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I am always struggling to figure out whether to use a definite or indefinite article with abstract concepts.

See the following example. Positions in question are marked with (the?):

Section X presents literature on (the?) classical data analysis; namely, (the?) common models and algebras.

What is a rule of thumb? Here is some context:

  • Classical data analysis comprises a variety of methods. These methods, however, share some characterizing features, which have not been detailed yet in the section.
  • Common models and algebras are indeed a variety. They, however, share some characterizing features, which have not been detailed yet in the section.
tchrist
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Median Hilal
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    You missed one determiner spot. Section X presents some literature on ... Then you can omit the before "classical data analysis" because it's the name of a discipline. Before common models and algebras the article is optional, depending on whether you expect the reader to know already that models and algebras are ordinary parts of this kind of analysis. – John Lawler Aug 11 '22 at 14:26
  • "Common models and algebras are indeed a variety." sounds weird. You might put "are varied." instead, if you mean there are several different ones. – Stuart F Sep 03 '22 at 15:40
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    I don't see how the above construction differs in any fundamental way from the following: "Section X presents literature on classical physics; namely, kinematics and optics." Why is an article needed at all? – economic freedom Oct 02 '22 at 22:27
  • No article is needed: "... on classical data analysis." – TimR Feb 25 '24 at 11:00

1 Answers1

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Yesterday I was gobsmacked to be told by a teacher of English as a foreign language that there are not two, but three types of article in English.

That is definite, indefinite and zero. Apparently contrary to received wisdom, yet wholly logical.

Consider these examples:

Would you prefer a soup or something else?

Did you like the soup?

Do you like soup?

Robbie Goodwin
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  • Master argues that (omitting 'some'), there are four articles. The zero article (least definite, 'We ate $ chicken last night) and the identical-looking null article (most definite; 'He was duly elected $ President of the USA'). The dollar sign shows the 'invisible' articles. – Edwin Ashworth Jun 30 '23 at 12:04
  • Thanks Edwin and who is 'Master'? In any case, do you really believe there are four articles in English? I suggest that rather than unveiling 'extra' articles, those chickens and presidents in fact reveal how flimsy is the English - or French or German - idea of articles, as compared to Central/Eastern European languages, most of which don't use that concept? – Robbie Goodwin Jul 09 '23 at 23:47
  • Covered before: Lawrence's Answer. // While trying to codify universal rules to explain English is doomed to failure, and I usually(!) prefer Quirk et al's gradience model of ing-forms along the V...N continuum, I think Peter Master's analysis where sometimes invisible articles look more definite and sometimes more indefinite makes a lot of sense. Even so, there are grey areas. – Edwin Ashworth Jul 10 '23 at 14:38
  • Oh, gosh. I looked at Master's introduction to Teaching the English Articles as a Binary System in TESOL Quarterly and in all honesty, I wondered how hard it would have been to make it less accessible, particularly to non-native speakers.

    If understanding the subject depended on reading Master, I'd give up and point out to the learner that simply omitting all articles was an easier way out.

     – Robbie Goodwin Jul 10 '23 at 18:25
  • But ELU is not targeted at beginners. Master has the age-old unenviable problem of trying to simplify an extremely complex subject to present to learners. His research certainly fits better with a site aimed at linguists. We can be grateful to him for his research and theorising. – Edwin Ashworth Jul 10 '23 at 18:48
  • True, Edwin… and the Question clearly comes from a non-native, if not a beginning user. I don't doubt Master's wisdom and I do decry his writing style – Robbie Goodwin Jul 10 '23 at 19:27
  • But questions 'requiring' and certainly answers providing dumbed-down treatments don't belong on ELU. How these concepts (which certainly will be encountered by beginners in English) should be answered on a different website or other platform, I've no idea. As stated elsewhere, Collins produced a monograph on article usage (not including other determiners) running to over 100 pages, and it totally misses Master's analysis (and use of the indefinite article with singular noncount usages like 'He took a deep pride in his appearance'). – Edwin Ashworth Oct 28 '23 at 15:19
  • Thanks and I could well be going off this topic, yet I feel a need to suggest there's a huge difference between '… a deep…' and simple '… deep pride…', which might best be explained by 'a…' making the idea countable and singular, while its lack left the idea an uncountable concept. – Robbie Goodwin Oct 28 '23 at 18:49
  • Covered in depth at a blinding light / blinding sunlight / ?a blinding sunlight? – Edwin Ashworth Oct 28 '23 at 22:32