The traffic rules of my country prohibit crossing a street while its light is red.

Question

Which is correct?If they are incorrect, what do you say?#1 The traffic rules of my country prohibit crossing a street while its light is red.#2 The traffic rules of my country prohibit crossing a street while the light is red.#3 The traffic rules of my country prohibit crossing the street while its light is red.#4 The traffic rules of my country prohibit crossing the street while the light is red.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,
Which is correct?
If they are incorrect, what do you say?

#1 The traffic rules of my country prohibit crossing a street while its light is red.
#2 The traffic rules of my country prohibit crossing a street while the light is red.
#3 The traffic rules of my country prohibit crossing the street while its light is red.
#4 The traffic rules of my country prohibit crossing the street while the light is red.

All are correct grammar. 'The street' and 'the light' are more commonly said.
I'd say 'laws' rather than 'rules'.

Best wishes, Clive

Northwind · Answer

Hi, Clive.

How clear!
Thanks!

CalifJim · Answer

The traffic laws of my country prohibit crossing a street against the light.
"against the light" is an idiom for "when the light is red".
CJ

Northwind · Answer

Wow!
My sentences are evoluting!
Thanks!

What's the differnce in meaning or feeling between #5 and #6?

#5 The traffic laws of my country prohibit crossing a street against the light.
#6 The traffic laws of my country prohibit crossing the street against the light.

CalifJim · Answer

northwindMy sentences are ~~evoluting~~ evolving! ... What's the difference ...?

a street sounds a bit more general to my ear than the street. It connotes any street.
On the other hand, if it were a specific street, I would tend to use the street:
A friend of mine was fined $95 dollars for crossing the street against the light.
Here only one specific street would have been crossed, so I'd probably say the. Yet, a streetwould also work! In any of these cases, it just depends whether the speaker was thinking in general or specific terms.

CJ

Clive · Answer

Hi,
Instead of The traffic rules of my country prohibit . . . ,
it is much more natural to say
It's against the law in my country to. . .
or It's illegal in my country to . . .

Clive

Northwind · Answer

Wow!
My sentences evolved again!
Thanks!

#7 It's illegal in my country to cross a street against the light.
#8 It's illegal in my country to cross the street against the light.

I well understand "A friend of mine was fined $95 dollars for crossing the street against the light. Here only one specific street would have been crossed, so I'd probably say the. Yet, a street would also work! " I have no quetion about this.

I think "a street" means "the speaker feels the street to be unspecific" and "the street" means "the speaker feels the street to be specific."

But in the situation we're talking about, #7 or #8, the speaker is talking about the general rules in my country so I think he can't feel the street to be specific. So I think #8 is incorrect.

How can the speakder feel the street to be specific or why does the speaker feel the street to be specific?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

#7 It's illegal in my country to cross a street against the light.
#8 It's illegal in my country to cross the street against the light.

I well understand "A friend of mine was fined $95 dollars for crossing the street against the light. Here only one specific street would have been crossed, so I'd probably say the. Yet, a street would also work! " I have no quetion about this.

I think "a street" means "the speaker feels the street to be unspecific" and "the street" means "the speaker feels the street to be specific." Not really. 'The street' is an expression commonly used to mean 'any street'.

But in the situation we're talking about, #7 or #8, the speaker is talking about the general rules in my country so I think he can't feel the street to be specific. So I think #8 is incorrect. No, it's not.See above.

How can the speakder feel the street to be specific or why does the speaker feel the street to be specific?

Since you can say 'a street' and 'the street' to mean any street, you'd have to rely on the context to make it clear that you were talking about a specific street. You might also use another determiner,
eg You know where the Royal Bank is? I'll meet you outside the bank, in the street.
wg You know the street where the bank is? I live on that street.

Best wishes, Clive

Northwind · Answer

Not really. 'The street' is an expression commonly used to mean 'any street'.

Wooow!!
Shock!!
Unbelievable!!

But I know I have to believe it.

What's the difference between #9 and #10?

#9 a street (I think a street always means any street.)
#10 the street that means any street, not the specific street

So I think both means any street, in a simple or short expression.
But I think their nuances are different because their words are different. I think different words have different nuances.
What's the difference?

Clive · Answer

Hi,
What's the difference between #9 and #10?

#9 a street (I think a street always means any street.) Not always. See below.
#10 the street that means any street, not the specific street

So I think both means any street, in a simple or short expression.
But I think their nuances are different because their words are different. I think different words have different nuances.
What's the difference?

You should always look both ways before you cross the street.
You should always look both ways before you cross a street.
I really see no difference here, except that the former sounds more idiomatic, and thus makes the speaker sound more natural.

Person A: Did you hear about Tom? He was killed crossing the street.
Person B: My ***, that's terrible.
The focus above is wholely on Tom's death.

Person A: Did you hear about Tom? He was killed crossing a street.
Person B: My ***, that's terrible. Which street?
The focus above is, of course, still on Tom's death, but the indefinite article in this context suggests to person B that A is or may be referring to a specific but previously unmentioned street. (eg A student walked in to class. The student was a woman.)

Learing about articles is challenging and frustrating, isn't it? Hard to learn, and also hard to teach.
Best wishes, Clive

The traffic rules of my country prohibit crossing a street while its light is red.

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