A group for contestants and lovers of the Channel 4 game show 'Countdown'.
http://c4countdown.co.uk/
It's actually listed as a mass noun - the fabric part of the definition is only a subsense, introduced by the black square. So imho it's a nay.Gary Male wrote:After seeing it disallowed in quite a few games recently on Apterous, MOHAIRS yay or nay? It's listed as a fabric, so logically should be allowed the plural? Plus the entry strongly suggests that their are different types of mohair.
That doesn't make any sense. If you can pluralise it in any sense then MOHAIRS is valid.Frank Rodolf wrote:It's actually listed as a mass noun - the fabric part of the definition is only a subsense, introduced by the black square. So imho it's a nay.Gary Male wrote:After seeing it disallowed in quite a few games recently on Apterous, MOHAIRS yay or nay? It's listed as a fabric, so logically should be allowed the plural? Plus the entry strongly suggests that their are different types of mohair.
GATEAUS appears in my version of Countmax. HmmmHoward Somerset wrote:GATEAUS appears to be missing from CountMax, even though it's listed in the ODE2r as an alternative plural spelling for GATEAU.
DC offered it in one the first of Anita Freeland's heats.
Thanks Kirk. I'm a little bit out of date. I was looking at the output of a wiki run which had been run in September 2007, and had missed GATEAUS. Clearly the CountMax dictionary has been updated since then.Kirk Bevins wrote:GATEAUS appears in my version of Countmax. HmmmHoward Somerset wrote:GATEAUS appears to be missing from CountMax, even though it's listed in the ODE2r as an alternative plural spelling for GATEAU.
DC offered it in one the first of Anita Freeland's heats.
In the ODE2r GRANITES is explicitly stated at the start of the book as one of the mass nouns that can take a plural. But television doesn't really follow that. Probably best to leave it and just offer ANGRIEST or something next time.Kai Laddiman wrote:I had GRANITES disallowed, but Soosbury Rules lists is as acceptable.
Gary Male wrote:In the ODE2r GRANITES is explicitly stated at the start of the book as one of the mass nouns that can take a plural. But television doesn't really follow that. Probably best to leave it and just offer ANGRIEST or something next time.Kai Laddiman wrote:I had GRANITES disallowed, but Soosbury Rules lists is as acceptable.
Why doesn't someone (hint hint) make a dictionary with mass nouns pluralisable or unpluralisable?Kirk Bevins wrote:Gary Male wrote:In the ODE2r GRANITES is explicitly stated at the start of the book as one of the mass nouns that can take a plural. But television doesn't really follow that. Probably best to leave it and just offer ANGRIEST or something next time.Kai Laddiman wrote:I had GRANITES disallowed, but Soosbury Rules lists is as acceptable.
But the guidelines you get when you're a contestant state:
Categories of mass nouns that can take a plural:
rocks: e.g. granite/granites, lava/lavas, clay/clays
So this implies that they should allow it. I'd be annoyed if Susie disallowed it when it's in the guidelines you are sent as a contestant before appearing.
I believe the spirit of the TV show's rules is essentially that, if a non-contrived sentence using the plural of a mass noun can be readily thought of (the food dishes principle), then it's allowed. I imagine chemists, for example, might often talk of a number of flasks containing the same chemical at different DILUTIONS.Kai Laddiman wrote:Another mass noun thingy - I recently didn't risk DILUTIONS against Ollie Garner, settling for DILTION, and DILUTIONS was allowed yet DILUTION is a mass noun.
The also talk about making water from two hydrogens and an oxygen...Phil Reynolds wrote:I imagine chemists, for example, might often talk of a number of flasks containing the same chemical at different DILUTIONS.
Fuck right off! Any self respecting chemist would talk about different molarities/(insert quantity calculus units here)Phil Reynolds wrote:I believe the spirit of the TV show's rules is essentially that, if a non-contrived sentence using the plural of a mass noun can be readily thought of (the food dishes principle), then it's allowed. I imagine chemists, for example, might often talk of a number of flasks containing the same chemical at different DILUTIONS.Kai Laddiman wrote:Another mass noun thingy - I recently didn't risk DILUTIONS against Ollie Garner, settling for DILTION, and DILUTIONS was allowed yet DILUTION is a mass noun.
Yeah but only when we're being lazy. If I were describing a chemical mechanism informally I might say compound X accepts two hydrogens, but on an exam I'd talk about two hydrogen atoms or ions or isotopes or whatever depending on your respective element.Charlie Reams wrote:They also talk about making water from two hydrogens and an oxygen...
