The totem pole can be grouped into












5















Does the following makes sense, with "the totem pole" referring to totem poles in general?




The totem pole can be grouped into specific categories, depending on its location and the occasion for which it was carved.




Note that there are various types, or categories, of totem poles such as the welcome pole and memorial pole.



I'd appreciate your help.






definite-article generic-noun-phrases reference







share|improve this question

























  • Isn't it just a question of whether or not totem pole is a countable noun?

    – Mazura
    10 hours ago











  • I think both of the answers are correct on their own technical merits, which is a weird thing to see for sharp disagreement. SamBC is correct insofar as the structure of the sentence works just fine grammatically (Mazura above nailed the "why" that's missing from the answer itself), but Astralbee covers the idiomatic usage better. So, in short, if it's your sentence, use Astralbee's answer, and if you're trying to understand someone else's sentence, use SamBC's answer.

    – Alex H.
    7 hours ago


















5















Does the following makes sense, with "the totem pole" referring to totem poles in general?




The totem pole can be grouped into specific categories, depending on its location and the occasion for which it was carved.




Note that there are various types, or categories, of totem poles such as the welcome pole and memorial pole.



I'd appreciate your help.






definite-article generic-noun-phrases reference







share|improve this question

























  • Isn't it just a question of whether or not totem pole is a countable noun?

    – Mazura
    10 hours ago











  • I think both of the answers are correct on their own technical merits, which is a weird thing to see for sharp disagreement. SamBC is correct insofar as the structure of the sentence works just fine grammatically (Mazura above nailed the "why" that's missing from the answer itself), but Astralbee covers the idiomatic usage better. So, in short, if it's your sentence, use Astralbee's answer, and if you're trying to understand someone else's sentence, use SamBC's answer.

    – Alex H.
    7 hours ago
















5












5








5








Does the following makes sense, with "the totem pole" referring to totem poles in general?




The totem pole can be grouped into specific categories, depending on its location and the occasion for which it was carved.




Note that there are various types, or categories, of totem poles such as the welcome pole and memorial pole.



I'd appreciate your help.






definite-article generic-noun-phrases reference







share|improve this question
















Does the following makes sense, with "the totem pole" referring to totem poles in general?




The totem pole can be grouped into specific categories, depending on its location and the occasion for which it was carved.




Note that there are various types, or categories, of totem poles such as the welcome pole and memorial pole.



I'd appreciate your help.






definite-article generic-noun-phrases reference




definite-article generic-noun-phrases reference






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 14 hours ago







Apollyon

















asked 15 hours ago









ApollyonApollyon

1,069923




1,069923













  • Isn't it just a question of whether or not totem pole is a countable noun?

    – Mazura
    10 hours ago











  • I think both of the answers are correct on their own technical merits, which is a weird thing to see for sharp disagreement. SamBC is correct insofar as the structure of the sentence works just fine grammatically (Mazura above nailed the "why" that's missing from the answer itself), but Astralbee covers the idiomatic usage better. So, in short, if it's your sentence, use Astralbee's answer, and if you're trying to understand someone else's sentence, use SamBC's answer.

    – Alex H.
    7 hours ago





















  • Isn't it just a question of whether or not totem pole is a countable noun?

    – Mazura
    10 hours ago











  • I think both of the answers are correct on their own technical merits, which is a weird thing to see for sharp disagreement. SamBC is correct insofar as the structure of the sentence works just fine grammatically (Mazura above nailed the "why" that's missing from the answer itself), but Astralbee covers the idiomatic usage better. So, in short, if it's your sentence, use Astralbee's answer, and if you're trying to understand someone else's sentence, use SamBC's answer.

    – Alex H.
    7 hours ago



















Isn't it just a question of whether or not totem pole is a countable noun?

– Mazura
10 hours ago





Isn't it just a question of whether or not totem pole is a countable noun?

