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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
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Organization: Relational Technology, Alameda CA
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> 
>     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