Even Des O'Connor eventually figured out that the dictionary contains rather a lot of informality.Dinos Sfyris wrote:Yeah but only when we're being lazy. If I were describing a chemical mechanism informally I might say compound X accepts two hydrogens, but on an exam I'd talk about two hydrogen atoms or ions or isotopes or whatever depending on your respective element.Charlie Reams wrote:They also talk about making water from two hydrogens and an oxygen...
lol I loved those bits.Charlie Reams wrote:Even Des O'Connor eventually figured out that the dictionary contains rather a lot of informality.Dinos Sfyris wrote:Yeah but only when we're being lazy. If I were describing a chemical mechanism informally I might say compound X accepts two hydrogens, but on an exam I'd talk about two hydrogen atoms or ions or isotopes or whatever depending on your respective element.Charlie Reams wrote:They also talk about making water from two hydrogens and an oxygen...
Who said I was talking about self-respecting chemists? Presumably the people who create homeopathic placebos (sorry, "remedies") by diluting the active ingredient to the point where there are no molecules of the original compound left are employed as chemists, but I doubt they have much respect for themselves.Dinos Sfyris wrote:Fuck right off! Any self respecting chemist would talk about different molarities/(insert quantity calculus units here)Phil Reynolds wrote:I imagine chemists, for example, might often talk of a number of flasks containing the same chemical at different DILUTIONS.
Interesting question, and totally off-topic, but I wonder how many homeopathists actually believe their own bullshit? Difficult to find out, but honestly I would assume quite a few of them. Seriously, it's amazing what people will believe in.Phil Reynolds wrote:Presumably the people who create homeopathic placebos (sorry, "remedies") by diluting the active ingredient to the point where there are no molecules of the original compound left are employed as chemists, but I doubt they have much respect for themselves.
JOINDER is a mass noun plural but they always allow it on the show.Paul Howe wrote:Has JOINDERS been kicked out of the ODE? Just had it disallowed on apterous.
Also, what about MANTEAUX? Not sure about this one, but MANTEAU is OK and a lot of the -EAU words take an x plural.
Oh yeah they've been allowing JOINDERS for years, that should be in there. I seem to think Chris Wills got it against John Rawnsley.Kirk Bevins wrote:JOINDER is a mass noun plural but they always allow it on the show.Paul Howe wrote:Has JOINDERS been kicked out of the ODE? Just had it disallowed on apterous.
Also, what about MANTEAUX? Not sure about this one, but MANTEAU is OK and a lot of the -EAU words take an x plural.
http://www.c4countdown.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=789Julie T wrote:I just had FUNNER disallowed on apterous, which, while admittedly rather clumsy, should be allowed under the:
"single syllable adjectives automatically having comparatives and superlatives allowed" rule.
Thanks, Charlie. If Susie has specifically said that it's not allowed, then fair enough.Charlie Reams wrote:http://www.c4countdown.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=789Julie T wrote:I just had FUNNER disallowed on apterous, which, while admittedly rather clumsy, should be allowed under the:
"single syllable adjectives automatically having comparatives and superlatives allowed" rule.
I used to get given homeopathic remedies as a child. I remember the day after taking a prescribed homeopathic dose I returned to my 'doctor' and he asked me if I'd had any dreams. I told him the semi-remembered dream from the night before (something about factories), upon which he turned his head as though to look at some unseen authority figure and remarked "it worked", with a really serious look on his face. Even as a nine year old boy I thought "lol wat".Charlie Reams wrote:Interesting question, and totally off-topic, but I wonder how many homeopathists actually believe their own bullshit? Difficult to find out, but honestly I would assume quite a few of them. Seriously, it's amazing what people will believe in.Phil Reynolds wrote:Presumably the people who create homeopathic placebos (sorry, "remedies") by diluting the active ingredient to the point where there are no molecules of the original compound left are employed as chemists, but I doubt they have much respect for themselves.
Were the other letters G A N ?Rob Thomas wrote:Most of the time my risky words are rubbish and I don't bat an eyelid when they are not in. Today, I had "sieged" ruled out in my Daily Duel. I had a nagging sense that it was dodgy as I played it (mainly because it wasn't "besieged"), but its disallowment still caused the left half of my one joined eyebrow to raise slightly in surprise.
Also, CAFETIERE isn't in my version of Countmax.Martin Gardner wrote:FETTUCINI isn't in anymore of course, but then it's somewhat unlike that those letters will come up. But still...
Oh shit, yeah, I hadn't realised. Right, new version here.Kirk Bevins wrote:Also, CAFETIERE isn't in my version of Countmax.Martin Gardner wrote:FETTUCINI isn't in anymore of course, but then it's somewhat unlike that those letters will come up. But still...
I presume HERNIAE is an alternative plural of HERNIA, but what is MEDIAE? Clearly not a plural of MEDIA, since that is already a plural.Kai Laddiman wrote:Not necessarily a CountMax error but I think MANIAE should be a word as HERNIAE, MEDIAE etc. are wods.
A media is a layer in the wall of a blood cell as well.Phil Reynolds wrote:I presume HERNIAE is an alternative plural of HERNIA, but what is MEDIAE? Clearly not a plural of MEDIA, since that is already a plural.Kai Laddiman wrote:Not necessarily a CountMax error but I think MANIAE should be a word as HERNIAE, MEDIAE etc. are wods.
