A platform or platform

Question

We say:Polar bears live mostly on sea ice, which they use as a platform for hunting seals.To my ear, we also say:Polar bears live mostly on sea ice, which they use as platform for hunting seals.Right? Please.

Free_spirit · Accepted Answer

"a platform" is correct. If in doubt, put the article in there. Remember "a" is a non-specific article (it doesn't matter what kind of platform it is); "the" is a specific article and would refer to a specific platform you've already introduced or are introducing. "The platform used by the polar bears is the sea ice."

Norwolf · Answer

Whereas the indefinite article is required in the previous examples, there is

vacillation in the following cases (cf 'unique role', 5.42):

her duties as (a) hostess

my appointment as (a) lecturer

Jung as (a) thinker

A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language

Why does the writer say there is vacillation in the cases with the complements?

Is there anything different between the previous one and them?

Is the reason that they refer to persons?

Free_spirit · Answer

The examples you give here are very brief and lack specific context. However, in the context they are given here, they refer to general rather than specific roles. For example, "a hostess" is not giving a generalised role of "hostess", not related to a specific place. With more context it may become "her duties as the hostess in charge of block 'c'..." in which case she is assigned a very specific role, that of being "in charge of block 'c'".

If Jung was to be "the thinker" it would preclude other people as being thinkers. Jung was a thinker, as you and I may be classed as "thinkers" also (albeit that we are currently thinking about English, rather than Psychology). The article would change to "the" in a case that Jung was classified as "the most notable psychological thinker of the 20th Century." (or even just "THE thinker of the 20th Century" ... which usage implies that he is considered to be the best. In spoken English, the word "the" would have have specific stress placed on it to indicate its importance. Written it may be capitalized, made bold, italicized, or in quotes. "Jung was 'the' thinker of the year..."

The roles are "unique" from each other (a hostess is not a lecturer), but they are still general roles. Another example could be:

my appointment as a head of department (doesn't matter which department, just that I was "a head of department)
my appointment as the head of department (more importance is given to being the head of a deparment, which is probably best specific, "the head of the marketing department.")

Also, being "the" head of department would imply that there are no other current heads of deparment. Having been "a head of department" generalizes the fact that other people will also have held this role, or maybe you can even have multple heads of the department (more likely with multiple hostesses, lecturers, and thinkers).

The examples you give here are very brief and lack specific context. However, in the context they are given here, they refer to general rather than specific roles. For example, "a hostess" is not giving a generalised role of "hostess", not related to a specific place. With more context it may become "her duties as the hostess in charge of block 'c'..." in which case she is assigned a very specific role, that of being "in charge of block 'c'".

If Jung was to be "the thinker" it would preclude other people as being thinkers. Jung was a thinker, as you and I may be classed as "thinkers" also (albeit that we are currently thinking about English, rather than Psychology). The article would change to "the" in a case that Jung was classified as "the most notable psychological thinker of the 20th Century." (or even just "THE thinker of the 20th Century" ... which usage implies that he is considered to be the best. In spoken English, the word "the" would have have specific stress placed on it to indicate its importance. Written it may be capitalized, made bold, italicized, or in quotes. "Jung was 'the' thinker of the year..."

The roles are "unique" from each other (a hostess is not a lecturer), but they are still general roles. Another example could be:

* my appointment as a head of department (doesn't matter which department, just that I was "a head of department)
* my appointment as the head of department (more importance is given to being the head of a deparment, which is probably best specific, "the head of the marketing department.")

Also, being "the" head of department would imply that there are no other current heads of deparment. Having been "a head of department" generalizes the fact that other people will also have held this role, or maybe you can even have multple heads of the department (more likely with multiple hostesses, lecturers, and thinkers).

A platform or platform

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