I am wondering why there is an article -a- before Merry Christmas Is it because it's a day or Christmas is countable? I couldn't explain it to my students in a transparent way.
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1I think you're right in thinking that 'Christmas' is countable. – Decapitated Soul Dec 23 '20 at 18:09
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1Have a* nice day, Have a Merry Christmas, We wish you a Merry Christmas*. – FumbleFingers Dec 23 '20 at 18:22
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We also wish people a happy birthday, or a nice break (from work). Their experience of these is individual and countable, – Michael Harvey Dec 23 '20 at 18:39
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I am wondering why there is an article -a- before Merry Christmas
It has nothing much to do with countability:
I have a slight knowledge of French
It is far easier if you write a complete sentence, so that it makes sense:
"We had a merry Christmas this year."
"We had a terrible Christmas this year."
"We went to Australia and had a very hot Christmas this year."
An adjective has a partitive effect on its noun. It separates that adjective-type noun from all other nouns of that sort.
A/an = one example of a; one type of a, etc.
Greybeard
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