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skeptic2
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Why is zero plural?
(eg. I have zero items on my agenda.)
(eg. I have zero items on my agenda.)
skeptic2 said:Why is zero plural?
(eg. I have zero items on my agenda.)
Ivan Seeking said:Is that a proper usage of the word "zero"?
Hurkyl said:"there is two-thirds of an apple", or maybe "there are two-thirds of an apple", but you almost surely couldn't bring yourself to say "there are two-thirds apples" or "there is two-thirds apple".
tiny-tim said:but yes there are still no bananas.
tiny-tim said:Yes, we have no bananas
we have no bananas today!
We could say, we have bananas...NOT.Ivan Seeking said:Would we say that we have zero bananas?
Because if you had no (zero) item on your adjenda, you could still have several items on your adjenda.skeptic2 said:Why is zero plural?
(eg. I have zero items on my agenda.)
No, because you could still have a bananna.dlgoff said:We could say, we have bananas...NOT.
Pinu7 said:Taking a wild guess...
A single object is singular.
A plural object is non-singular.
Zero, under this definition, will be a plural quantity.
consisting of, containing, or pertaining to more than one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PluralPlural is a grammatical number...Languages having only a singular and plural form may still differ in their treatment of zero. For example, in English, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, the plural form is used for zero or more than one, and the singular for one thing only. By contrast, in French, the singular form is used for zero.
russ_watters said:Simple and satisfying, but according to the dictionary, wrong: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/plural
Apparently, the real problem here is that we are speaking English:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plural
Zero in the above example is an adjective, not a noun. In English, unlike other languages, adjectives do not change with declension or pleurality of noun.skeptic2 said:Why is zero plural?
(eg. I have zero items on my agenda.)
By your logic "1 trillion" is an adjective here?Bob S said:How many zeros does 1 trillion dollars have?
zoobyshoe said:By your logic "1 trillion" is an adjective here?
tribdog said:isn't it?
zoobyshoe said:By your logic "1 trillion" is an adjective here?
zoobyshoe said:By your logic "1 trillion" is an adjective here?
ibnsos said:Wouldn't "1trillion" be the object? It isn't modifying the noun and I believe that's what adjectives do.
TheStatutoryApe said:It is modifying the noun. Dollars being the noun it is describing the number of them.
George Jones said:How do you tally no bananas?
Bob S said:Zero in the above example is an adjective, not a noun. In English, unlike other languages, adjectives do not change with declension or pleurality of noun.
zero alumni, zero alumnae, etc.
A pleural use of zero as a noun is: How many zeros does 1 trillion dollars have?
The Kamikaze Zeros are to starboard!
skeptic2 said:Why is zero plural?
Agreeruss watters said:Apparently, the real problem here is that we are speaking English
The concept of zero as plural stems from the fact that it is used to represent a quantity of more than one. For example, if there are zero apples, we say "zero apples," not "zero apple." This usage has become standardized in English grammar.
No, in some cases zero is treated as a singular noun. This is particularly true when it is used as a quantity or a value. For example, we say "zero degrees" or "zero dollars" rather than "zeros degrees" or "zeros dollars."
Some languages may have different rules for pluralizing zero based on their unique grammar rules and structure. For example, in some languages, zero is always singular, while in others it is always plural. It ultimately depends on how the language handles singular and plural nouns.
Yes, there are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, in some cases, zero is treated as singular for stylistic purposes, such as in poetry or song lyrics. Additionally, in some technical fields, such as mathematics or computer science, zero may be treated as singular to maintain precision and avoid confusion.
Understanding the pluralization of zero is important for proper grammar usage and clear communication. It helps us to accurately express quantities and values in a way that is consistent with the rules of the English language. It also allows us to avoid potential confusion or misunderstandings in certain contexts.