– Mazura
10 hours ago













I think both of the answers are correct on their own technical merits, which is a weird thing to see for sharp disagreement. SamBC is correct insofar as the structure of the sentence works just fine grammatically (Mazura above nailed the "why" that's missing from the answer itself), but Astralbee covers the idiomatic usage better. So, in short, if it's your sentence, use Astralbee's answer, and if you're trying to understand someone else's sentence, use SamBC's answer.

– Alex H.
7 hours ago







I think both of the answers are correct on their own technical merits, which is a weird thing to see for sharp disagreement. SamBC is correct insofar as the structure of the sentence works just fine grammatically (Mazura above nailed the "why" that's missing from the answer itself), but Astralbee covers the idiomatic usage better. So, in short, if it's your sentence, use Astralbee's answer, and if you're trying to understand someone else's sentence, use SamBC's answer.

– Alex H.
7 hours ago












2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















11














Constructions like that can be made, using the definite article to refer to a category of things - "the horse", "the television", and yes, "the totem pole".



You would not then group such a thing "into specific categories". You might group it with other things - "the horse may be grouped with the zebra and the donkey to form the family of equids", but not group it into.



To group something is to combine it. You wish to divide or split it:




The totem pole may be divided into specific categories, depending on...




On the other hand:




Totem poles may be grouped into specific categories...




(Note that the plural example may use grouped or divided equally, depending on whether you think of it as a singular group or a group of single things)






share|improve this answer
























  • +1 Yes. I'd say that using the definite article is (generally) less common than using a plural article, but there's nothing actually wrong or confusing with using a generic description. The horseshoe crab is on the edge of extinction is perfectly understandable (discounting the validity of the statement).

    – Jason Bassford
    8 hours ago





















7














No it does not make sense.



A totem pole is a complete thing. You can't group one complete thing.



If you are actually speaking about multiple totem poles and mean that there are different kinds of them (which is what I think it means) you could perhaps say:




Totem poles can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved.




Or, if the intended meaning was to refer to the component parts of a totem pole (a totem pole is made of numerous stacked images of totems) and say that the individual totems fall into specific categories, you could perhaps say:




The totems on a totem pole can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved.







share|improve this answer
























  • Thank you. Should "location" be changed into "locations" and "occasion" into "occasions" in "Totem poles can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved"?

    – Apollyon
    13 hours ago













  • @Apollyon No, because each individual totem has one location and was carved for one reason, and when you are dividing them into groups you do so on the basis of their individual characteristics, so those attributes remain singular.

    – Astralbee
    13 hours ago













  • I read the OPs statement as "The totem pole [as a concept] can be grouped..." and it sounded right to me. Would that still not make sense, if explicitly written in the sentence?

    – Aethenosity
    7 hours ago













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2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes








2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes









11














Constructions like that can be made, using the definite article to refer to a category of things - "the horse", "the television", and yes, "the totem pole".



You would not then group such a thing "into specific categories". You might group it with other things - "the horse may be grouped with the zebra and the donkey to form the family of equids", but not group it into.



To group something is to combine it. You wish to divide or split it:




The totem pole may be divided into specific categories, depending on...




On the other hand:




Totem poles may be grouped into specific categories...




(Note that the plural example may use grouped or divided equally, depending on whether you think of it as a singular group or a group of single things)






share|improve this answer
























  • +1 Yes. I'd say that using the definite article is (generally) less common than using a plural article, but there's nothing actually wrong or confusing with using a generic description. The horseshoe crab is on the edge of extinction is perfectly understandable (discounting the validity of the statement).

    – Jason Bassford
    8 hours ago


















11














Constructions like that can be made, using the definite article to refer to a category of things - "the horse", "the television", and yes, "the totem pole".



You would not then group such a thing "into specific categories". You might group it with other things - "the horse may be grouped with the zebra and the donkey to form the family of equids", but not group it into.



To group something is to combine it. You wish to divide or split it:




The totem pole may be divided into specific categories, depending on...




On the other hand:




Totem poles may be grouped into specific categories...




