How to understand the annotation "also"

Greetings, everyone.

I'm sometimes confused by notations from the dictionary. Simply put, I don't understand what it is trying to convey. Here is one example.

Negotiation:

NOUN

[mass noun]

(also negotiations) Discussion aimed at reaching an agreement:

1. a worldwide ban is currently under negotiation

2. negotiations between unions and employers

3. It took five months of negotiations between the two parties to have the agreement in place.

How should I understand the notation "also negotiations"

Does it mean all the singular "negotiation"s in the above sentences are interchangeable with "negotiations" s and vice versa？To be specific, are these equally acceptable：

1a. a worldwide ban is currently under negotiations

2a. negotiation between unions and employers

3a. It took five months of negotiation between the two parties to have the agreement in place.

6/29/227:16 AM

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Gustavo, Co-ModeratorProfessor of Legal and Financial Translation

Hi, Robby zhu,

I find it contradictory. I find the classification provided by LDOCE clearer:

ne‧go‧ti‧a‧tion noun[countable usually plural, uncountable]

This means that the noun can be either countable (in which case it is usually found in the plural form) or uncountable.

6/29/227:22 AM

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Robby zhuMember

@Gustavo, Co-Moderator posted:
Hi, Robby zhu,
I find it contradictory. I find the classification provided by LDOCE clearer:
ne‧go‧ti‧a‧tion noun[countable usually plural, uncountable]
This means that the noun can be either countable (in which case it is usually found in the plural form) or uncountable.

Yes, its clearer. That "also" confuses me, but it is also from a reliable source：

https://www.lexico.com/definition/negotiation?s=t

6/29/227:27 AM