Final answer:
Both proper nouns and generic nouns denote or represent things. Proper nouns specifically name unique individuals or entities, while generic nouns name broad categories.
Step-by-step explanation:
Not all nouns denote; both proper nouns and generic nouns represent something in speech and writing. However, a significant difference exists between these categories. Proper nouns refer to specific entities and are always capitalized.
Examples include particular people, places, and historical events such as 'Michael', 'Paris', or 'The American Revolution'. On the other hand, generic nouns name broad classes or categories such as 'man', 'dog', or 'city'.
Indefinite pronouns such as 'everyone', 'everything', and 'many' are also considered to be nouns, but they are of a different type known as indefinite pronouns. Nouns carry the essence of language by naming and identifying objects and ideas, where proper nouns are used to give a unique name to an object or idea in order to distinguish it from others with similar attributes.