(Note that the plural example may use grouped or divided equally, depending on whether you think of it as a singular group or a group of single things)






share|improve this answer
























  • +1 Yes. I'd say that using the definite article is (generally) less common than using a plural article, but there's nothing actually wrong or confusing with using a generic description. The horseshoe crab is on the edge of extinction is perfectly understandable (discounting the validity of the statement).

    – Jason Bassford
    8 hours ago
















11












11








11







Constructions like that can be made, using the definite article to refer to a category of things - "the horse", "the television", and yes, "the totem pole".



You would not then group such a thing "into specific categories". You might group it with other things - "the horse may be grouped with the zebra and the donkey to form the family of equids", but not group it into.



To group something is to combine it. You wish to divide or split it:




The totem pole may be divided into specific categories, depending on...




On the other hand:




Totem poles may be grouped into specific categories...




(Note that the plural example may use grouped or divided equally, depending on whether you think of it as a singular group or a group of single things)






share|improve this answer













Constructions like that can be made, using the definite article to refer to a category of things - "the horse", "the television", and yes, "the totem pole".



You would not then group such a thing "into specific categories". You might group it with other things - "the horse may be grouped with the zebra and the donkey to form the family of equids", but not group it into.



To group something is to combine it. You wish to divide or split it:




The totem pole may be divided into specific categories, depending on...




On the other hand:




Totem poles may be grouped into specific categories...




(Note that the plural example may use grouped or divided equally, depending on whether you think of it as a singular group or a group of single things)







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 14 hours ago









SamBCSamBC

4,739323




4,739323













  • +1 Yes. I'd say that using the definite article is (generally) less common than using a plural article, but there's nothing actually wrong or confusing with using a generic description. The horseshoe crab is on the edge of extinction is perfectly understandable (discounting the validity of the statement).

    – Jason Bassford
    8 hours ago





















  • +1 Yes. I'd say that using the definite article is (generally) less common than using a plural article, but there's nothing actually wrong or confusing with using a generic description. The horseshoe crab is on the edge of extinction is perfectly understandable (discounting the validity of the statement).

    – Jason Bassford
    8 hours ago



















+1 Yes. I'd say that using the definite article is (generally) less common than using a plural article, but there's nothing actually wrong or confusing with using a generic description. The horseshoe crab is on the edge of extinction is perfectly understandable (discounting the validity of the statement).

– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago







+1 Yes. I'd say that using the definite article is (generally) less common than using a plural article, but there's nothing actually wrong or confusing with using a generic description. The horseshoe crab is on the edge of extinction is perfectly understandable (discounting the validity of the statement).

– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago















7














No it does not make sense.



A totem pole is a complete thing. You can't group one complete thing.



If you are actually speaking about multiple totem poles and mean that there are different kinds of them (which is what I think it means) you could perhaps say:




Totem poles can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved.




Or, if the intended meaning was to refer to the component parts of a totem pole (a totem pole is made of numerous stacked images of totems) and say that the individual totems fall into specific categories, you could perhaps say:




The totems on a totem pole can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved.







share|improve this answer
























  • Thank you. Should "location" be changed into "locations" and "occasion" into "occasions" in "Totem poles can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved"?

    – Apollyon
    13 hours ago













  • @Apollyon No, because each individual totem has one location and was carved for one reason, and when you are dividing them into groups you do so on the basis of their individual characteristics, so those attributes remain singular.

    – Astralbee
    13 hours ago













  • I read the OPs statement as "The totem pole [as a concept] can be grouped..." and it sounded right to me. Would that still not make sense, if explicitly written in the sentence?

    – Aethenosity
    7 hours ago


















7














No it does not make sense.



A totem pole is a complete thing. You can't group one complete thing.



If you are actually speaking about multiple totem poles and mean that there are different kinds of them (which is what I think it means) you could perhaps say:




Totem poles can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved.




