0
How2die Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
Apposition: use of definite/indefinite articles
A student and a teacher at Middle School died in car accidents within weeks of each other. Jason Soury, the student, died on Oct. 3, and Maberliz Castillo, the teacher, on Oct. 28. (from NYTimes.com)
BUT
And that was a puzzle to 19th-century disciples of Charles Darwin, such as Herbert Spencer. It was Spencer, an early contributor to The Economist, who invented that poisoned phrase, “survival of the fittest”. (from Economist.com)
Could anyone help with the choice of the articles here. Please? I am sort of aware about the special usage of articles in apposition. Usually it is an 'a'. However, as far as I understood it before stumbling on the latter example, 'the' must be used if the noun is already known to the audience. Hence my confustion as Spencer is mentioned in the first sentence.
Thanks a lot,
Al.
BUT
And that was a puzzle to 19th-century disciples of Charles Darwin, such as Herbert Spencer. It was Spencer, an early contributor to The Economist, who invented that poisoned phrase, “survival of the fittest”. (from Economist.com)
Could anyone help with the choice of the articles here. Please? I am sort of aware about the special usage of articles in apposition. Usually it is an 'a'. However, as far as I understood it before stumbling on the latter example, 'the' must be used if the noun is already known to the audience. Hence my confustion as Spencer is mentioned in the first sentence.
Thanks a lot,
Al.
Top answer
The difference is that in the first example both people are clearly defined and are the only ones we are talking about. In the second sentence, Darwin is only one of many contributors to the Economist. If we change it to 'the early contributor' it would mean he was the only early contributor.
- The difference is that in the first example both people are clearly defined and are the only ones we are talking about.
- In the second sentence, Darwin is only one of many contributors to the Economist.
- If we change it to 'the early contributor' it would mean he was the only early contributor.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
4 Answers
0
The difference is that in the first example both people are clearly defined and are the only ones we are talking about.
In the second sentence, Darwin is only one of many contributors to the Economist. If we change it to 'the early contributor' it would mean he was the only early contributor.
In the second sentence, Darwin is only one of many contributors to the Economist. If we change it to 'the early contributor' it would mean he was the only early contributor.
00
Nah... does not look that easy 
First of all, the people are clearly defined in both examples, not only in the f
First of all, the people are clearly defined in both examples, not only in the f
00
Hi, How2die.
I really don't see what you're trying to do. Nona's explanation is enough to explain why the and an is used there. And it is really that simple. And what does that Nah mean? (I hope you are not Turkish because that is a swear word in Turkish.)
I really don't see what you're trying to do. Nona's explanation is enough to explain why the and an is used there. And it is really that simple. And what does that Nah mean? (I hope you are not Turkish because that is a swear word in Turkish.)
00
How2dieAbout your second remark. True, Spencer is not the only contributor to the magazine, but so is Soury: he is not the only student in the world. No difference here either.in the first example, only two people are under discussion, not the whole world. out of those two, Soury is the only student, the student. if a third student had died, giv
0
Related Questions