Definition and Examples of a Concrete Noun

A concrete noun is a  noun (such as chicken or egg) that names a material or tangible object or phenomenon—something recognizable through the senses. Contrast with an abstract noun. In grammar, notes Tom McArthur, an abstract noun refers to an action, concept, event, quality, or state (love, conversation), whereas a concrete noun refers to a touchable, observable person or thing (child, tree) (Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language, 2005). Examples and Observations Pound cakes sagged with their buttery weight and small children could no more resist licking the icings than their mothers could avoid slapping the sticky fingers.(Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Random House, 1969)The black candle fell out of its brass holder and the flame touched the dry petals and leaves. (John Twelve Hawks, The Traveler. Doubleday, 2005With your sheets like metal and your belt like lace,And your deck of cards missing the jack and the ace,And your basement clothes and your hollow face,Who among them can think he could outguess you?(Bob Dylan, Sad-Eyed Lady of the LowlandsAt middle age the soul should be opening up like a rose, not closing up like a cabbage.(John Andrew HolmesIt came to me today, walking in the rain to get Helen a glass of orange juice, that the world exists only in my consciousness (whether as a reality or as an illusion the evening papers do not say, but my guess is reality).(James Thurber, letter to E.B. White, October 6, 1937. Se lected Letters of James Thurber, ed. by Helen Thurber and Edward Weeks. Little, Brown, 1981 John Updikes Concrete Nouns I kept looking out of the windows. The three red lights of the chimneys of the plant that had been built some miles away, to mine low-grade iron ore, seemed to be advancing over our neighbor’s ridged field toward our farm. My mother had mistaken me for a stoic like my father and had not put enough blankets on the bed. I found an old overcoat of his and arranged it over me; its collar scratched my chin. I tipped into sleep and awoke. The morning was sharply sunny; sheep hustled, heads toppling, through the gauzy blue sky. It was an authentic spring in Pennsylvania. Some of the grass in the lawn had already grown shiny and lank. A yellow crocus had popped up beside the BEWARE OF THE DOG sign my father had had an art student at the high school make for him.(John Updike, Packed Dirt, Churchgoing, a Dying Cat, a Traded Car. Pigeon Feathers and Other Stories. Alfred A. Knopf, 1962 Balancing Abstract and Concrete Diction Beauty and fear are abstract ideas; they exist in your mind, not in the forest along with the trees and the owls. Concrete words refer to things we can touch, see, hear, smell, and taste, such as sandpaper, soda, birch trees, smog, cow, sailboat, rocking chair, and pancake. . . .Good writing balances ideas and facts, and it also balances abstract and concrete diction. If the writing is too abstract, with too few concrete facts and details, it will be unconvincing and tiresome. If the writing is too concrete, devoid of ideas and emotions, it can seem pointless and dry.(Alfred Rosa and Paul Eschholz, Models for Writers: Short Essays for Composition. St. Martins, 1982)Abstract and general terms represent ideas, explain attitudes, and explore relationships such as contingency (if something will happen), causality (why it occurs), and priority (what is first in time or importance). Concrete and specific words clarify and illustrate between abstract and concrete words and general and speci fic language, blending them naturally.br/>To achieve this mix, use abstract and general words to state your ideas. Use specific and concrete words to illustrate and support them.(Robert DiYanni and Pat C. Hoy II, The Scribner Handbook for Writers, 3rd ed. Allyn and Bacon, 2001) The Ladder of Abstraction The Ladder of Abstraction is one way to visualize the range of language from the abstract to the concrete—from the general to the specific. On the top of the ladder are abstract ideas like success, education, or freedom; as we move down each rung of the ladder the words become more specific and more concrete. When we reach the bottom rung of the Ladder of Abstraction, we should find something that we can see or touch, hear, taste, or smell.(Brian Backman, Persuasion Points: 82 Strategic Exercises for Writing High-Scoring Persuasive Essays. Maupin House, 2010)

The Dred Scott Decision, And Abraham Lincoln - 1511 Words

