Another question posted as a private message by Pipes, Forum member (May 6, 2011):
What kinds of noun are “God,” “eternity,” and “ocean”?
Isn’t “God” both a proper and common noun? “eternity” a common and abstract noun? And “ocean” a common noun? Hope you could enlighten me on this matter. I look forward to hearing from you.
My reply to Pipes:
The noun “god”—with the first letter in lower case—is a common noun and refers in general to “a being or object believed to have more than natural attributes and powers and to require human worship.” “God”—with the first letter capitalized—is a proper noun that refers to a specific supreme being worshipped by the faithful of a particular religion.
The words “eternity” and “ocean” are, of course, common nouns, although poets sometimes refer to them figuratively as living entities, making them proper nouns by capitalizing the first letter, as in “Eternity, I await your coming!” and “Oh, Ocean, you've been alternatively kind and cruel to us!”
Both “god” and “eternity” are abstract nouns, being nouns that denote a concept rather than a physically tangible being or thing; “ocean,” on the other hand, is a concrete noun because it has a physical existence that can be perceived by the senses.
