Articles in noun chains

[Nonverbis]

Noun Chains

a pump house
war damage

I'd like to read some material about why pump and war are used without an article here.
Preferrable in a textbook.

Could you help me?

 

[jutfrank]

The word a in the phrase a pump house is an article. The use of the indefinite article shows that the phrase is countable.

The phrase war damage is uncountable.

The countability of noun phrases is determined by the head word. In a pump house, the head is house whereas in war damage, the head is damage.

 

[Nonverbis]

Thank you for the answer. But the question was about why pump and war are used without an article here. You explained the presence of abcense of an article bofore the main word in the phrase. But I'm interested in the cases of other words.

 

[jutfrank]

But the question was about why pump and war are used without an article here.

The compound noun pump house is used with an article (a), and the compound noun war damage is not used with an indefinite article because the phrase is uncountable. The individual words pump and war have no bearing on article use because they are only modifiers to their head words (house and damage). As I explained above, it is the heads that determine indefinite article use.

The use or lack of use of a definite article (the) is a different matter entirely.

 

[Nonverbis]

Thank you. But the question was where to read about it.

 

[jutfrank]

If you don't already have a grammar book, google 'article use' and you'll find hundreds of online resources.

 

[5jj]

Try this thread.

 

[Nonverbis]

I have looked through 4 textbooks on grammar. Nothing there if I'm not mistaken. That is why I have risen this question.

 

[Nonverbis]

Try this thread.

Pardon. It is the same thread as this one.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I have looked through four textbooks on grammar. Nothing is there, if I'm not mistaken. That is why I have raised this question.

Nonetheless, Jutfrank's answers are good.

When I'm really stuck, I look in The Chicago Manual of Style. There's a good British book, too — I think it's Oxford English Grammar.

Have you tried either of those?

 

[Nonverbis]

Nonetheless, Jutfrank's answers are good.

When I'm really stuck, I look in The Chicago Manual of Style. There's a good British book, too — I think it's Oxford English Grammar.

Have you tried either of those?

I have Oxford English Grammar Course by M. Swan (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced).

I can't find it there. Could you help me?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

That's not the same book as Oxford English Grammar.

No, I don't have other suggestions.

This sounds urgent. Why do you need to see the answer in a book? What's up?

 

[5jj]

Pardon. It is the same thread as this one.

I know. That was my attempt at a touch of humour.

Jutfrank gave you a very sound response. He, or others, would have been happy to answer follow-up questions. As Charlie asked, "Why do you need to see the answer in a book? What's up?"

 

[Nonverbis]

I also have this one.

I want to read it in a textbook as it is the only authoritative source of knowledge. Anything else is just a discussion.

 

[5jj]

I want to read it in a textbook as it is the only authoritative source of knowledge. Anything else is just a discussion.

Rubbish!

There are some very poor-quality textbooks around, and some very knowledgeable members of this forum.

This is not particularly relevant, but least two members of this forum have (co-)authored textbooks, and one has contributed to a grammar book.

 

[Nonverbis]

Rubbish!

There are some very poor-quality textbooks around, and some very knowledgeable members of this forum.

This is not particularly relevant, but least two members of this forum Have (co-) authored textbooks, and one has contributed to a grammar book.

Ok. But I want to quote a rabbish of a textbook rather than a forum post.

 

[5jj]

Ok. But I want to quote a rabbish of a textbook rather than a forum post.

Could it possibly be that you are writing some form of paper/assignment and you want us to provide sources you can cite?

 

[emsr2d2]

OK, but I [STRIKE]want[/STRIKE] would prefer to quote [STRIKE]a rabbish[/STRIKE] rubbish [STRIKE]of[/STRIKE] from a textbook rather than quote a forum post.

That's entirely your decision. Since you clearly don't care if the information you find in a textbook is reliable or rubbish, you can just find something online from any textbook and quote it. You won't get our support for doing that. We've given you plenty of options of places to look, and we've given you our advice. We can't do any more.

 

[Nonverbis]

Could it possibly be that you are writing some form of paper/assignment and you want us to provide sources you can cite?

No. I don't write a paper or anything. It is just a culture. If I know something, I want to know from where I know it.
Otherwise I'll be like you with authoritative authors on internet forums.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Ok. But I want to quote textbook rubbish rather than a forum post.

That's what I was asking in post 12. Why do you need to quote a book or cite a source?