄(かずお) : Kazuo

尋ねる (たずねる) : to ask someone a question (verb)

尋ねた。: You asked him/her a question.

どうして？ : Why?

思う (おもう) : to think (verb)

そう思う : You think so.

そう思うの？: Do you think so? (casual, spoken expression)

彼女は応えた。「この国では、一夫多妻は法律違反でしょ。」
She replied, "Polygamy is against the law in our country." 

彼女 (かのじょ) : she/her

応える (こたえる) : to respond, to reply (verb)

応えた。: You responded. You replied.

国 (くに) : a country (noun)

この国 : this country, our country

この国では : in this country, in our country

一夫多妻 (いっぷたさい) : polygamy

法律 (ほうりつ) : a law, the law (noun)

違反 (いはん) : a violation (noun), violating a rule (noun)

法律違反 : violating of the law (noun)

でしょ。: Isn't it? I think so. (casual, spoken expression)

法律違反でしょ。: It's against the law, isn't it? (casual, spoken expression)








彼が言った。「うーん、今、文法の話をしているんだよね？」
He said, "Well, we are talking about grammar, aren't we?" 

彼 (かれ) : he/his/him

言った。(いった) : You said. You told.

うーん : (When you say "うーん," you are thinking what to say.)

今 (いま) : now, right now

文法 (ぶんぽう) : grammar

話 (はなし) : a story, a topic, telling something, talking something (noun)

文法の話 : a topic that is connected to grammar (noun clause)

話をしている : You are telling a story. You are talking about something. They are chatting.

文法の話をしている : You are telling/talking about grammar.

しているんだよね？: You/We are doing it, aren't you/we?

今、しているんだよね？: You/We are now doing it, aren't you/we?

私は法律の話をしているのよ！
I'm talking about the law!


私 (わたし) : I/my/me

法律 (ほうりつ) : a law, the law (noun)

話 (はなし) : a story, a topic (noun), telling, talking (noun)

法律の話 : a story or discussion about the law (noun)

話をする : to tell or talk about something (verb)

している : You are doing something now. (present progress), You do it as your job or hobby. (current and recent activity)

話をしている : You are telling/talking about something. (present progress)

法律の話をしている : You are telling/talking about the law.

しているのよ！: I am doing it! (present progress), I do it regularly/often/usually/sometimes! (casual, spoken expression, current and recent activity, job, hobby, etc.)

「あなた、複数の奥さんを持ちたいとか、夢に見てるの？」彼女が言った。
"Are you dreaming about having several wives?"she asked. 


あなた : you/your

複数 (ふくすう) : plural (noun), several (adjective without a following noun)

複数の : several (adjective with a following noun)

奥さん (おくさん) : your wife (casual expression)

持ちたい (もちたい) : You wish/want to have something.

とか : for example, etc., and so on, such as

持ちたいとか : You want to have it, or .......

複数の奥さんを持ちたいとか : something such as having several wives

夢 (ゆめ) : a dream (noun)

 見る (みる) : to see, to watch, to look at something (verb)

夢に見る : to dream (verb)

見ている (みている) : You are seeing/watching/looking at someone or something. (present progress), You see/watch/look at someone or something. (current and recent activity)

見てる (みてる) : *This is a casual, spoken expression for "見ている." ('い' is omitted.)

見てるの？: Are you seeing it? Are you watching it? Are you looking at it? (casual, spoken expression)

あなた、見てるの？: Are you seeing/watching it?

夢に見てるの？: Are you dreaming?

とか、夢に見てるの？: Are you dreaming about such a thing?

彼女 (かのじょ) : she/her

言った。(いった) : You said. You told.

数雄は言った。「そんな事、夢にも思った事無いよ！ 」
Kazuo said, "I've never had such a dream! "

数雄 (かずお) : Kazuo

言った。(いった) : You said. You told.

事 (こと) : an event, an issue, the fact, something which you have just mentioned.

そんな事 : such a thing (with a negative feeling)

夢 (ゆめ) : a dream (noun)

夢にも : even in your dream, also in your dream

思う (おもう) : to think (verb)

思った (おもった) : You thought.

思った事 : an experience that you thought about something

無い (ない) : There is not a thing. It was not here/there. You don't have it. (current situation)

無いよ！ : I don't have it! It's not here/there. (causal, spoken expression)

事無いよ！: I've never had such an experience! I've never done it!

思った事無いよ！: I've never thought about it!

夢にも思った事無いよ！: I've never dreamed about it!

わかった、訂正する！
Well, ..... Okay! I will correct my words myself.


わかった : I got it! Okay! No problem! I see.

訂正 (ていせい) : a correction (noun), correcting (noun)

訂正する: to correct (verb)

ワイフは絶対、アンカウンタブルだ！
Here and now I state that the word 'wife' is absolutely uncountable! ( / I hereby state that the word 'wife' is absolutely uncountable! )

ワイフ : wife

絶対 (ぜったい) : absolutely, definitely (adverb)

アンカウンタブル : uncountable

アンカウンタブルだ！: It's uncountable!

絶対、アンカウンタブルだ！: It's absolutely uncountable!






約束します、君が僕の、ただ１人のワイフだ！」
I promise that you are and always will be my only wife! ( /I promise you that you are my only wife! ) 

約束 (やくそく) : a promise (noun), promising someone something (noun)

します : I will do it.

約束します : I promise.

君 (きみ) : you/your (casual, spoken expression, You should not call your boss or someone who is older than you '君'. Your boss can call you '君'.)

僕 (ぼく) : I/my/me (casual, spoken expression often used by a boy or young man.)

１人 (ひとり) : one (person)

一つ (ひとつ) : one (thing)

ただ１人 : only one (person)

ただ一つ : only one (thing)

ワイフ : wife (We often make katakana words from foreign words in this way. A katakana word will sound differently from the original foreign word.)

ただ１人のワイフ : your only wife

君が僕のワイフだ！: You are my wife!

実りある議論の後、２人は仲良くディナーを楽しんだ。めでたしめでたし！
After the good discussion, they enjoyed dinner together and they lived happily ever after.

実り (みのり) : a crop

ある : There is a thing. It is here/there. You have it.

実りある : productive (adjective)

議論 (ぎろん) : a discussion

実りある議論 : a productive discussion (noun)

後 (あと) : after, later, the rear

議論の後 : after the discussion

二人 (ふたり) / ２人  (ふたり) : two (people), they (when talking about two people)

二つ (ふたつ) /  2つ (ふたつ) : two (things), they (when talking about two things)

仲良く (なかよく) : having a good relationship, in a friendly way, friendlily (adverb)

ディナー : dinner

楽しむ (たのしむ) : to enjoy (verb)

楽しんだ。: You enjoyed it.

２人は楽しんだ。: They enjoyed it. (as two people)

２人はディナーを楽しんだ。: They enjoyed dinner. (as two people)

２人は仲良くディナーを楽しんだ。: They enjoyed dinner happily. (as two people)

めでたしめでたし！: You are/were happy. (This is a typical expression used at the end of a happy ending story. The literal meaning is "Happy, happy!")

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