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interests / alt.english.usage / Re: The need for articles

SubjectAuthor
* Re: The need for articlesSteve Hayes
`- Re: The need for articlesPeter Moylan

1
Re: The need for articles

<tpgdu8$4657$3@dont-email.me>

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https://www.novabbs.com/interests/article-flat.php?id=4386&group=alt.english.usage#4386

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From: hayes...@telkomsa.net (Steve Hayes)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english,alt.english.usage
Subject: Re: The need for articles
Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2023 06:58:17 -0000 (UTC)
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 by: Steve Hayes - Mon, 9 Jan 2023 06:58 UTC

On Sun, 08 Jan 2023 10:32:42 +1100, Peter Moylan wrote:

> In English - and, I believe, in all the languages of Western Europe -
> the distinction between "an X" and "the X" is important, because it can
> change the meaning of a sentence. The articles therefore seem to be
> essential.

And English speakers can't seem to agree on it either.

For some there is a distinction between "going to hospital" and "going to
the hospital", while for others, it seems there is not.

cf
"going to church" vs "going to the church"

"going to university" vs "going to the university"

"going to school" vs "going to the school"

--
Steve Hayes http://khanya.wordpress.com

Re: The need for articles

<tpgf25$4b7e$1@dont-email.me>

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From: pet...@pmoylan.org.invalid (Peter Moylan)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english,alt.english.usage
Subject: Re: The need for articles
Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2023 18:17:22 +1100
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In-Reply-To: <tpgdu8$4657$3@dont-email.me>
 by: Peter Moylan - Mon, 9 Jan 2023 07:17 UTC

On 09/01/23 17:58, Steve Hayes wrote:
> On Sun, 08 Jan 2023 10:32:42 +1100, Peter Moylan wrote:
>
>> In English - and, I believe, in all the languages of Western Europe -
>> the distinction between "an X" and "the X" is important, because it can
>> change the meaning of a sentence. The articles therefore seem to be
>> essential.
>
> And English speakers can't seem to agree on it either.
>
> For some there is a distinction between "going to hospital" and "going to
> the hospital", while for others, it seems there is not.
>
> cf
> "going to church" vs "going to the church"
>
> "going to university" vs "going to the university"
>
> "going to school" vs "going to the school"

For those who have the distinction, it's simple. The version with the
article refers to one specific hospital, church, university, etc. The
one without the article refers to a state rather than to a place. For
example, "He is going to university next year" means "Next year, he will
be a university student (at an unspecified institution)".

But, as you said, not everyone has the distinction.

--
Peter Moylan Newcastle, NSW http://www.pmoylan.org

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