During the early 17th century slavery was being practiced in the South for over 350 years. They were forced to work the production of tobacco, crops, and later cotton. When the cotton grin was evented in 1793 along with the growing demand product in Europe. The slaves had become a use to the South and it formed a foundation for their economy. Going into the late 18th century there were problems with slavery and they are the abolitionist movement, the Missouri Compromise, the Dred Scott Decision, and Abraham Lincoln. The first issue was abolitionist movement wanted to end slavery and that was because colonist in the North didn’t want slaves to be part of the society unlike the colonist in the South. With that going on it started to divide the country really bad, by the 1830s many settlers was saying that slavery was a good thing and a lot of other settlers didn’t believe that. As time went the country grew worse and worse by the da, until eventually segregated by th e settlers who want slaves and who didn’t, another reason would be that slaves were counted as three-fifths of a vote for the purpose of population and representation in the House of Representatives. The Constitution also prohibited the importation of slaves that begin in 1808, but have to manage without using the words slave or slavery. The last reason is that with the improvements of the cotton grin and the sewing machine increased the demand of slave labor in the US especially in the South. TheShow MoreRelatedThe War Of The American Civil War1324 Words   |  6 PagesAmerica’s most devastating war, the American Civil War. The American Civil War was an unfortunate war that cost more than the lives of six hundred thousand people. Events such as the Missouri Compromise, Kansas Nebraska Act, Dred Scott Decision, and the Election of Abraham Lincoln resulted in the four yearlong battles between the Northern and Southern states due to social and economic differences o n the idea of slavery. In the 19th century, America described their westward expansion as the ManifestRead MoreAbraham Lincoln s Speech On The Dred Scott Case863 Words   |  4 PagesFinal Draft Period:5 Essay on Abraham Lincoln’s Speech in Respect to the Dred Scott Case Court decisions are very delicate, it’s not always about what is morally correct but more importantly about what is politically correct. It may be hard to side with the law sometimes due to cases dealing with cruel subjects such as slavery. Although, in times like this judges must maintain on the right track following what’s constitutionally correct. For example in the Dred Scott Case, he obviously lost hisRead MoreDred Scott V. Sandford Essay829 Words   |  4 PagesAmanda Turnbull Ms. Miller U.S. History I Enriched 25 February 2013 Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857) 　　　　Slavery was at the root of the case of Dred Scott v. Sandford. Dred Scott sued his master to obtain freedom for himself and his family. His argument was that he had lived in a territory where slavery was illegal; therefore he should be considered a free man. Dred Scott was born a slave in Virginia around 1800. Scott and his family were slaves owned by Peter Blow and his family. He moved toRead MoreThe War Of Rebellion And The Civil War926 Words   |  4 Pagesduring this war, more on the Unions side. Abraham Lincoln played a big part in the Civil War considering that he was the president during the time of the Civil War. He was the 16th president and the first republican president. In his first inaugural speech he tried to appeal to the southern states even though seven of them had already seceded. At the end of this speech Lincoln cleverly stated , â€Å"Shall it be peace, or the sword,†. Lincoln made the decision to go to war with the south because he feltRead MoreThe Events That Caused The Civil War1688 Words   |  7 PagesWar, slavery was the ultimate factor that led to this event in history. Economic and social differences between the north and the south, fights between slave and non-slave proponents, the growth of the abolition movement, and the election of Abraham Lincoln are all events having to do with slavery in the United States that led to the start of the Civil War. Economic and social differences between the north and the south was one of the events of slavery leading up to the Civil War. When the cottonRead MoreSlavery During The Civil War1707 Words   |  7 Pagescaused directly by the issue of slavery; the fugitive slave act in the Compromise of 1850, Dred Scott v. Sandford, and Bleeding Kansas prove that slavery was the key factor in the eruption of the nation. In 1832, Dr. John Emerson purchased a thirty year old male slave, Dred Scott, from the Blow family; Emerson moved from the southern territory of Alabama into the Northern territory of Illinois with Dred Scott in tow (VanderVelde 4). â€Å"Slavery did exist in Illinois, yet Emerson had brought his slaveRead MoreDred Scott V. Sandford was a lawsuit filed in 1846 by Dred Scott, an African- American slave800 Words   |  4 PagesDred Scott V. Sandford was a lawsuit filed in 1846 by Dred Scott, an African- American slave because he wanted to gain freedom not only for himself but for his family. This case became a landmark legal case in the United States history. Dred Scott was basically arguing that because his owner had taken him into a free state where African Americans were free. The United states Supreme court said that since he was a slave now he could not become free. Slaves were not considered as United States citizensRead MoreUncle Tom s Cabin By Harriet Beecher Stowe863 Words   |  4 Pagescases like the Dred Scott Decision. Furthermore, on account of the