Zero Plural Definition and Examples in English Grammar

Zero Plural Definition and Examples in English Grammar In grammar, the zero plural is a  plural form of a count noun that is identical to the singular form. Also called zero [or null] morpheme. In English,  zero plural marking refers to the absence of the plural markers -s and -es. Several animal names (sheep, deer, cod) and certain nationalities (Japanese, Sioux, Taiwanese) take the zero plural in English. Examples and Observations Here are some examples from famous works: This week the debate is on an idea to let everyone fish a few cod just for food. (Mark Kurlansky, Cod: A Biography Of The Fish That Changed The World. Walker Publishing, 1997)We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way. -General George S. PattonIn English, plurals of nouns are normally indicated by the ending –s or –es, or in a few cases by –en, as in children and oxen. Some vernacular varieties of English do not use plural endings in measurement phrases such as three mile and ten pound. This zero plural has a long history and was not formerly as socially stigmatized as it is today... In adjectival constructions even Standard English has no –s plural: a five-pound box of candy is acceptable, whereas a five-pounds box is not. These adjective phrases derive from an –a suffix in Old English that marked plural adjectives. This ending has long since fallen away, leaving behind the unmarked root forms. The abse nce of –s in the plural form of animal names (hunting for bear, a herd of buffalo) probably arose by analogy with animals like deer and sheep whose plurals have been unmarked since the earliest beginnings of the English language. (plural, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 2000 Im horrified of lobsters. And shrimp and lobsters are the cockroaches of the ocean. -Brooke BurkeBluefin tuna contain higher levels of mercury than other species of tuna because they live longer and, like humans, accumulate more mercury in their body tissues. (The New York Times, January 24, 2008) Zero Plurals With Numerals, Quantifiers, and Nouns of Measure [Zero plurals] include the names of some animals, particularly cod, deer, sheep; nouns denoting quantity when they are premodified by a numeral or other quantifier and particularly when they are attached to a noun head: two hundred (people), three dozen (plants), several thousand (dollars). The measure nouns foot (length unit), pound (unit of weight or of British currency), and stone (British weight unit) optionally take zero plurals: six foot two, twenty pound, fifteen stone. (Sidney Greenbaum, Oxford English Grammar. Oxford University Press, 1996)His hat, I reckon, weighed ten poundTo say the least, and Ill say, shore,His overcoat weighed fifty more. (James Whitcomb Riley, Squire Hawkinss Story)I have known when he would have walked ten mile afoot to see a good armour. (Much Ado About Nothing, Act Two, scene 3 )The foggers and cooling fans were going full blast in Jims twin five-hundred-foot-long chicken houses. (Baxter Black, Chicken House Attack. Horseshoes, Cowsocks Duckfeet. C rown Publishers, 2002)

Names and Functions of Chemical Elements in Fireworks

Names and Functions of Chemical Elements in Fireworks Fireworks are a traditional part of many celebrations, including Independence Day. There is a lot of physics and chemistry involved in making fireworks. Their colors come from the different temperatures of hot, glowing metals and from the light emitted by burning chemical compounds. Chemical reactions propel them and burst them into special shapes. Heres an element-by-element look at what is involved in your average firework. Components in Fireworks Aluminum: Aluminum is used to produce silver and white flames and sparks. It is a common component of sparklers. Antimony: Antimony is used to create firework glitter effects. Barium: Barium is used to create green colors in fireworks, and it can also help stabilize other volatile elements. Calcium: Calcium is used to deepen firework colors. Calcium salts produce orange fireworks. Carbon: Carbon is one of the main components of black powder, which is used as a propellant in fireworks. Carbon provides the fuel for a firework. Common forms include carbon black, sugar, or starch. Chlorine: Chlorine is an important component of many oxidizers in fireworks. Several of the metal salts that produce colors contain chlorine. Copper: Copper compounds produce blue colors in fireworks. Iron: Iron is used to produce sparks. The heat of the metal determines the color of the sparks. Lithium: Lithium is a metal that is used to impart a red color to fireworks. Lithium carbonate, in particular, is a common colorant. Magnesium: Magnesium burns a very bright white, so it is used to add white sparks or improve the overall brilliance of a firework. Oxygen: Fireworks include oxidizers, which are substances that produce oxygen in order for burning to occur. The oxidizers are usually nitrates, chlorates, or perchlorates. Sometimes the same substance is used to provide oxygen and color. Phosphorus: Phosphorus burns spontaneously in air and is also responsible for some glow-in-the-dark effects. It may be a component of a fireworks fuel. Potassium: Potassium helps to oxidize firework mixtures. Potassium nitrate, potassium chlorate, and potassium perchlorate are all important oxidizers. Sodium: Sodium imparts a gold or yellow color to fireworks, however, the color may be so bright that it masks less intense colors. Sulfur: Sulfur is a component of black powder. It is found in a fireworks propellant/fuel. Strontium: Strontium salts impart a red color to fireworks. Strontium compounds are also important for stabilizing fireworks mixtures. Titanium: Titanium metal can be burned as powder or flakes to produce silver sparks. Zinc: Zinc is used to create smoke effects for fireworks and other pyrotechnic devices.