As an acquaintance of the word class, NOUN in
English Language, you should be familiar with the Singular and plural logic which is adding‘s’
to a word (Noun) to showcase it as two or more. For instance, the word book to
books, table to tables and more.
Fine, it is not new to define Abstract Nouns as
Nouns that cannot be touched and usually does not occur in plural. But what is
it with Abstract Nouns and Non-count Nouns that are being pluralized? Words
such as mistake, time, worry and the likes. Isn’t it muddlesome to see them as
mistakes, times and worries in sentences? Well, don’t let us dive so much into
that. It is a story for another day.
The point is the word congratulations is also an
Abstract noun but cannot be mentioned together with others as muddlesome
because 99% of users are deeply familiar with the word and have accepted it the
way it is.
Why is Congratulations, congratulations? Why not
congratulation? Since it is
1. An
Abstract Noun.
2. A
Non-count Noun.
What makes it plural if
the word is accurate? Or could it be true that, the word congratulations is not
supposed to be used?
Congratulation
Congratulation is a word use to convey one’s feeling
of joy and happiness to someone which could be anybody. It can be used as verb
or noun in sentences but mostly use as interjection by users because it is
often use to express emotions.
Congratulation
vs. congratulations
The two, obviously known for the same purpose are
accurate but cannot be used the same way in sentences. Congratulation is a singular noun while congratulations is the plural noun. In the sentence:
I have sent my note of congratulation to my pupils.
The word congratulation
without the ‘s’ is accurate for the sentence reason being that the note sent by
the doer has singularised the word. In other words, the word is serving as a
single thing right there. I hope you get that?
Congratulations!!!
Congratulations!! Yemi.
This would have been wrong without the ‘s’. It is
incorrect to say congratulation!! In this regard. The reason why ‘s’ is added
to the word despite being an Abstract noun is because the user has two or more
feelings or expressions tied to it. Let’s analyse this instance.
A sister of yours just graduated from Oxford University.
On getting to see her, you gave her a warm hug alongside a congratulatory alarm.
Then, you shouted congratulations!! (In this note, the punctuation is
important). Do you know that word may mean more than one expression? Congratulations!! Could equal to, I congratulate
you on your success, I congratulate you on having graduated from this University,
I congratulate you on having studied well to reach this CGPA, I congratulate
you on having completed this phase.
Cleared right? okay let us move on.
Conclusion
Both congratulation and congratulations are correct
words in English language. The duo are Noun. Congratulation is a singular noun
used for a single expression and congratulations is the plural noun used for
two or more expressions. Thus, it is not wrong to say:
Congratulations!!
Congratulations to you.
Many congratulations will be sent to you as regard
this.
My congratulation goes to those who read this piece.
Thank you for your words of congratulation.
I hope you can now give reason why congratulations is congratulations despite the status as an Abstract Noun. The reason why
the ‘s’ is there. Moreover, you should be able to differentiate clearly the
difference between congratulation
and congratulations and how they can
be used in sentences.
