is this example unique? -about scenarios where either article can be used (without changing the meaning of text)

Question

Hi,The following is an example I have borrowed from another forum participant's post:"He is A/THE man who changed his life for the better".I find this example very interesting ... One can use EITHER article in this sentence... and its meaning won't change if we replace "a" by "the" or vice versa?  or the change will be just marginal (at the very most)?Is this example UNIQUE? I guess it is not.... What other similar examples/scenarios can you share with me? Also, if you could comment on the following example ( an imaginary dialog between Usain Bolt and another sprinter :-):"You are a sportsman; I am THE sportman".If this example natural English? Could you please comment on it?mus-te

Grammarfreak · Accepted Answer

Why are you asking the same question which MM has already answered ?

"He is THE man who changed his life for the better". "The" is a definite article used in specific context.
John is the accounting manager (You are introducing John to a new employee)
John is a teacher ( you are casually talking about John's profession)

Clive · Answer

The following is an example I have borrowed from another forum participant's post:

"He is A/THE man who changed his life for the better".

I find this example very interesting ... One can use EITHER article in this sentence... and its meaning won't change if we replace "a" by "the" or vice versa? or the change will be just marginal (at the very most)?
a suggests there is more than one such man.
the suggests there is only one, or that this particular one is known to the listener.

Is this example UNIQUE? No I guess it is not.... What other similar examples/scenarios can you share with me?
Many.
eg She is a/the woman with long hair.

Also, if you could comment on the following example ( an imaginary dialog between Usain Bolt and another sprinter :-):

"You are a sportsman; suggests there are many sportsmen, and you are one of them..

I am THE sportman". suggests there is only one real sportsman, and it is me. ie I am by far the best.

If this example natural English? Yes Could you please comment on it?

MUSCOVITE · Answer

grammarfreak"The" is a definite article used in specific context.

This sounds a little too laconic to explain the whole problem :-)

PLEASE TRY TO UNDERSTAND what makes this point so difficult for me (and probably
many other English learners) to grasp...

A: "He is THE man who changed his life for the better"
B. "He is A man who changed his life for the better"

To me, both variants are IDENTICAL logic-wise as both mean "He is ONE OF THOSE who changed their life for the better".
On the other hand, A and B are obviously different grammar-wise. That's it. That's a Russian native speaker's interpretation (which may be wrong of course)

grammarfreakJohn is a teacher ( you are casually talking about John's profession)

This one is perfectly clear to me. In fact, that's something that third graders usually learn in our local schools :-)

grammarfreakJohn is the accounting manager (You are introducing John to a new employee)

This example is more interesting, by far!

Question 1: Wouldn't it be more natural to say, "John is OUR accounting manager"?
Question 2: Incidentally, we have more than one accounting manager in our office. Can I say, "John is THE accounting manager" then? I doubt it would be correct logic-wise and grammar-wise...
Why not use the most straight-forward version, "John is AN accounting manager" in this case? (or just "John is one of our accounting managers"?)

Thank you in advance for you input

MUSCOVITE · Answer

Clivea suggests there is more than one such man.
the suggests there is only one, or that this particular one is known to the listener.

Well, can we take a look at another example please? Examples seem the only way to "struggle" with all this strangling grammar nightmare...

This one has been borrowed from GLOWBE:
ORIGINAL: To others, Jobs serves as a cautionary tale, a man who changed the world but at the price of alienating almost everyone around him.

Can we recast the original as follows?
(A) To others, Jobs is a man who changed the world but at the price of alienating almost everyone around him.
(B) To others, Jobs is the man who changed the world but at the price of alienating almost everyone around him.

Steve Jobs should be known to the listener I guess?

Could you please confirm that (A) is wrong and (B) is the only possible one, then?

mus-te

CalifJim · Answer

MUSCOVITEHe is A/THE man who changed his life for the better.
... its meaning won't change if we replace "a" by "the"

No. The meaning changes.

By using 'the' the speaker is referring to that particular man without reference to other men. The speaker is assuming "There exists a man who changed his life for the better". Further, he assumes the listener also assumes it. In all likelihood the existence of such a man has already been established in the conversation. Further, the speaker is saying, "And he is that man".

This is like saying, "Do you remember the guy I was telling you about yesterday? The guy that owns a Ferrari? Well, that's him over there, the guy with gray hair talking to the woman in the blue sweater. He is the guy that owns a Ferrari."

