Content vs Contents
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Please help me clean up a dusty corner of my English brain module - I'm not a native English speaker... Assume there's a set X, in which the set Y resides.
- If I were to refer to Y as something indefinite, of which the details are unimportant or unknown, then I would call it "The content of X".
- If I were to refer to Y as something that itself has distinguishable elements, then I would call it "The contents of X".
Is that correct?
-- Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time - Bertrand Russel
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Please help me clean up a dusty corner of my English brain module - I'm not a native English speaker... Assume there's a set X, in which the set Y resides.
- If I were to refer to Y as something indefinite, of which the details are unimportant or unknown, then I would call it "The content of X".
- If I were to refer to Y as something that itself has distinguishable elements, then I would call it "The contents of X".
Is that correct?
-- Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time - Bertrand Russel
It depends on the number of the set. If the set is written in the plural you would use the plural form of content.
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Please help me clean up a dusty corner of my English brain module - I'm not a native English speaker... Assume there's a set X, in which the set Y resides.
- If I were to refer to Y as something indefinite, of which the details are unimportant or unknown, then I would call it "The content of X".
- If I were to refer to Y as something that itself has distinguishable elements, then I would call it "The contents of X".
Is that correct?
-- Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time - Bertrand Russel
"The content of X" denotes that which is contained by X, and is treated as a single entity. As you observed, in this case the individual elements in the 'content' aren't important to the discussion. "The contents of X" denotes that which is contained by X, and is treated as a collection of entities. For this usage, the members of the collection are important to the topic. I wouldn't worry about it, especially on an international forum like this one. We're happy as long as you just don't use 'txt-speak' :).
Software Zen:
delete this;modified on Monday, February 23, 2009 9:37 AM
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Please help me clean up a dusty corner of my English brain module - I'm not a native English speaker... Assume there's a set X, in which the set Y resides.
- If I were to refer to Y as something indefinite, of which the details are unimportant or unknown, then I would call it "The content of X".
- If I were to refer to Y as something that itself has distinguishable elements, then I would call it "The contents of X".
Is that correct?
-- Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time - Bertrand Russel
You are not alone in your confusion. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=contents+singular+plural&aq=0&oq=contents+singular+[^]
"Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw later in life what you have deposited along the way." - Unknown
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"The content of X" denotes that which is contained by X, and is treated as a single entity. As you observed, in this case the individual elements in the 'content' aren't important to the discussion. "The contents of X" denotes that which is contained by X, and is treated as a collection of entities. For this usage, the members of the collection are important to the topic. I wouldn't worry about it, especially on an international forum like this one. We're happy as long as you just don't use 'txt-speak' :).
Software Zen:
delete this;modified on Monday, February 23, 2009 9:37 AM
Gary Wheeler wrote:
txt-speak
Jehovah! TEXT speak!
------------------------------------ "May I introduce Blon Fel-Fotch Pasermeer-Day Slitheen from the planet Raxacoricofallapatorious, known by her friends as Margaret" The Doctor
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Gary Wheeler wrote:
txt-speak
Jehovah! TEXT speak!
------------------------------------ "May I introduce Blon Fel-Fotch Pasermeer-Day Slitheen from the planet Raxacoricofallapatorious, known by her friends as Margaret" The Doctor
Stone him....