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Usage of the noun 'news'

Forums: English, Esl, Grammar, English As A Second Language
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Biroteck
 
Reply Thu 2 Apr, 2015 03:27 pm
Hi guys,
I would like to ask you a question concerning the noun 'news'. I am aware that it is uncountable noun so, it is not possible to use indefinite article preceding it. I am a bit unsure, however, if I can form a question using this noun in the following way: " Why is this news?". I am not a native speaker, so I am not sure the right meaning of this expression. Can someone explain it to me when I can use the noun in this way. Thanks in advance.
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Type: Question • Score: 6 • Views: 1,167 • Replies: 14
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contrex
 
  1  
Reply Thu 2 Apr, 2015 03:54 pm
@Biroteck,
Biroteck wrote:
I am a bit unsure, however, if I can form a question using this noun in the following way: " Why is this news?".

You can form a question thus. It is a very common one.
0 Replies
 
InfraBlue
 
  1  
Reply Thu 2 Apr, 2015 04:15 pm
@Biroteck,
You could say, "why is this news?" meaning that you're questioning the newsworthiness of whatever you're referring to.
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PUNKEY
 
  1  
Reply Thu 2 Apr, 2015 05:18 pm
You don't give the context for your question, but "Why is this news?" can mean:

Why is this information that has not been heard before ?

or

Why is this (information) newsworthy?
usery
 
  1  
Reply Thu 2 Apr, 2015 08:23 pm
@PUNKEY,
Quote:
"Why is this news?" can mean:

Why is this information that has not been heard before ?


Can you clarify this for me please?
layman
 
  0  
Reply Fri 3 Apr, 2015 02:09 am
@usery,

Quote:
Why is this news?" can mean:
Why is this information that has not been heard before ?


Quote:
Can you clarify this for me please?


I think that can be used in at least a couple of ways:

1. Why is this being reported "as news?" Like if there was a newspaper headline saying: "Elvis Presley is dead." We all (well, almost all) already knew that. It would be news to me, because I saw him at the grocery store just last week, and he looked to be in excellent health then.

2. As a suspicion that something has been known by some, but has been "covered up" in the past (and should have been reported earlier). Example: Headline reads "Richard Nixon had sex with farm animals."
Biroteck
 
  2  
Reply Fri 3 Apr, 2015 03:33 am
@layman,
Thank you guys, indeed you are awesome Smile Nice to have people who you can refer to when in need Smile
0 Replies
 
izzythepush
 
  1  
Reply Fri 3 Apr, 2015 06:43 am
@PUNKEY,
PUNKEY wrote:

You don't give the context for your question, but "Why is this news?" can mean:

Why is this information that has not been heard before ?

I disagree, you'd never use Why is this news? in that context. You'd say Why haven't we heard this before? You would use the phrase Why is this news? to either question the newsworthiness of an item, say celebrity gossip, or question an item that's pretty much common knowledge anyway, like sugar causes tooth decay.

You really should not be giving advice on grammar, you just end up confusing people. Stick to advising those people who think their partners are cheating on them. That way you won't be able to do so much damage.
layman
 
  1  
Reply Fri 3 Apr, 2015 06:49 am
@izzythepush,
Quote:
You really should not be giving advice on grammar, you just end up confusing people. Stick to advising those people who think their partners are cheating on them.


You really should refrain from advising people about how they should advise people. Only a fool would take your advice, anyway, so the attempt is futile to begin with.
izzythepush
 
  2  
Reply Fri 3 Apr, 2015 06:53 am
@layman,
You're another bloody idiot best put on ignore. If you were just a little bit smarter you'd realise how stupid you were and keep your dumb mouth shut.
0 Replies
 
Frank Apisa
 
  1  
Reply Fri 3 Apr, 2015 03:38 pm
Hows abut: He niver stolt no more nowhere after they put A news arount his nek and kicked the horst of fum unda him.
layman
 
  0  
Reply Fri 3 Apr, 2015 03:50 pm
@Frank Apisa,
There ya go, Frank. That works too, sho nuff.
0 Replies
 
izzythepush
 
  1  
Reply Fri 3 Apr, 2015 03:53 pm
@Frank Apisa,
You planning a trip to Buck House Frank?
0 Replies
 
usery
 
  1  
Reply Fri 3 Apr, 2015 08:24 pm
@izzythepush,
What do you make of this advice?

I have used "he is in his element" quite a lot, but is it correct to phrase it differently like "skating is his element"? It does not sound right to me.

Yeah, you could use it that way.
izzythepush
 
  1  
Reply Sat 4 Apr, 2015 02:36 am
@usery,
Either would be fine.
0 Replies
 
 

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