OFF-TOPIC - Re: storing kefir grains in milk, kefir grain and countability for scobies

February 6, 2005

Anton wrote:

> I would like to hear more about others' intuition regarding " kefir

> grain " . Is this singular noun usage comfortable and natural for you?

> Are there are other phrases you like better? If " kefir grain " exists

> in your idiolect, does it mean " clump " or does it mean something like

> " the smallest seed-shaped and seed-sized part of kefir grains " (the

> etymologically associated meaning)? What is your preferred way of

> referring to kefir scobies? I believe the most common solution is

> simply not refer to them directly at all, since humans are so

> profoundly flexible in their communicative strategies.

>

> Fascinating! I just found about 4910 googits for " kefir grains " and a

> whopping 1660 for " kefir grain " ! Same order of magnitude! I'm

> shocked! This is gonna be messier than I thought... Looks like a lot

> of bound morpheme activity...

>

This is how far back I am on my reading! (It's a January 12 post I'm replying to

here). , very eloquently expressed, but my intuition says that " kefir

grain " is fine. Although " grain " is perhaps not the most apt term, I'd say that

" grain of salt " is indeed a good analogue to " kefir grain " . I think that

whatever you call the little units of casein and kefir microbes, there's no

problem with referring to them in the singular. I disagree that " kefir grains "

should not be considered a countable as well as a mass noun. I think it

functions admirably in both modes.

I never gave a second thought to the singular term " kefir grain " , and as a

sidenote, I always considered a little, flat, roughly elliptical brownish white

thing with a little line through it a rolled oat, but I suppose " rolled oat

seed " would be preferable in formal use. Webster allows said use of " oat " in

definition 1b (and I usually concur with Merry Webby). More problematic for me,

however, is " hops " . I am reluctant to call a single unit of hops a " hop " .

Indeed, Webster says it can only be singular in reference to a hop plant, not a

hop seed or flower. Also, note the etymologies: " oat " comes from Old English

whereas " hop " comes from Old High German via Middle English. Any comments?

Tom

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