Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site rtech.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!mtuxo!mtunh!mtung!mtunf!orion!caelum!ariel!vax135!timeinc!phri!pesnta!hplabs!amdahl!rtech!jeff From: jeff@rtech.UUCP (Jeff Lichtman) Newsgroups: net.nlang Subject: Re: `the' and `a' ? Message-ID: <508@rtech.UUCP> Date: Sun, 23-Jun-85 04:34:08 EDT Article-I.D.: rtech.508 Posted: Sun Jun 23 04:34:08 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 28-Jun-85 06:37:12 EDT References: <27400001@gypsy.UUCP> <546@hou2b.UUCP> <2061@sdcrdcf.UUCP> <646@lll-crg.ARPA> <4479@mit-eddie.UUCP> <338@spar.UUCP> Organization: Relational Technology, Alameda CA Lines: 56 > > I fail to see how `the' implies `tangible quantity'. > > Just because abstract nouns don't REQUIRE `the', that doesn't mean they > ARE FORBIDDEN from using `the'. Note: > > He has the integrity in the family vs Integrity stinks > The UNIX we run is 4.2 vs UNIX stinks > In these examples, "the" indicates that the noun refers to a specific instance, rather than a general quality or class. Note the difference between: I drank the milk. and I drank milk. In the first case, "the milk" means a specific, known set of milk molecules. :-) The second case doesn't specify; it could be any milk. > Anyone care to define `the' and `a' in <25 words? While you're at it, we > will need a brief rundown on all the categories of nouns pertinent to > English article usage. That's what this VAX/UNIX debate is really about. > > -michael This isn't exactly a definition, but "the" indicates that the noun represents a single known instance of the class that the noun stands for. "A" indicates that the noun represents any single instance of the class. For example, The cow - a single, known cow A cow - any single cow When "the" is used with a plural noun, it indicates that the noun represents a single, known set out of the class that the noun stands for. The fleas - A known group of fleas Fleas - All fleas I believe the reason one says "UNIX" instead of "The UNIX" is that one isn't thinking of a specific installation of UNIX, but rather the class. If one were thinking of a specific instance of a UNIX system, one would use "the": "The UNIX I installed yesterday doesn't work." as opposed to "UNIX doesn't work on my system." Usually, when one talks about a VAX, it is about a specific instance. If one were to mean all Vaxes in general, one wouldn't use "the": "The VAX is up" refers to a specific VAX; "VAXes are reliable" refers to VAXes in general. -- Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.) aka Swazoo Koolak {amdahl, sun}!rtech!jeff {ucbvax, decvax}!mtxinu!rtech!jeff