A Class Room Logic / Deductive and Inductive, with Special Application to the Science and Art of Teaching

by George Hastings McNair

4. SINGULAR TERMS.

A singular term is a term which denotes one object or one attribute.

Proper nouns, when they stand for individuals, are singular terms, such as John Adams, Mississippi River, Socrates. Some proper names stand for a class of objects, as the Caesars, the Mephistopheles, the Napoleons. But when thus used they lose their character as proper names. Such names, therefore, are general terms, not singular.

Common nouns may be made singular by some modifying word, as the first man, the pole star, the highest good, my pet dog, etc.

Certain attributes which imply a oneness or a distinct individuality are singular, such as absolute justice, birds-egg blue, perfect happiness, etc.

Some claim that terms like water, air, salt, etc., are singular, as they stand for one thing. This, however, cannot be if such terms admit the possibility of classification as: hard water, soft water, mineral water.