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Ant_222 Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Another article problem
Hello all!
Here's another quotation of Paracelsus, in which I am troubled by the definite article before "sperma". I certainly wouldn't use it, so can somebody explain why it is needed here?
"If the sperma, enclosed in a hermetically sealed glass, is buried in horse manure for about forty days, and is properly 'magnetized', it begins to live and move."
If it was some countable noun, wouldn't you use "a": "If a drop of..."?
Thanks in advance,
Anton
Here's another quotation of Paracelsus, in which I am troubled by the definite article before "sperma". I certainly wouldn't use it, so can somebody explain why it is needed here?
"If the sperma, enclosed in a hermetically sealed glass, is buried in horse manure for about forty days, and is properly 'magnetized', it begins to live and move."
If it was some countable noun, wouldn't you use "a": "If a drop of..."?
Thanks in advance,
Anton
Top answer
Hi, Here's another quotation of Paracelsus, in which I am troubled by the definite article before "sperma". I certainly wouldn't use it, so can somebody explain why it is needed here? "?
- Hi, Here's another quotation of Paracelsus, in which I am troubled by the definite article before "sperma".
- I certainly wouldn't use it, so can somebody explain why it is needed here?
- "?
- This seems to me to be similar to saying ' The human eye is extremely complex'.
- It's using one specific instance to refer to all human eyes.
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10 Answers
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Hi,
Here's another quotation of Paracelsus, in which I am troubled by the definite article before "sperma". I certainly wouldn't use it, so can somebody explain why it is needed here?
"If the sperma, enclosed in a hermetically sealed glass, is buried in horse manure for about forty days, and is properly 'magnetized', it begins to live and move."
If it was some countable
Here's another quotation of Paracelsus, in which I am troubled by the definite article before "sperma". I certainly wouldn't use it, so can somebody explain why it is needed here?
"If the sperma, enclosed in a hermetically sealed glass, is buried in horse manure for about forty days, and is properly 'magnetized', it begins to live and move."
If it was some countable
00
Thanks, Clive. So, omitting the article would be still grammatical, but, maybe, with a bit different meaning?
Clive...and translated into English, I think, in 1894.So you know what book I am reading.?. It's way better than the News anyway!
00
Hi,
I may be wrong about the date of translation, but it's still basically an old original text.
Clive
I may be wrong about the date of translation, but it's still basically an old original text.
Clive
00
Nothing can be hidden in our pre-cyberpank era. I am reading another book, but by the same author 
EDIT: Can "the" be omitted wit
EDIT: Can "the" be omitted wit
00
Hi,
No. Because the author clearly treats it as a singular form. ie
"If the sperma, enclosed in a hermetically sealed glass, is buried in horse manure for about forty days, and is properly 'magnetized', it begins to live and move."
So, an article is needed.
Clive
No. Because the author clearly treats it as a singular form. ie
"If the sperma, enclosed in a hermetically sealed glass, is buried in horse manure for about forty days, and is properly 'magnetized', it begins to live and move."
So, an article is needed.
Clive
00
Can't "it" refer to an uncountable noun?
What about these?
1. If water is heated, it begins to boil (is "the" required before "water"?)
2. If water, enclosed in a hermetically sealed glass, is heated, it may reach a temperature higher than 100 centigrade and will not boil. (This one is of the same structure as the original sentence, would you use an article before "water"?)
What about these?
1. If water is heated, it begins to boil (is "the" required before "water"?)
2. If water, enclosed in a hermetically sealed glass, is heated, it may reach a temperature higher than 100 centigrade and will not boil. (This one is of the same structure as the original sentence, would you use an article before "water"?)
00
Hi,
Can't "it" refer to an uncountable noun? Yes, it can, generally speaking. Do you think it does in this case? 'Sperma' is not a word in modern English, as far as I know. Although I could be wrong, I took it to mean 'a single sperm'.
What about these?
1. If water is heated, it begins to boil (is "the" required before "water"?) No, not for a general statement
Can't "it" refer to an uncountable noun? Yes, it can, generally speaking. Do you think it does in this case? 'Sperma' is not a word in modern English, as far as I know. Although I could be wrong, I took it to mean 'a single sperm'.
What about these?
1. If water is heated, it begins to boil (is "the" required before "water"?) No, not for a general statement
00
CliveAlthough I could be wrong, I took it to mean 'a single sperm'.Oh, that's the key. Assuming it does mean a single cell (which even makes more sense), do you think the indefinite article is also possible? Sorry for this long questioning, we just did understand each other.
Anton
EDIT: Yes, it means a single cell.
00
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