Articles: The artist sketched a/the silhouette of an african elephant at sunset.

Question

Hello,let's say I am at an exhibition and would like to comment on one encountered painting to my friend:1) The artist sketched a silhouette of an african elephant at sunset.2) The artist sketched the silhouette of an african elephant at sunset.Which sentence is correct? And why?

Teechr · Accepted Answer

Without further context, #1 would be the right choice.
#2 implies that you're talking about a specific/known/previously mentioned or assumed silhouette.

Reegis · Answer

The whole context could be like this:
None of them has ever seen this painting (and this silhouette) before, and one of them just points at this painting and says this sentence. So, this silhouette is neither known nor previously mentioned, but is specific as this is the silhouette that is seen on the painting.

Then do I get you right that you would use 2?

Teechr · Answer

Use #1.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Let's say I am at an exhibition and would like to comment on one ~~encountered~~ painting to my friend.

If the elephant is in the painting, then I would say "the shadow (silhouette) of an elephant."

Reegis · Answer

AlpheccaStarsLet's say I am at an exhibition and would like to comment on one encountered painting to my friend.

May I ask why did you cross out the word encountered? What I wanted to convey was as follows: I was at an exhibition, came across one painting, and then commented on it to my friend. So, the word encountered was used above as an adjective that describes this painting as the one that was encountered by me. Is it wrong?

Gettting back to the main topic of this thread:
It seems that opinion is divided... Could you please explain why do you believe one version is better than the other? Maybe then we will figure this out together. One suggestion that comes to my mind is that silhouette can be only one for a given object/animal. Could this be a reason?
What is most important for me is not the answer itself but understanding why it is correct. This way I can "feel" it more and apply this knowledge to other similar cases.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Reegis I was at an exhibition, came across one painting, and then commented on it to my friend. So, the word encountered was used above as an adjective that describes this painting as the one that was encountered by me. Is it wrong?

It is unnatural for several reasons.
First, a few past participles can be used as pre-modifiers, but most cannot.
"Encountered" is not a description or quality of an object. Examples related to art are: (un)finished, (un)polished, (un)varnished, (un)framed, or gilded.
Other examples are the temporary or permanent treatment of the object: neglected, heavily-guarded, well-protected, or recently-conserved.

Since you were at an exhibition, looking at art, it seems rather strange to use "encounter." "Encounter" usually expresses something that happens unexpectedly. I encountered my old school mate while jogging today.

Reegisthat silhouette can be only one for a given object/animal.

That is why I use the definite article, especially then the animal it belongs to is obvious and explicit. The presence of the animal is like "mentioning" the object.

You might ask a child who is learning about animals: here is a silhouette. What animal is it from?
Or, here is a silhouette of a head in profile. Is it mommy's, daddy's or sister Sue's?

Reegis · Answer

AlpheccaStars"Encountered" is not a description or quality of an object.

It is interesting. Then cannot I use it even for objects that I meet by accident or that are more abstract? For example:
Last month I went on a trip to Egypt and wanted to visit a pyramid but some people blocked my way and threatened to do harm to me. The encountered threat wasn't a pleasant experience.

Can I use it for people? For example:
Yesterday I encountered some friends. The friends encountered yesterday were...
Yesterday I met some friends. The friends met yesterday were...

AlpheccaStarsThe presence of the animal is like "mentioning" the object.

This explanation reminds me of something called "later mention" where an object is identified by information after it (for readers not familiar with this concept more details here http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/article3c.html).

AlpheccaStarsYou might ask a child who is learning about animals: here is a silhouette. What animal is it from?

I see, here a silhouette is like any other independent object: a book, a horse, a house, etc.

AlpheccaStarsOr, here is a silhouette of a head in profile. Is it mommy's, daddy's or sister Sue's?

This is something I don't understand:( Could you please explain what is the difference between a silhouette of a head and the silhouette of an animal?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

ReegisThe encountered threat wasn't a pleasant experience.

No. That does not work.

The problems we encountered were not difficult to overcome.

Reegis The friends encountered yesterday were...

OK. This is a reduced relative clause.
The friends who(m) I encountered yesterday...

ReegisCould you please explain what is the difference between a silhouette of a head and the silhouette of an animal?

We used to make silhouettes in elementary school as an art project. They used to be very popular before photography.

Reegis · Answer

AlpheccaStarsNo. That does not work.

One more try: if you type in google "the encountered resistance" (with the apostrophes to look for the whole phrase), then what do you think about these examples?

AlpheccaStarsWe used to make silhouettes in elementary school as an art project. They used to be very popular before photography.

Hmmm, so the usage of a/the comes down to the meaning?
Please let's have a look at http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/silhouette_1?q=silhouette

For 1) [countable, uncountable] the dark outline or shape of a person or an object that you see against a light background
We use the silhouette of an object (like the silhouette of an african elephant), but:
For 2) [countable] the shape of a person’s body or of an object
We use a silhouette of an object (like a silhouette of a head).

Is it correct?

Thanks for your patience:)

AlpheccaStars · Answer

ReegisOne more try: if you type in google "the encountered resistance" (with the apostrophes to look for the whole phrase), then what do you think about these examples?

You keep changing the noun! "Encountered resistance" is a technical term that is recently developed. .

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=encountered+resistance%2Cresistance+encountered&year_start=1950&year_end=2000&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2Cencountered%20resistance%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cresistance%20encountered%3B%2Cc0

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