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Articles USE: The Articles in Generic Reference

The document discusses the use of articles in English. It covers the differences between definite and indefinite references, as well as generic and specific references. It also provides examples of when different articles like 'a', 'an', 'the' and no article are used depending on whether the noun is countable, singular, plural or uncountable.

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Alice Mayner
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61 views

Articles USE: The Articles in Generic Reference

The document discusses the use of articles in English. It covers the differences between definite and indefinite references, as well as generic and specific references. It also provides examples of when different articles like 'a', 'an', 'the' and no article are used depending on whether the noun is countable, singular, plural or uncountable.

Uploaded by

Alice Mayner
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ARTICLES

USE
c) Use. The use of articles depends on:
a) whether the reference is generic or specific
b) whether the reference is definite in indefinite
c) the noun it determines (non-count or count, singular or plural)

The reference is specific when we are referring to particular specimens, and generic when we refer to
the whole class:

I need a computer / The computer is on the table (Specific reference)

A computer is a useful tool / Spiders aren't dangerous (Generic reference)

The distinctions between definite and indefinite, and between singular and plural are important for
specific reference but not for generic reference.

The articles in generic reference:

All three types of article can be used to make a generic reference:


o the: with both non-count and count nouns (either singular or plural)
o a/an with sing count nouns
o zero with plural count nouns and with noncount nouns.
Count Non-count
Singula A German is a good musician __Water is scarce
r The German is a good musician The water is scarce
Plural __Germans are good musicians
The Germans are good musicians
a) With uncountable nouns, zero article is usually used. The use of the is rare.
b) With countable nouns:
 generic reference tends also to be expressed by means of the zero article.
o less commonly we find a single countable noun preceded by a definite article or an indefinite
article:
- the indefinite article tends to carry a general partitive implication ("a" means "any")
- the indefinite article conveys a rather formal tone and is rarely used except with musical
instruments and dances (Can he play the piano?)
o the use of “the” with plural counts occurs only with nationality words and nominalized
adjectives (the sick need medical care)

The articles in specific reference

When referring to specific specimens, the reference can be definite or indefinite:


- it is indefinite when we refer to something which is not identifiable in the shared knowledge of
addressor and addressee. It is commonly associated with “first mention” of an item. For indefinite
reference: a/an is used with singular count nouns, and the zero article with plural count nouns
and non-count nouns.

This morning I saw a butterfly /This morning I saw butterflies / This morning I saw smoke

sing.count pl.count non-count

- it is definite when we refer to something (person, group pf people, object, abstraction…) which can
be identified uniquely in the contextual or general knowledge shared by addressor and
addressee. For definite reference, the is used both with non-count and count nouns (either
singular or plural).
The roses are very beautiful [said in a garden] The external situation makes the reference
definite.
The Prime Minister visited our town  Here definiteness derives from general knowledge
He bought a computer and a dvd player, but returned the computer Definiteness is provided
by information given earlier (anaphoric reference)
I love the sweater you are wearing Definiteness is provided by information given later
(cataphoric reference)

However this pattern has several exceptions:

a) The indefinite article can also be used :


o with classifying meaning (My husband is a singer / John, a doctor, is…)
o with distributive meaning (twice a week, £2 a kilo)
o in exclamations with non-count nouns (what a horrible weather) and with such.
o with quantitative meaning, instead of one (a hundred years) [here it modifies hundred]
o with personal names used as common nouns:
- to denote the work of an artist (a Picasso)
- to mean "someone called" as in "a Mr Johnson is waiting for you", "I know a Tim")
- to denote family membership (My grandfather was a Cooper)

b) The definite article can also be used in the following cases:


o with a demonstrative function, i.e. instead of a demonstrative pronoun (e.g. It was cheap at
the price. He did nothing of the kind.)
o with a distributive function, i.e. with nouns expressing a unit (e.g. They were paid by the day.
Eggs are bought by the dozen.)
o for sporadic reference, as in 'I won't come by car. I'll take the train'
o with parts of the body in prepositional phrases instead of a possessive such as my or her (I
grabbed him by the arm)
o when the definiteness of a referent is logically imposed by its meaning: nouns premodified
by superlatives, ordinals and similar restrictive items will be made logically unique (She was
the sole survivor)
o when the unique reference derives from being a proper noun. Proper nouns are typically
singular and do not admit determiners, but there are several proper nouns regularly
occurring with de definite article:
- geographical names (mainly plural geographical names):
- some countries and regions (the Ruhr, the Netherlands, the Highlands, the Sahara)
- mountain ranges and groups of islands (the Rocky Mountains, the Bahamas)
- rivers, seas and canals (the Pacific, the Panama Canal)
- and any other postmodified geographical name (the Isle of Man, but Long Island)
- Public institutions such as hotels, restaurants, pubs, hospitals, cinemas, theatres, libraries,
etc (the Ritz, the Metropolitan Museum, the Senate, the Air Force)
- Names of ships and planes, particularly those well known in history (the Titanic, the
Britannia), otherwise they do not take article.
- Many newspapers and some periodicals (the Times, the Guardian)
- With personal names:
- when they are used in the plural to refer to a family (I haven't seen the Joneses for ages)
- to identify a person from another person with the same name (This isn't the John
Adams I know)
- with the names of some actresses (the Garbo, the Dietricht).
- when the personal name is premodified: The superb Johnny Depp

The zero article can be used with singular count nouns in these cases:
o Quasi-locatives:
- Be in/go to town bed, church, prison
- Be at/ go home
- Go to sea, college, school

The zero article is used when the focus is on the type of institution rather than on a specific
entity. In the latter cases, the definite article is used.
o Transport and communication: when by precedes the mode in question, zero occurs
- Travel/ come /go by bicycle, bus, train, car, plane, ferry
- Send it by telex, post, mail, satellite, fax
o Time expressions: zero is common especially after the prepositions at, by, after, before
- At dawn/night
- By day /night
- After dark/nightfall
- Before dawn/dusk
o Days, months and seasons: Zero article is used, except when there is postmodification (That was
the Sunday before we moved) or the reference is clearly specific. With seasons usage varies.
o Meals: zero is usual unless reference is being made to a particular one (I never have lunch, but
The dinner was excellent)
o Illness: zero is normal, especially where the illness bears a technical medical name.
o Block language: the zero article is normal in newspaper headlines, labels, notices, etc (Fire kills
teenagers in blaze)
o Vocatives (I'll see you later, mate)
o Subject predicatives with a unique reference . English normally requires an article with singular
countable nouns in predicative position (He is a member of three clubs), but when the
predicative noun phrases name a unique role or position, the zero article alternates with the
definite article (He was re-elected (the) OPEC president in June).
o Fixed phrases: some idioms (on purpose, by heart, on foot, in case of, out of step) and binomial
expressions used adverbially: face to face, hand in hand, mile after mile, day in day out, eye to
eye.

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