Kansas-Nebraska Act cases like the Dred Scott case wound up being a finished disappointment. The purpose for this is a direct result of the Kansas-Nebraska Act because disposed everything that the Missouri Compromise had to offer. Most rights that the Missouri Compromise brought to the table was changed and made into the Kansas-Nebraska Act later on. Nonetheless, in light of getting rid of that, cases like the Dred Scott choice disposedRead MoreThe Lincoln-Douglas Debates and Their Profound Effect on Political Affairs683 Words   |  3 Pagesdissension were the debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas in their efforts to seek a Senate seat from the State of Illinois (Foner, 2010). Althoug h the election of Senators in the 1850s was still the province of the state legislature the debates between Lincoln and Douglas still had a profound effect on the political affairs of the time and played a significant role in the outcome of the Presidential election held just two years later. Abraham Lincoln lost in his bid to be elected to theRead MoreChapter 19 Outline: Perceptions on Slavery Essay1215 Words   |  5 Pagessettle slavery in peaceful manner eventually disappeared. By 1855, the territory of Kansas marked the beginning of violent disputes between proslavery and antislavery. Two years later, the Dred Scott decision caused even more tensions on the slavery problem. In 1860 the Republican party formed and nominated Lincoln for president who spoke much about the topic of slavery. All in all, the stage was being set for the civil war. I. Stowe and Helper: Literary Incendiaries: a. Harriet Beecher Stowe publishes

Case Study of Negligence Free Essays

Duty of care Issue: Does defendant (David or the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery) owned duty of care to plaintiff (Tony)? Rules: * The neighbour principle: In Donoghue v Stevenson1, Lord Atkin concluded that we all owe a duty of care to our â€Å"neighbors†, meaning those persons who we should have in mind when we are contemplating actions that we take as we go about our business and private lives. * Neighbour Defined: â€Å"My neighbors are persons who are so closely and directly affected by my act that I ought reasonably to have them in contemplation as being so affected when directing my mind to the acts or omissions which are called in question†. Foreseeability: For an action in negligence to succeed, it must be foreseeable that the act (or omission) of the defendant could cause harm to the plaintiff. We will write a custom essay sample on Case Study of Negligence or any similar topic only for you Order Now The test is one of â€Å"reasonable foreseeability†, which is an â€Å"objective†. * Proximity: There must be some relationship between the parties for the duty to exist. In other words, proximity that requires care to be taken must exist. Application: As Tony was having the surgery in the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery, therefore, whatever will happen based on the surgery, it should be the duty of care of the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery. Be more specific, David is employed there as a full-time dentist and he was the one who attached the artificial teeth by strong dental glue instead of the way which recommended by leading dentists. If David did not change the way of attach the teeth, Tony would never get a severe infection caused by the method of fitting of the artificial teeth. Conclusion Applying the neighbour principle and reasonable foreseeability, David or the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery do owed the duty of care of Tony. And it is foreseeable that the act of the defendant, which may be David or the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery, could cause harm to the plaintiff, which is Tony. Breaching that duty of care Issue: Does the defendant (David or the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery) breach his duty of care? Rule: * Reasonable person-Standard of care: the standard person would have foreseen harm in the circumstances and would have taken steps to prevent it. The defendant will be in breach of their duty if reasonable steps are not taken to prevent foreseeable harm. The test is an objective one –what a reasonable person thinks. * Weighting test: 1. The likelihood of injury: If the risk of injury is minimal, there will be no breach of the duty of care. 2. Gravity of injury if occurring: The seriousness of any resulting injury 3. Steps needed to remove the risk: The steps required to eliminate the risk 4. Benefit (social utility) of the defendant’s conduct: The social utility of the defendant’s conduct must be weighed against the gravity of the risk. Application As David’s conduct is measured against the reasonable person who should told Tony there was a risk to use the dental glue . It is possible that David get hurt from the dental glue and the surgery. The gravity of injury is quite serious as his teeth fell out of the new desk while he was on TV presenting the evening news. After he got home his whole mouth was