Or, if the intended meaning was to refer to the component parts of a totem pole (a totem pole is made of numerous stacked images of totems) and say that the individual totems fall into specific categories, you could perhaps say:




The totems on a totem pole can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved.







share|improve this answer
























  • Thank you. Should "location" be changed into "locations" and "occasion" into "occasions" in "Totem poles can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved"?

    – Apollyon
    13 hours ago













  • @Apollyon No, because each individual totem has one location and was carved for one reason, and when you are dividing them into groups you do so on the basis of their individual characteristics, so those attributes remain singular.

    – Astralbee
    13 hours ago













  • I read the OPs statement as "The totem pole [as a concept] can be grouped..." and it sounded right to me. Would that still not make sense, if explicitly written in the sentence?

    – Aethenosity
    7 hours ago
















7












7








7







No it does not make sense.



A totem pole is a complete thing. You can't group one complete thing.



If you are actually speaking about multiple totem poles and mean that there are different kinds of them (which is what I think it means) you could perhaps say:




Totem poles can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved.




Or, if the intended meaning was to refer to the component parts of a totem pole (a totem pole is made of numerous stacked images of totems) and say that the individual totems fall into specific categories, you could perhaps say:




The totems on a totem pole can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved.







share|improve this answer













No it does not make sense.



A totem pole is a complete thing. You can't group one complete thing.



If you are actually speaking about multiple totem poles and mean that there are different kinds of them (which is what I think it means) you could perhaps say:




Totem poles can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved.




Or, if the intended meaning was to refer to the component parts of a totem pole (a totem pole is made of numerous stacked images of totems) and say that the individual totems fall into specific categories, you could perhaps say:




The totems on a totem pole can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved.








share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 14 hours ago









AstralbeeAstralbee

11.8k1045




11.8k1045













  • Thank you. Should "location" be changed into "locations" and "occasion" into "occasions" in "Totem poles can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved"?

    – Apollyon
    13 hours ago













  • @Apollyon No, because each individual totem has one location and was carved for one reason, and when you are dividing them into groups you do so on the basis of their individual characteristics, so those attributes remain singular.

    – Astralbee
    13 hours ago













  • I read the OPs statement as "The totem pole [as a concept] can be grouped..." and it sounded right to me. Would that still not make sense, if explicitly written in the sentence?

    – Aethenosity
    7 hours ago





















  • Thank you. Should "location" be changed into "locations" and "occasion" into "occasions" in "Totem poles can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved"?

    – Apollyon
    13 hours ago













  • @Apollyon No, because each individual totem has one location and was carved for one reason, and when you are dividing them into groups you do so on the basis of their individual characteristics, so those attributes remain singular.

    – Astralbee
    13 hours ago













  • I read the OPs statement as "The totem pole [as a concept] can be grouped..." and it sounded right to me. Would that still not make sense, if explicitly written in the sentence?

    – Aethenosity
    7 hours ago



















Thank you. Should "location" be changed into "locations" and "occasion" into "occasions" in "Totem poles can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved"?

– Apollyon
13 hours ago







Thank you. Should "location" be changed into "locations" and "occasion" into "occasions" in "Totem poles can be grouped into specific categories, depending on their location and the occasion for which they were carved"?

– Apollyon
13 hours ago















@Apollyon No, because each individual totem has one location and was carved for one reason, and when you are dividing them into groups you do so on the basis of their individual characteristics, so those attributes remain singular.

– Astralbee
13 hours ago







@Apollyon No, because each individual totem has one location and was carved for one reason, and when you are dividing them into groups you do so on the basis of their individual characteristics, so those attributes remain singular.

– Astralbee
13 hours ago















I read the OPs statement as "The totem pole [as a concept] can be grouped..." and it sounded right to me. Would that still not make sense, if explicitly written in the sentence?

– Aethenosity
7 hours ago







I read the OPs statement as "The totem pole [as a concept] can be grouped..." and it sounded right to me. Would that still not make sense, if explicitly written in the sentence?

– Aethenosity
7 hours ago




















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