Exactly what kind of a noun is "language" in this metaphorical sentence?
Music is beautiful language.
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1My gut expects "a beautiful language"...– StephieCommented Jul 13, 2015 at 8:56
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Mine too, but either way works. Different connotation though. Either Music IS literally a language (which it arguably is, with both written and audio forms, a syntax, and punctuation); or instances of music are just metaphorically "language", because they "speak to us" somehow.– Brian HitchcockCommented Jul 13, 2015 at 9:15
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Language is beautiful music. What type of noun is music? @Stephie, do you expect "a beautiful music" there?– TimRCommented Jul 13, 2015 at 10:35
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@TRomano But we say Water is a substance not Water is substance. And (A) substance is (a) water doesn't really work, IMHO.– Damkerng T.Commented Jul 13, 2015 at 11:16
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@Damkerng T. Are you suggesting that substance, art, music, and language are all the same kind of noun?– TimRCommented Jul 13, 2015 at 11:43
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1 Answer
"Language" is a common abstract noun. An abstract noun is, to put it simply, a thing which cannot be touched; a noun which expresses an idea, quality or state rather than a physical object. (Paraphrased from Google)
The other type of common noun is the concrete noun. This is the noun which is most common; for example, "dog", "computer", "table". Common nouns do not require a capital letter except in obvious circumstances such as the beginning of a sentence.