[Vocabulary] An indefinite article + ignorance

[inase]

Could somebody spend some time discussing my ignorance of the word "ignorance?"
In sentences 1 and 2 an indefinite article is not used for "ignorance" while in sentences 3 and 4 it is used even though "ignorance" is considered to be an uncountable abstract noun. My guess is that it depends on whether the adjective modifying it start with a consonant or a vowel. Do you agree?

1. He affected complete ignorance.
2. He displayed blissful ignorance.
3. He affected an utter ignorance.
4. He displayed an amazing ignorance.

Inase

 

[GoesStation]

Affect is the right verb for the context. It means "pretend to have".

 

[GoesStation]

'Effect' is the correct verb for the context. It means "to make happen".

The sentence is He affected complete ignorance. As written, it means "He pretended to be completely ignorant." I can't see any way to understand it with effect.

 

[Skrej]

Drugs or alcohol.

 

[andrewg927]

How on earth can you make ignorance happen?

You just made it happen.

 

[emsr2d2]

Drugs or alcohol.

In what way do drugs or alcohol make ignorance happen? I can understand it if you suggest that people who overdo drugs or alcohol might have already been ignorant of the potential consequences but taking drugs or drinking alcohol don't make a person ignorant.

 

[Tdol]

I'd assume it was affected meaning feigned.

Alcohol does make ignorance happen- check out town centres in the UK at midnight. ;-)

 

[jutfrank]

Without more context I'd guess the verb in sentence 1) is correct as affected, as in pretended to be ignorant of something specific.

 

[emsr2d2]

But you don't make someone ignorant. Nothing makes someone ignorant. We all start off ignorant of everything and, as life goes on, we learn. If we don't learn about something, we remain​ ignorant of/about it.

 

[emsr2d2]

Alcohol does make ignorance happen- check out town centres in the UK at midnight. ;-)

I think we're using a different definition of "ignorance" here. For me, it means "having no knowledge [of]". Town centres at midnight are full of people who are badly-behaved, vile, uncouth, violent and many other unpleasant traits but I wouldn't say that they're ignorant just because they're drunk and/or out of control. Many of those people are probably ignorant when sober!

 

[Skrej]

Emsr, I think you're taking my comment a little too seriously. :-D It was a joke (or attempt at one) that when you drink or do drugs, you tend to forget a lot of stuff. Thus you're ignorant because you've lost knowledge.

Also people who heavily abuse both for long periods do sometimes actually lose brain function, but it was more a joke about temporary ignorance.

In my misbegotten youth, there were times of heavy drinking where I was unaware of things like my current address, basic arithmetic, and the English language.

Fortunately that knowledge returned after some extended metabolizing.

 

[Tdol]

In my misbegotten youth, there were times of heavy drinking where I was unaware of things like my current address, basic arithmetic, and the English language.

That's not heavy drinking in the UK. :cheers: