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universal packager. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
universal packager, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
universal packager in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
universal packager you have here. The definition of the word
universal packager will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
universal packager, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
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The term beer is usually uncountable; however, the plural beers can refer to servings of beer or varieties of beer.
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Etymology
Compound of universal + packager; first used in print in 1986 by Emmon Bach (see quote below) modeled on universal grinder.
Noun
universal packager
- (linguistics) A mechanism whereby uncountable nouns are made countable.
1986 February, Emmon Bach, “The Algebra of Events”, in Linguistics and Philosophy, volume 9, numbers 1, Tense and Aspect in Discourse, page 10:Moreover, the opposite switch occurs as well: muds = 'kinds of mud', ice-creams = 'portions of ice cream' (Universal Packager).
1999, Hana Filip, Aspect, Eventuality Types, and Nominal Reference, New York: Garland, →ISBN, page 62:Similarly, the "Universal Packager" does not seem to be 'universal', but rather it appears to be largely restricted to foodstuffs, as Fillmore and Kay (1994: ch. 3, p. 29) observe.