These nouns denote generic terms. JOHNSON is Proper Noun. MAN is this type of noun which indicates a generic noun which is applicable to all belonging to that category. We can name any male person as MAN. But only that particular person could be termed as JOHNSON. The nouns that name a class of persons or places or things or ideas belong to this type of nouns.
This type of noun denotes no one person or thing in particular, but is common to any and every person or thing of the same kind as man, book and country.
Thus…
The word Man need not be used to point out any particular man, such as Kaja but could be used for any and every man.
River does not point out any particular river such as Ganges, but can be used for any and every river.
Country does not point out any particular country, such as India, but can be used for any country in any part of the world.
A Proper Noun becomes a Common Noun when it denotes a class of persons or things and is used in a descriptive sense.
He is the Newton of the age. That is…the greatest astronomer of the age.
Proper nouns are more specific whereas these nouns are non-specific nouns and can be referring to any person or place or thing or idea belonging to that ones. These types of nouns are usually not capitalized. Note these nouns in the following sentence.
My brother and sister have come from our country.
Proper noun and this type of noun
Amazon – river
India – country
Mary – woman
Singapore – city
Diwali --- festival
The Bible --- book
Tamil --- Language
Apple --- fruit
YOUTUBE – website
There are few exceptions to this rule. When a sentence begins with this type of noun, that noun is capitalized.
Brothers and Sisters are welcome.
This type of noun has their plurals.
Brother --- brothers
Sister --- sisters
City --- cities
River --- rivers
Man --- men
Festival --- festivals
This type of noun can be used either the subject or the object of the verb.
1. Brothers are not welcome inside.
2. They have brought their brothers inside the auditorium.
In the first sentence above, the noun BROTHERS is the subject of the sentence whereas in the second sentence the same noun BROTHERS is the object of the sentence. The object of the verb receives the action of the verb.
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