The restaurant rule
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The restaurant rule
Just watching an old series of countdown and dictionary corner was discussing whether ravioli could be pluaralised, deciding that it couldn't be becaus it was already plural. The plural isn't allowed on apterous. Would it be allowed on countdown under the restaurant rule, since you can have two ravioli dishes?
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Re: The restaurant rule
I think the "restaurant rule" only applies to mass nouns as opposed to plural nouns. So for example, two lasagnes, two lagers, two waters.
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Re: The restaurant rule
I've just looked it up, and it now gives RAVIOLI as a plural noun. It must have been listed as a mass noun in the dictionary that Countdown used at the time.
So now, if they allow RAVIOLIS, then I guess that they would have to allow CHIPSES? Or does it make a difference whether it's listed as a plural noun or merely the plural of a regular count noun?
So now, if they allow RAVIOLIS, then I guess that they would have to allow CHIPSES? Or does it make a difference whether it's listed as a plural noun or merely the plural of a regular count noun?
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Re: The restaurant rule
Ravioli (like spaghetti, panini, broccoli) is singular in English though. SPAGHETTI is also listed as a plural noun but "Can I have two spaghetti, please" sounds strange to me.
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Re: The restaurant rule
But surely it's about whether it's listed as a singular or plural noun, not how we use it. The dictionary is supposed to be the arbiter. Whether the dictionary is any good at describing English as we use it is another matter.Dan McColm wrote:Ravioli (like spaghetti, panini, broccoli) is singular in English though. SPAGHETTI is also listed as a plural noun but "Can I have two spaghetti, please" sounds strange to me.
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Re: The restaurant rule
Slow news day
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Re: The restaurant rule
I agree, if the dictionary says it's a plural noun then for Countdown purposes we have to treat it as such - the editors of the dictionary have made a poor decision in these Italian plural noun decisions though.Gavin Chipper wrote:But surely it's about whether it's listed as a singular or plural noun, not how we use it. The dictionary is supposed to be the arbiter. Whether the dictionary is any good at describing English as we use it is another matter.Dan McColm wrote:Ravioli (like spaghetti, panini, broccoli) is singular in English though. SPAGHETTI is also listed as a plural noun but "Can I have two spaghetti, please" sounds strange to me.
Re: The restaurant rule
As if to demonstrate that I definitely have a life and do not need to get out more, I have been looking at the ODO entries for various shapes of pasta.
Most that I have found are categorised as plural nouns only: bucatini, capellini, conchiglie, farfalle, fettuccine, linguine, orecchiette, penne, ravioli, rigatoni, spaghetti, tagliatelle, tortelli, vermicelli.
So far, so simple (although the plural noun categorisation does seem bizarre in the light of everyday usage).
But what have we here?
cannelloni
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/defin ... cannelloni (plural noun for the pasta shapes, mass noun for the dish made using those shapes).
lasagne
www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/lasagne (plural noun for the pasta shapes, mass noun for the dish made using those shapes; an additional complication is that the Italian singular form, lasagna, is given as an alternative to lasagne, the Italian plural).
macaroni
www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/macaroni (noun, with plural given as macaronies, rather than macaronis).
tortellini
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/defin ... tortellini (noun - seems odd, given that tortelli is categorised as a plural noun, see above).
Confused? Hungry? Me too...
Most that I have found are categorised as plural nouns only: bucatini, capellini, conchiglie, farfalle, fettuccine, linguine, orecchiette, penne, ravioli, rigatoni, spaghetti, tagliatelle, tortelli, vermicelli.
So far, so simple (although the plural noun categorisation does seem bizarre in the light of everyday usage).
But what have we here?
cannelloni
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/defin ... cannelloni (plural noun for the pasta shapes, mass noun for the dish made using those shapes).
lasagne
www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/lasagne (plural noun for the pasta shapes, mass noun for the dish made using those shapes; an additional complication is that the Italian singular form, lasagna, is given as an alternative to lasagne, the Italian plural).
macaroni
www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/macaroni (noun, with plural given as macaronies, rather than macaronis).
tortellini
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/defin ... tortellini (noun - seems odd, given that tortelli is categorised as a plural noun, see above).
Confused? Hungry? Me too...
Re: The restaurant rule
Somebody told me once that penne pasta was so called because of the Italian word for penis. I looked it up and found that it wasn't true, but let's go with it since it's vaguely phallic. Which pasta shape most resembles a vagina? I offer conchiglie but accept that my knowledge of pasta shapes isn't extensive.
Re: The restaurant rule
Lady garden-shaped pasta already seems to exist, called "fichette" (literally, little figs). Of pasta shapes found in most supermarkets, conchiglie seems a decent shout. Conchiglie rigate (ribbed for his/her pleasure), conchigliette (small) and conchiglione (large) also exist - I swear I am not making this up.
Re: The restaurant rule
That's just sick, frankly Heather.Heather Styles wrote: conchigliette (small)
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Re: The restaurant rule
Conchigliette sounds like you'd describe a hairy one rather than a small one.Jon Corby wrote:That's just sick, frankly Heather.Heather Styles wrote: conchigliette (small)
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Re: The restaurant rule
That sounds like a garbled version of what I've heard, that English-speakers often pronounce penne wrongly, so end up asking for penis rather than what they're more likely to be looking for. A good way to end up with the wrong sort of carbonara.Jon Corby wrote:Somebody told me once that penne pasta was so called because of the Italian word for penis. I looked it up and found that it wasn't true, but let's go with it since it's vaguely phallic. Which pasta shape most resembles a vagina? I offer conchiglie but accept that my knowledge of pasta shapes isn't extensive.
meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles
Re: The restaurant rule
There's also pennette (little quills) and pennoni (large quills), so all is fair. I didn't make the Italian pasta rules.
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Re: The restaurant rule
Is the selection in round 3 here the only selection from which it has ever been possible to make a 9 by moving just one letter?
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Re: The restaurant rule
Dunno, but why are you asking it in the vagina pasta thread?Johnny Canuck wrote:Is the selection in round 3 here the only selection from which it has ever been possible to make a 9 by moving just one letter?
cheers maus
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Re: The restaurant rule
That was five letters. /pedantryJohnny Canuck wrote:Is the selection in round 3 here the only selection from which it has ever been possible to make a 9 by moving just one letter?
meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles
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Re: The restaurant rule
Thought I had wandered into Ask Graeme. Oopsie.
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