aching and he complained of severe pain in the gap left by extraction. For the steps to eliminate the risk, David should foresee the harm which caused by the dental glue and the possible consequence might cause. Last but not least, there is no benefit (social utility) of the defendant’s conduct. In fact, David could transfer Tony to his other workmate if he is not familiar with the way which suggested by the leading dentist. However, David chose to do it by using the strong glue which causes all the damage. Conclusion Hence, David did breach the duty of care of Tony as he was the reasonable person who should foresee the damage and it is easy to eliminate the damage. LOSS OR DAMAGE FOLLOING FROM BREACH OF DUTY Issue Was Plaintiff (Tony)’s damage the direct result of defendant (David or the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery)’ breach? Rules * Causation (but for test): But for the conduct of defendant, would the damage have been suffered? The test was explained well by Lord Denning in Cork v. Kirby Maclean Ltd (1952) 2 ALL ER 402 at 407 , as follows: If you can say that the damage would not have happened but for a particular fault, then that fault is in fact a cause of the damage; but if you can say that the damage would have happened just the same fault or no fault, then the fault is not a cause of the damage. If there is more than one cause of the damage the â€Å"but for† test will have limited application. In such case the courts will use a â€Å"balance of probabilities’ test in determining causation. * Remoteness of damage (reasonable foreseeable test, the test is objective) would a reasonable person have foreseen the damage? * Assessment of damages: the aim of damages is to compensate the plaintiff for the loss or damage that flowed from the defendant’s breach of duty of care owed. Such loss or damages is quantified by the judge hearing the case to compensate the plaintiff not only for their actual loss but for their future potential loss as well. Application After diagnosing of Tony’s mouth, it was certified that there was a severe infection in Tony’s gum that was shown in tests to be caused by the method of fitting of the artificial teeth. In fact, as David decided to use the dental glue, instead of the traditional method that was recommended by the leading dentist. And David, who is the reasonable person, owned the duty of care of Tony. According to the fact, Tony not only suffers variety of physical damage but also physiological damage. He became depressed due to his appearance and loss of work, and is seeing a counsellor for therapy who suggested him to go for a holiday. Therefore, he had suffered the medical and dental expense total $ 14, 000, loss of wages $ 12,000, and counselling$1,800. And the cost of trip is $ 5,000. Conclusion: Therefore, Tony’s damage directly resulted from David’ breach of duty of care. If He in civil proceedings is successful, a remedy will be rewarded as compensation of dental expense $ 14, 000, loss of wages $ 12,000, and counselling$1,800. And the cost of trip is $ 5,000. What is more, he could DEFENCES TO AN ACTION IN NEGLIGENCE Issue Are there any defences available to defendant (David or the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery)? Rules Defences to an action in negligence: * Contributory negligence: It occurs where the plaintiff can be held partly to blame for the loss sustained as result of a failure to take reasonable care against a foreseeable risk of injury. This rule has been modified by statue in Section 26 of the Wrong Act 1958 3(Vic. ): Where any person suffers damages as the result partly of his own fault and partly of the fault of any other person or persons, a claim in respect of that damage shall not be defeated by reason of the fault of the person suffering the damage, but the damage recoverable in respect thereof shall be reduced to such extent as the court thinks just and equitable having regard to the claimant’s share in the responsibility for the damage. Voluntary assumption of risk: if a person assumes the risk of injury voluntarily, this is complete defence to a claim of negligence. It is difficult defence to rise as it must be proved that the plaintiff was aware of the risk and accepted that risk freely. Application After checking Tony’s x-rays, David extracted the teeth and put the artificial teeth in place. However, David was not familiar with the accepted method of attaching artificial teeth recommended b y leading dentists and instead attached them by way of strong dental glue. However, it was David determined to use the strong dental glue instead of the method recommended by the leading dentist. On the other side, Tony should figure out that his method is different from the one which recommended by the leading dentist, and he should do some more consulting of the new method which was going to be used in his surgery. Conclusion Therefore, Tony did contribute to his damage as he did not check his new method which causes the inflection and further damage. How to cite Case Study of Negligence, Free Case study samples