Delahunty and Garvey
new entity or topic into a discourse.
Another important meaning associated with the indefinite article is cat-
egorization or classification: an indefinite NP denotes a member of the cat-
egory named by the head noun of the NP. Dictionary definitions make use of
such categorization. For example:
(17) catbird n. A North American songbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
having predominantly slate plumage (American Heritage Diction-
ary 4th ed. p. 292)Here the AHD defines catbird by categorizing it as a (kind of) North Ameri-
can songbird. Check several other dictionary entries to see if they also use the
indefinite article in this way.
Whether a noun is count or non-count affects which articles may modify
it. Count nouns may be modified by both articles—by a if the noun is sin-
gular (a calculator), and by the if the noun is either singular or plural (the
calculator/s). Non-count nouns may occur only with the (the information); in-
definite non-count nouns occur with no overt article (information) or with
some (some information).
Definite and indefinite NPs may refer either to one or more members of a
class of entities or to the entire class. For example, The pig in The pig is a filthy
animal may be interpreted as referring to a single, specific pig or to the entire
pig species. When we refer to an entire class, we are said to be making generic
reference. When we refer to one or more specific entities, we are making spe-
cific reference. We can also make generic reference using indefinite NPs: A pig
is a filthy animal; Pigs are filthy animals.
Exercise
- Here are some rules that are typically given for when to use the defi-
nite article. For each rule, create three short examples to illustrate it.
a. Use the to mark a noun phrase whose referent is identifiable in
the situational context, e.g., Where’s the dean’s office?
b. Use the to mark a noun phrase whose referent has already been
introduced, e.g., A rabbi and a priest went into a bar. The rabbi
said to the priest...
c. Use the to mark a noun phrase whose referent is unique, e.g., the
earth, the tallest mountain, the fifth man.
d. Use the with adjectives and nouns that name groups of people,
especially when we are referring to the entire group, e.g., the