0
MariaRC Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Interesting question
Hi everyone,
I saw this other thread here and curious Maria now has some questions of her own for you language wonks.
My friend and I check into a hotel. I continue:
#1. A woman working behind the front desk barely looked up to greet us.
#2. The woman working behind the front desk barely looked up to greet us.
I understand that either article is legitimate and only slightly changes the meaning of the sentence. In the first one there is possibly more than one person behind the front desk; in the second only one.
What if I place an adjective in front of 'woman' in #2?
The blond woman working behind the front desk barely looked up to greet us.
Would you say infer that there was only:
i) one woman there who was blond (there may have been others, but not blond)?
ii) there was only one woman there and she happened to be blond?
Thank you as always,
Maria
I saw this other thread here and curious Maria now has some questions of her own for you language wonks.
My friend and I check into a hotel. I continue:
#1. A woman working behind the front desk barely looked up to greet us.
#2. The woman working behind the front desk barely looked up to greet us.
I understand that either article is legitimate and only slightly changes the meaning of the sentence. In the first one there is possibly more than one person behind the front desk; in the second only one.
What if I place an adjective in front of 'woman' in #2?
The blond woman working behind the front desk barely looked up to greet us.
Would you say infer that there was only:
i) one woman there who was blond (there may have been others, but not blond)?
ii) there was only one woman there and she happened to be blond?
Thank you as always,
Maria
Top answer
' MariaRC The blond woman working behind the front desk barely looked up to greet us. Would you say infer that there was only: i) one woman there who was blond (there may have been others, but not blond)? ii) there was only one woman there and she happened to be blond?
- ' MariaRC The blond woman working behind the front desk barely looked up to greet us.
- Would you say infer that there was only: i) one woman there who was blond (there may have been others, but not blond)?
- ii) there was only one woman there and she happened to be blond?
- I would have to ask for clarification from the speaker.
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
MariaRCThe blond womanThe spelling 'blonde' is still widely used for the noun that specifies a woman or girl with fair hair: 'The blonde with the baby in her arms is my anthropology professor.' Some people object to this as an unnecessary distinction, preferring blond for all persons: 'My sister is thinking of becoming a blond for a while.' As an adjective
00
Thank you for your beautiful explanation of the use of the word "blond", Mister Micawber.
Have a nice day!
Maria
Mister MicawberI would have to ask for clarification from the speaker.I am so glad I'm not the only one! Thank you.
Have a nice day!
Maria
00
MariaRCyour beautiful explanation of the use of the word "blond"The obsession is mine, not the explanation; you can find it here:
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/blonde
00
MariaRCIn the first one there is possibly more than one person behind the front desk; in the second only one.True, but the more important thing in my mind is that "a" establishes the existence of this woman without any concern about her identity. There was a woman working behind the desk. On the other hand "the" treats the woman, if I can say
0
Related Questions