Uncountable nouns

[Chicken Sandwich]

Well, I don't have to prove anything. Everything has already been proven. It's not my turn to disprove that the word "passenger" is ABSOLUTELY countable.

I'm not saying that you have to do anything, by "you" I mean "one". Asking 5jj to "prove" that there are no X is just rediculous. That's like all the bigfoot proponents who constantly tell the skeptics, 'You prove that bigfoot doesn't exist.' It can't be done.

Everything has already been proven.

You're wrong. Nothing has been proven.

[5jj]

Still, let's be honest and get to the bottom of it once and for all. Tell me honestly, as a native speaker, do you PERSONALLY believe there ARE strictly countable or uncountable nouns? The word "passenger" - need an example, the word "money" - need an example. 5jj, level with me and prove to me that there are no nouns that are absolutely countable or uncountable. I'm saying this as someone who just wants a spade to be called "spade".

Read what I have written. I personally believe that there are almost certainly no nouns that are always and only countable (or uncountable). My own inability to produce a convincing example for 'a furniture' does not prove that it's impossible, as BC showed. I am tired at the moment, and cannot come up with a non-countable 'passenger' example. That does not 'prove' there isn't one.

[emsr2d2]

I wonder why you are so obsessed with this question. Even if there are some nouns which are invariably used countably or uncountably, it's still the case that there are plenty of others which are both, leaving us where? Leaving us with absolutely no "rule" that you can teach your students.

[Bennevis]

I don't understand what all this ado is about. I am just trying to figure out whether English has changed so much lately that countable nouns all of a sudden are allowed to be uncountable and vice versa.
Some of the native speakers here keep saying that, yes, that kind of metamorphosis is possible. I just want to know the truth.

[5jj]

I don't understand what all this ado is about. I am just trying to figure out whether English has changed so much lately that countable nouns all of a sudden are allowed to be uncountable and vice versa.
Some of the native speakers here keep saying that, yes, that kind of metamorphosis is possible. I just want to know the truth.

Nothing has changed. It's not a question of 'countable' nouns being suddenly allowed to be uncountable. The labelling of nouns as 'countable' or 'uncountable' was always slightly artificial. We have always known that 'uncountable' water can be 'countable' if it refers to a glass/type of water. There is a problem only if one tries to insist that certain nouns are always and only countable (or non-countable).

[Bennevis]

But isn't it obvious that "bottle" is always countable or "window" is always countable?

[5jj]

But isn't it obvious that "bottle" is always countable or "window" is always countable?

No

[Chicken Sandwich]

But isn't it obvious that "bottle" is always countable or "window" is always countable?

I never thought she’d have the bottle to do it!*

Source: Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

[Bennevis]

5jj, please, don't get mad, buddy. Just prove it!

[birdeen's call]

I think perhaps more examples are needed. I'll try to work on that.