It's a/the title of a movie

Question

Hi,I've got some problems.Scary Movie. It's a/the title of a movie.Daisy. It's a/the name of a flower.Etc.I understand that when you say, for example, "It's the title of the movie", you are talking about a specific movie, and when you say "It's a title of the movie" you are considering one of the titles a specific movie could have... But when I am talking in general and I have structures like the above, what should I do? I think either way is ok (a/the), even though I feel "the" might be more common. Thanks a lot in advance

Ant_222 · Accepted Answer

Hello, Kooyeen.

I think "the name" is the right choice.

— What's Quazatron?
— It the name of a computer game.

It doesn't matter whether you say "a movie" or "the movie" — the movie has only one name anyway.

Philip · Answer

KooyeenHi,
I've got some problems.

Scary Movie. It's a/the title of a movie.
Daisy. It's a/the name of a flower.
Etc.

I understand that when you say, for example, "It's the title of the movie", you are talking about a specific movie, and when you say "It's a title of the movie" you are considering one of the titles a specific movie could have... But when I am talking in general and I have structures like the above, what should I do? I think either way is ok (a/the), even though I feel "the" might be more common.

Thanks a lot in advance

Each movie/flower has only one name: "the". If by chance a flower has more than one name, "a" or "one" would be appropriate.

Kooyeen · Answer

PhilipEach movie/flower has only one name: "the". If by chance a flower has more than one name, "a" or "one" would be appropriate.

Thanks Philip.
But... if you can say "It's a title", why can't you say "It's a title of a movie"?
In order to build our little nuclear weapon, we need some beans, a rubber band, a needle, a piece of paper and a/the handle of a door. Then we just need to send it to MacGyver, he knows what to do.

I understand "the X of a Y" is probably better and more common, but I don't think "a X of a Y" is completely weird, is it?
Thanks again

Linguaphile · Answer

KooyeenBut... if you can say "It's a title", why can't you say "It's a title of a movie"?

X is a title of a Y. [= X has more than one title.]

X is the title of a Y. [= X has only one title]

"Cockroach" is the name of an insect.

A cockroach is a large brown insect.

Kooyeen · Answer

I see it differently. There's more than one X if I say:
It's a X of the Y.
not if I say:
It's a X of a Y.

I'm confused... Hmm

Ant_222 · Answer

«I see it differently. There's more than one X if I say:
It's a X of the Y.
not if I say:
It's a X of a Y.»

You are not right. In both cases there's more than one X.

If some writer was published under different pseudonyms, you can say:

"It is a pseudonym of a famous writer", meaning he had more than one pseudonym.

Otherwise (one pseudonym) you should use "the".

Hope that helps.

Kooyeen · Answer

Hi,
who told you so? I understand that "the X of a Y" ("the name of a flower") sounds best, but I don't believe "a X of a Y" implies that there is more than one X for every Y. I just asked a native speaker, they told me that's not true, and that I can say "Daisy is a name of a flower, cow is a name of an animal."
Does anybody have any thoughts? Thanks again

Ant_222 · Answer

Hello, Kooyeen:

«...but I don't believe "a X of a Y" implies that there is more than one X for every Y»

It implies that there may be more than one X for Y.

«?I just asked a native speaker, they told me that's not true, and that I can say "Daisy is a name of a flower, cow is a name of an animal."»

Who told it? Phillip wrote:
«If by chance a flower has more than one name, "a" or "one" would be appropriate.»

CalifJim · Answer

when I am talking in general and I have structures like the above, what should I do?

Say It's the title of a movie.

Remember that the use of the forestalls the question, "Which?"
___________

a/an has two meanings (maybe more).

a certain, a particular There's a man at the door.
(A certain man is there; not an example of a man.)
an example of, an instance of; any A monkey is not a man.
(is not an example of a man; not is not a particular man.)

So:
a title of a movie: a particular title of a movie (as opposed to a different title, i.e, there's more than one title.)
or
a title of a movie : an example of a title of a movie (i.e., a movie title)

This movie is called The Day the Earth Stopped and, in Britain, The End of the World.

What is The End of the World? A title of a movie. One of the titles of a movie.
__________

That movie is called At the Edge of the Cliff.

What is At the Edge of the Cliff? The title of a movie. (The title of a particular movie)
What is At the Edge of the Cliff? A title of a movie. (An example of a title of an example of a movie. / An example of a title of a particular movie.)

Peter: I saw that movie -- The Cliff on the Edge? On the Ledge? I've forgotten the title.
Paul: I don't think I've seen it.
Mary enters.
Mary: What are you guys talking about?
Paul: Peter can't remember the title of a movie he saw.

[Why would Paul say that Peter can't remember a title of a movie here? Peter is not trying to remember an example of a title nor one of several particular titles.]

We've made a movie. What would be a good title for it? / What's a good movie title for our movie? / What's a title of a movie that would be good? [Here the idea is to find an example of a (good) title of a particular movie.]

CJ

Kooyeen · Answer

Thank you! It's simple after all (because in Italian the situation is similar), but I was getting confused. It's clear now... Thanks <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

It's a/the title of a movie

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