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If I understand it correctly, nouns for fruits (and certain types of foodstuffs, such as pizza) are used as mass nouns if thought of as "food substance", rather than "portions". So is it correct that I say "I like apple" instead of "I like apples"? Is such reasoning as "I like apple as food, especially in cut pieces", just like "I like soup, pork, etc." (instead of "I like apples as items served as food, especially as whole fruits") valid, or at the very least, applicable in any ways?

I know there's a similar question on ell, but the given answer is not satisfying to me. It flat out denies such a phrase as "I like apple" as grammatically incorrect. But is it though? If it is, when exactly do we use the mass nouns instead of the count nouns? Does the same principle go with "chicken" (the meat) and "chickens" the animal?

Edit: "Dog" is NOT a mass noun and the other question is completely irrelevant. This is absurd. My question concerns the use of mass nouns and count nouns for foods.

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Vun-Hugh Vaw
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    Yes, non-countable I like apple is perfectly idiomatic if speaking of apple as food e.g. "I prefer apple to rhubarb (in a pie)". However, I like apples is equally heard, but it does suggest the eating of apples as whole objects. – WS2 Dec 30 '16 at 10:03
  • @Rathony Dude, could "dog" ever be a mass noun? – Vun-Hugh Vaw Dec 30 '16 at 12:11
  • What makes you think "apple" can be a mass noun? What's the definition of a mass noun? –  Dec 30 '16 at 12:13
  • @Rathony Ugh, it's labeled as "uncountable/countable" by dictionaries (Oxford, Longman, etc.) in case you don't know. Unless "uncountable noun" is not synonymous with "mass noun" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_noun Come to think of it, why are "mass-noun" and "uncountable-noun" two separate tags? – Vun-Hugh Vaw Dec 30 '16 at 12:16
  • Just checked Oxford Online Dictionary and there is no explanation about its uncountable noun usage. What Oxford dictionary? What makes you think the linked question doesn't answer your question? The first line of the answer reads "I like X" suggests you like the stuff of X. When it is an animal, the implication is that you like to eat it. Thus, "I like dog" sounds like dog as a food. –  Dec 30 '16 at 12:21
  • @Rathony That's weird. I remember there was at least a usage note in my old Oxford dictionary relating to this. But anyway, check the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (which I currently use) instead: "apple" is labeled "uncountable and countable". – Vun-Hugh Vaw Dec 30 '16 at 12:27
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    Also Cambridge too http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/apple – Vun-Hugh Vaw Dec 30 '16 at 12:39
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    There are a considerable number of people who treat canines as food and for whom I like dog would be similar to I like apple. – Færd Dec 30 '16 at 12:49
  • I was writing up an answer when the questioon got closed. I've cast my vote to reopen it. Fingers crossed. – Mari-Lou A Dec 30 '16 at 17:40
  • @Mari-LouA Hopefully your answer addresses the difference with the similar 'dog' question. Voted to reopen. – Mitch Dec 30 '16 at 18:36
  • @Mitch I'll try .... but I'm sure someone will do a much better job than I can. If nothing else, it will start the ball rolling. – Mari-Lou A Dec 30 '16 at 18:44
  • @Mari-LouA do you have to be a certain rep to vote to reopen the question? – Chris Gong Dec 30 '16 at 18:53
  • @ChrisGong yes, you need 3,000 rep. Not an awful lot, but it is called by SE a "privilege" and you are expected to earn it. http://english.stackexchange.com/help/privileges – Mari-Lou A Dec 30 '16 at 18:57
  • @Mitch Just curious, why do you think the dupe master doesn't answer this question? –  Dec 30 '16 at 19:07
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    @Rathony '"I like dog" vs "I like dogs"' is a question about grammaticality (one is the correct 'generic' and one is not sounds like a foreignism ('dog' is usually not considered a comestible in English speaking culture)). Whereas 'apple' vs 'apples' both are grammatical about mostly the same thing with a slight semantic difference. I expect that Mari-lou had an answer about this. – Mitch Dec 30 '16 at 20:49
  • @Mitch Just because Anglophones don't eat dog meat doesn't mean "I like dog" is not grammatical. I don't understand your logic. There is no way to answer this question differently. How about "I like doll." vs "I like dolls." or "I like toy." vs "I like toys."? Are there any differences? "I like dog" vs "I like dogs" is NOT a question about grammaticality. It's about idiomatic usage of plural noun forms and this is not an issue just in English. Other languages that I know have this problem, too and it can't be explained using grammar. There is no answer other than "That's the way it is". –  Dec 31 '16 at 03:21
  • @Rathony Lol, never thought of "dog" in the same way I do with "meat", even though I live in a country where dog meat is food. Sounds morbid, but that's actually very close to what I was asking about. – Vun-Hugh Vaw Jan 08 '17 at 12:21

1 Answers1

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Yes, you can say “I like apple” if you are talking about the fruit pulp, its texture or its taste; i.e. when it is uncountable. The same is true for any fruit,

  • The median proportions of food types selected are shown in Figure 1 where it can be seen that both species [rats] tended to prefer banana and avocado to the other foods offered. (source)

  • Infants can be fed puréed apple after five months of age.

And when we talk about dishes, in this case dessert, the singular is used.

  • ‘Twin Peaks’ the groundbreaking drama from David Lynch starring Kyle MacLachlan as FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, the detective with a predilection for cherry pie, and a nose for mystery,... (source)

But normally when we use the word apple, we think of it as something that is countable, that we can pick up and bite into. We are talking about apples in general, not about a single apple. Which is why the phrase I like apples will always be far more common than I like apple.

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