Generic vs Specific?
The herpes virus has affected 20 million Americans. (diagnosis)
The stethoscope improved the diagnosis of heart problems. (purpose)
The cyclotron opened the field of particle physics. (results)
The smallpox vaccine has practically eradicated the disease throughout the world. (solution)
The world seems smaller because of the telephone. (invention)
I guess these examples can be read as generic references and the underlined noun phrases are generic because the contexts sound so. You try not to specify a particular herpes virus/stethoscope/cyclotron/small pox vaccine/telephone because, if you do so, the examples don't work right. For example, only one particular smallpox vaccine has eradicated the disease? No.
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The stethoscope improved the diagnosis of heart problems. (purpose)
Is it impossible to take that this example is talking about a specific stethoscope? It definitely works as a generic reference due to the context, as the predicate doesn't suggest any specific case?
Top answer
Supercat Is it impossible to take that this example is talking about a specific stethoscope? Yes, that's impossible. For me, anyway.
- Supercat Is it impossible to take that this example is talking about a specific stethoscope?
- Yes, that's impossible.
- For me, anyway.
- I don't see how it could be about one single stethoscope.
- I'd put it in the same category as 'telephone', an invention.
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SupercatIs it impossible to take that this example is talking about a specific stethoscope?
Yes, that's impossible. For me, anyway. I don't see how it could be about one single stethoscope. I'd put it in the same category as 'telephone', an invention.
CJ
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