all my maths was right... Huh?

[Casiopea]

No worries. Contradictions are good.

Allow me to amend my ways. I've underlined the omitted bits.

"news" is similar in its history. It doesn't come from the adjective "new" + a plural -s marker. It comes from an adjective + plural noun phrase, "new things" => "news". It's a whole word in itself; you can't remove the -s. Do so and the word changes in meaning. "news" has an -s, but that -s is not a plural marker. It's just a letter that happens to look like a plural marker.

[Deen]

Thanks again, this is hugely interesting. So you can't have several news?

I have to say this is a clumsy part of the English language. "I just heard one news..." I guess you don't say that, but when you WANT to say something to that effect, you have to go about some detour or workaround of sorts, to say it, right?

I'm not being sarcastic, if I come across as such.

[Casiopea]

How much news, not how many news. It's (psst) a non-count noun.

Try,

EX: I've just heard the news.
EX: I've just heard some news.
EX: I've just heard a bit of news.

All the best.

Oops, by the way, Deen, Welcome.

[Deen]

Hey, thanks! I was here a couple of years ago, but I'm not quite convinced it's the same user account. Something happened last year, when I was here for some information, and I can't remember now if I had to re-register.

I love this place. I just wish there was more time...

With the not counting but amounting part, you made me understand this very much better. Thanks, and here's to you for the pedagogic(is that a word?) way of putting it!!

Edit: Uhm... I see I joined in november 2004, so there you go!

[Casiopea]

You're most welcome, Deen. More importantly, welcome back.

pedagogical

[Deen]

Hehe... Wonderful. When do you put al at the end? A simple rule, or do I have to read "The History of Britain" to know all the facets of the issue?

[Deen]

I wasn't thinking when asking that. I think I know, but I obviously have less than the desired control, you might say.

[Casiopea]

Looking at the posting times on your last two posts, I've only one thing to say: You actually read "The History of Britain" in two whole minutes?" WOW!

Yeah, you're right. Add the suffix -al to make an adjective.

'night, Deen.

[Deen]

Sleep well...