Another question on determiners

Question

I saw the following entry in one of the ESL websites regarding the use of articles.

"The" is required when the noun it refers to represents something in the abstract:

The has encouraged the use of the private automobile as opposed to the use of public transit.

Am I correct to understand that replacing "the use of the private automobile" with "the use of a private autombile" or "the use of private automobiles" is grammatically correct and won't change the meaning of the sentence?

Also, would it be incorrect (rather, does it sound unnatural) if I added "the" before "public transit"?

Thank you.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

You'll find some previous discussion of this if you search the Forum with 'determiner abstract'.

Have a look at that, and then post here again if you still have any questions. OK?

Clive

Still Confused · Answer

Thank you for the suggestion.

I've read all the articles that came up with those search words, plus more articles from other websites on the subject. I still don't know the answers to my questions.

I understand that the example sentence uses "the private automobile" because "automobile" is a count noun and it is used to refer to something generic here, hence requiring the definite article. Also, I understand that "transit" is noncount noun, therefore an article is not needed.

However, "private automobiles" also refer to something generic and suffice the purpose here (I guess using "a private automobile" can be read as that the United States has encouraged its people to use only one automobile for the entire nation?).

As to "public transit," I don't understand why calling it "the public transit" is wrong, if it is. Although "public transit" is generic, isn't the author of the sentence talking about the public transit system of the United States?

I'd appreciate any input.

Thank you.

Clive · Answer

Hi again,

Here are a few comments on your posts.

I saw the following entry in one of the ESL websites regarding the use of articles.

"The" is required when the noun it refers to represents something in the abstract: This "rule" sounds very odd to me. Do you mean a noun like, for example, 'beauty'? You can easily say things like 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder' with no article.

The United States has encouraged the use of the private automobile as opposed to the use of public transit.Which noun here do you consider to be abstract? 'Use'? I'm not sure that I think of it in that way. I note that in the following question, you seem concerned with articles that relate not to the word 'use' but to the very non-abstract word 'automobile'.

Am I correct to understand that replacing "the use of the private automobile" with "the use of a private automobile" or "the use of private automobiles" is grammatically correct and won't change the meaning of the sentence? They are all grammatically correct. Generally speaking, the meaning is often very similar, and thta's true in the case of your sentence above.

But really it depends on the particular context in which the phrase is used. eg Consider this alternate sentence. One hundred years ago, only a very rich person had the use of a private automobile. Here, the other two phrases don't fit.

__________________

Also, would it be incorrect (rather, does it sound unnatural) if I added "the" before "public transit"? Yes, don't say 'the' in your example. However, you could say 'The public transit in Boston is better than the public transit in New York'.

I've read all the articles that came up with those search words, plus more articles from other websites on the subject. I still don't know the answers to my questions.

I understand that the example sentence uses "the private automobile" because "automobile" is a count noun and it is used to refer to something generic here, hence requiring the definite article. Also, I understand that "transit" is noncount noun, therefore an article is not needed.

However, "private automobiles" also refer to something generic and suffice the purpose here (I guess using "a private automobile" can be read as that the United States has encouraged its people to use only one automobile for the entire nation?). I don't think that the reader is likely to draw such a meaning from this particular sentence, do you?

As to "public transit," I don't understand why calling it "the public transit" is wrong, if it is. Although "public transit" is generic, isn't the author of the sentence talking about the public transit system of the United States? See if looking at it this way helps. When I speak, muy choice of words, and in this case ofdeterminers, helps to show you how I am thinking about what I am saying.

If you say to me, "I want to talk to you about the public transit in the USA', it tells me that in your mind you have, perhaps very, very quickly, considered all public transit in the world and have decided to focus on that of the USA.

If you say to me, "I want to talk to you about ~~the~~ public transit in the USA', it tells me that in your mind you have really just thought about public transit in the USA.

You might say that in these cases, you are starting from two different 'sets', one that encompasses the world and one that encompasses only the USA.

However, after writing all this, let me add a final comment. We are not always thoughtful, careful, precise or logical in the way we choose a determiner. It is commonly done by native seaker instinct and it is often very hard for us to explain why we chose a particular one.

Please write again if you have further questions about this.

Best wishes, Clive.

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks for taking time to explain this to me, Clive.

The rule and example were copied-and-pasted from an ESL website, so I assumed what the rule said was correct.

"It is commonly done by native speaker instinct and it is often very hard for us to explain why we chose a particular one."

This is exactly why it's hard for us non-speakers to get articles right, and I'm sure this is not the first time you hear this on this forum.

But I'm glad I've found this forum. I'll be reading posts here from now on.

Thank, again, Clive.

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