go to a mountain/go to the mountains

[tzfujimino]

Hello.:-D

Please look at the sentences below.

1. I want to go to a mountain.
2. I want to go to the mountain(s).

I'm not talking about the 'specific' mountain(s).
#1 is grammatical, but it doesn't sound quite right.
#2 is also grammatical, but it sounds as if I were talking about the 'specific' mountain(s).

Which should I choose?

Thank you.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Hello.:-D

Please look at the sentences below.

1. I want to go to a mountain.
2. I want to go to the moutain(s).

I'm not talking about the 'specific' mountain(s).
#1 is grammatical, but it doesn't sound quite right.
#2 is also grammatical, but it sounds as if I were talking about the 'specific' mountain(s).

Which should I choose?

Thank you.

The first is not natural for me. The second works with the plural form if a specific mountain is not intended,

 

[Gillnetter]

Hello.:-D

Please look at the sentences below.

1. I want to go to a mountain.
2. I want to go to the moutain(s).

I'm not talking about the 'specific' mountain(s).
#1 is grammatical, but it doesn't sound quite right.
#2 is also grammatical, but it sounds as if I were talking about the 'specific' mountain(s).

Which should I choose?

Thank you.

Having lived in flat country once I understand sentence #1. I really wanted to go to a mountain.
I want to go to the mountains means that I want to go to any mountain. In the singular (mountain) it means that I want to go to a certain mountain. For example, where I live now there is only one mountain nearby. If I say that I want to go to the mountain most people who live here would understand that I want to go to that mountain.

 

[Raymott]

In the singular (mountain) it means that I want to go to a certain mountain. For example, where I live now there is only one mountain nearby. If I say that I want to go to the mountain most people who live here would understand that I want to go to that mountain.

In a thread comparing "a mountain" to "the mountain", you can't refer to "in the singular" without ambiguity. I take it that your first sentence refers to "the mountain".

 

[tzfujimino]

I disagree. If you say, "I want to go to a mountain" you mean any mountain, not a specific mountain. If you meant a specific mountain, you'd say "the mountain". If you mean mountains generally, it's "the mountains".
You've changed "a mountain" to "the mountain" seemingly without noticing.

Thank you, Raymott.:-D

I think Gillnetter is referring to #2 in my original post- "in the singular (the mountain) instead of in the plural (the mountains) it means..." is what Gill might have meant.

 

[Raymott]

Thank you, Raymott.:-D

I think Gillnetter is referring to #2 in my original post- "in the singular (the mountain) instead of in the plural (the mountains) it means..." is what Gill might have meant.

I know. I realised that as soon as I posted, and changed my post. Hence, you will see that my previous post now bears little resemblance to the one you've quoted. Not that there's anything wrong about the post you've quoted, except for the misunderstanding. Well spotted!