Here the idea is to assert that two different descriptions reference the same entity.
the guy standing there (he) = the Ferrari owner I told you about
____________

By using 'a' the speaker is referring to that particular man as one example of such a man among an entire set of men with the stated characteristic, i.e., the speaker is indirectly referencing a whole group of men. The speaker is stating that a particular man ("he") belongs to a certain set of men.

This is like saying, "Do you remember asking me last week if I knew anybody that owned a Ferrari? Well, I didn't realize it at the time, but it turns out that I do. Remember Peter, the guy Sara introduced us to at that restaurant? He is a guy that owns a Ferrari."

Here the idea is to assert that a given entity can be described (truthfully) in a given way.
the guy we met (he) is just one example of a Ferrari owner
___________________

So the two statements, one with "the", one with "a", have two different meanings. The difference may be subtle, but it's there.

CJ

Grammarfreak · Answer

MUSCOVITEThis sounds a little too laconic to explain the whole problem :-)

Not really! I think if you stick to this simple guide, most of the article questions you have may be resolved.
I need a knife to cut the squash. ( any knife, use indefinite article )
I need the knife on the rack. ( Specific scenario, use definite article)

MUSCOVITEQuestion 1: Wouldn't it be more natural to say, "John is OUR accounting manager"?

Yes, you can, but we are not discussing possessive pronoun.

MUSCOVITEQuestion 2: Incidentally, we have more than one accounting manager in our office. Can I say, "John is THE accounting manager" then?

Even if there are two accounting managers, one senior and the other one is assistant, the introduction can still be " John is the senior / assistant accounting manager" .

MUSCOVITEWhy not use the most straight-forward version, "John is AN accounting manager" in this case? (or just "John is one of our accounting managers"?)

What does John do for a living ?
John is an accounting manager. ( that tells what he does to make a living)

What is John's position ?( in the company)

John is the accounting manager.

MUSCOVITE · Answer

CalifJimNo. The meaning changes.By using 'the' the speaker is referring to that particular man without reference to other men. The speaker is assuming "There exists a man who changed his life for the better". Further, he assumes the listener also assumes it. In all likelihood the existence of such a man has already been established in the conversation. Further, the speaker is saying, "And he is that man".This is like saying, "Do you remember the guy I was telling you about yesterday? The guy that owns a Ferrari? Well, that's him over there, the guy with gray hair talking to the woman in the blue sweater. He is the guy that owns a Ferrari."Here the idea is to assert that two different descriptions reference the same entity.the guy standing there (he) = the Ferrari owner I told you about____________By using 'a' the speaker is referring to that particular man as one example of such a man among an entire set of men with the stated characteristic, i.e., the speaker is indirectly referencing a whole group of men. The speaker is stating that a particular man ("he") belongs to a certain set of men.This is like saying, "Do you remember asking me last week if I knew anybody that owned a Ferrari? Well, I didn't realize it at the time, but it turns out that I do. Remember Peter, the guy Sara introduced us to at that restaurant? He is a guy that owns a Ferrari."Here the idea is to assert that a given entity can be described (truthfully) in a given way.the guy we met (he) is just one example of a Ferrari owner___________________So the two statements, one with "the", one with "a", have two different meanings. The difference may be subtle, but it's there.CJ

CalifJim:
Your explanation is OUT OF THIS WORLD!
BRAVO!

Anonymous · Answer

OK, thanks!
One final question then.

grammarfreak I need the knife on the rack. ( Specific scenario, use definite article)

Not sure if I understand this scenario perfectly well.

Suppose there are a dozen knives on the rack... When you say, "I need THE knife on the rack", which specific knife do you mean? :-) Or maybe you point at the right silverware when saying that?

Clive · Answer

My comments are the same as before.

Your sentences about Jobs are both correct. It's a matter of the writer choosing which focus he wants to bring to what he is talking about..

Let me add this comment. On this Forum, we like to look for nuances of difference. But in the real world, most people would say that there is no difference between A and B.

Clive

Grammarfreak · Answer

AnonymousWhen you say, "I need THE knife on the rack", which specific knife do you mean? :-)

The whole idea about the "rack " example is to help you understand the concept of definite article usage. I could easily write " please get me the long knife in the drawer/ with the red handle ". The blue description is definite and requires "the". It is not just a regular knife.

AnonymousWhen you say, "I need THE knife on the rack", which specific knife do you mean? :-) Or maybe you point at the right silverware when saying that?

The concept isn't hard to understand, and I think you have the intellect to digest all the explanations offered to you. If you keep up with your challenges, you will lose the opportunity to learn.

is this example unique? -about scenarios where either article can be used (without changing the meaning of text)

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