Thanks Kai. Just checked and it's listed with that sense in Collins Dictionary. It's not in the online Oxford though for some reason.Kai Laddiman wrote:A media is a layer in the wall of a blood cell as well.
Yeah, I agree, especially as TAGATIING pretty much has to stay given that TAGATI is a verb. At the time it seemed wrong taking out TAGATIES and leaving TAGATIED but now I think about it, TAGATIED could probably stay; TAGATI/TAGATIS/TAGATIED/TAGATIING. I'm with you on MEOW as well, but when Julian posted it I assumed it must have changed with the latest revision.Mike Brown wrote:I can't see anything wrong with TAGATIED (how else would you spell the past tense of TAGATI?), although I can see that perhaps TAGATIES might be iffy.
The ODE entry hasn't changed, it's just that Susie disallowed it on the September 26th show of last year (which prompted Julian's post). Still think we should probably allow it, though. I'm not even convinced it *is* purely a US spelling, although I think I would always use the admittedly slightly odd MIAOW spelling myself.JimBentley wrote:I'm with you on MEOW as well, but when Julian posted it I assumed it must have changed with the latest revision.
They have allowed it before (as cited above) but the dictionary entry might have changed since. I've just Googled OPALINES on the Countdown Wiki and it only comes up with one hit in the plural (loads in the singular) and it was disallowed - Aaron Webber vs. Anita Freeland. So that gets zero hits as a valid word, and VERONALS at the very least gets two.Mike Brown wrote:Don't think VERONALS should be allowed, for exactly the reasons originally given by Kirk.
They used to allow the plural of OPALINE on the grounds that it wasn't listed as a mass noun, even though its equivalent MILK-GLASS was (dodgy logic, in my opinion, but I suppose it was kind of following the dictionary to the letter). That anomaly seems to have been addressed by Damian and Susie, so I suspect they would now almost certainly disallow VERONALS because BARBITONE is listed as a mass noun, and I'm pretty certain its plural would be considered verboten.Martin Gardner wrote:They have allowed it before (as cited above) but the dictionary entry might have changed since. I've just Googled OPALINES on the Countdown Wiki and it only comes up with one hit in the plural (loads in the singular) and it was disallowed - Aaron Webber vs. Anita Freeland. So that gets zero hits as a valid word, and VERONALS at the very least gets two.
Hmm I'm on that page now, it says:Mike Brown wrote:They used to allow the plural of OPALINE on the grounds that it wasn't listed as a mass noun, even though its equivalent MILK-GLASS was (dodgy logic, in my opinion, but I suppose it was kind of following the dictionary to the letter). That anomaly seems to have been addressed by Damian and Susie, so I suspect they would now almost certainly disallow VERONALS because BARBITONE is listed as a mass noun, and I'm pretty certain its plural would be considered verboten.Martin Gardner wrote:They have allowed it before (as cited above) but the dictionary entry might have changed since. I've just Googled OPALINES on the Countdown Wiki and it only comes up with one hit in the plural (loads in the singular) and it was disallowed - Aaron Webber vs. Anita Freeland. So that gets zero hits as a valid word, and VERONALS at the very least gets two.
I think it's somewhat pluralisable because you could take two veronals before you go to sleep (like aspirine). Hmm. I'm now officially on the fence on this one.noun [mass noun] a long-acting sedative and sleep-inducing drug or the barbituate type.
Martin Gardner wrote: (like aspirine)
This does not make sense. I am sorry, Kirk.Kirk Bevins wrote:Martin Gardner wrote: (like aspirine)
Have to stop you here.
Just I am not because very good at grammar and construction sentences does not mean have to you pick up on my mistakes.Jon O'Neill wrote:This does not make sense. I am sorry, Kirk.Kirk Bevins wrote:Martin Gardner wrote: (like aspirine)
Have to stop you here.
Ha yes, good spot. I thought it was like adrenalin(e) but no, there's no e. There is one in French, which confused me.Kirk Bevins wrote:Martin Gardner wrote: (like aspirine)
Have to stop you here. It's spelt ASPIRIN.
Probrably not, I think it is just another way of spelling it.Martin Gardner wrote:Velvet just got COZIEST against me on Apterous. Is that not American?
It is indeed listed as cosy (US cozy).Martin Gardner wrote:Velvet just got COZIEST against me on Apterous. Is that not American?
Is there an electronic version available?JimBentley wrote:Right, new version here.
Is probrably another way of spelling probablyCallum Laddiman wrote:Probrably not, I think it is just another way of spelling it.Martin Gardner wrote:Velvet just got COZIEST against me on Apterous. Is that not American?
Probrably.Oliver Garner wrote:Is probrably another way of spelling probablyCallum Laddiman wrote:Probrably not, I think it is just another way of spelling it.Martin Gardner wrote:Velvet just got COZIEST against me on Apterous. Is that not American?
