Should one say "too many refried beans", or "too much refried beans"? (lemmy.sdf.org)

submitted 2 months ago by xia@lemmy.sdf.org to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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"Too many" kinda sounds right to my ear because beans is plural, but the second logically seems right because its served by volume and is not 'countable' as ordinary (non-destroyed) beans might be.

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[-] JustZ@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

You would use too much, since refried beans is an uncountable noun. You have to add a unit to it to make it countable.

You would say "there's too much refried beans on my plate, and too many cans of refried beans in the pantry."

By adding "cans" to the noun phrase, you've made the refried beans countable, you may now use "too many."

[-] ricdeh@lemmy.world -1 points 2 months ago

What? That is not at all how that works. Beans is the plural of bean, therefore, many is the only correct option.

[-] JustZ@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Talking "refried beans" as a noun phrase, not beans.

Refried beans does not have a plural noun form. You have to give it a unit. "twenty plates of refried beans," "pounds of refried beans," etc.

It like oil. You don't say "top up my car with oils." If you add more than you're supposed to, you put in too much, not too many.

this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2024

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