英语专业语法书答案Lecture 7 Articles.doc

Lecture 7Determiners (II) ArticlesIn the previous lecture we touched upon the fact that articles are the most typical of determiners. Now we will1concentrate on this topic.English has two articles: the definite and the indefinite article. As we know, all English common nouns have article contrast, so with plural count nouns and noncount nouns, the absence of an article signals the presence of another kind of article - the zero article. It is in this sense that we may also say that English has three articles - the definite, the indefinite, and the zero article.7.1 Generic and specific referenceIn discussing the use of articles we must distinguish between generic and specific reference.1) Generic referenceWhen we say the reference is generic, we are talking about any member representative of a class of people or things. All the three forms of article (the, a ( n ), and zero) can be used generically to refer to the members of a class as a whole.1n certain contexts, the definite article followed by a singular count noun often performs a generic function. The same function can also be performed by the definite article combining with certain adjectives or adjectival participles, eg:Galileo claimed that he had invented the telescope.The horse has been replaced by the railroad, the windship and the steamshipThe rich get richer, and the poor get children.The oppressed and the exploited wanted to free themselves from the oppressors.Generic reference can also be denoted by the indefinite article followed by a singular count noun. This is especially common in giving definitions. In so doing, we can also use plural and noncount nouns without the presence of any determiner. This may be referred to as the generic use of the zero article, eg :An ox is a useful animal.Carrots are my favourite vegetables. Knowledge is power.2) Specific referenceSpecific reference is different from generic reference in that it does not refer to a class of people or things in general but to a particular specimen of the class. Specific reference falls into two kinds: definite specific reference and indefinite specific reference.Definite specific reference implies that a person or an object can be identified uniquely in the context or according to the common knowledge shared by speaker and hearer. The definite article is most frequently used in this sense, eg:Old Tom owns a dog and a cat. The dogs name is Boris; the cats name is Blackie.Ive just been back from the market.In the case of indefinite specific reference, the person or thing referred to is also a specific object, but is not definitely identified. This kind of referential meaning is most commonly expressed by the indefinite article. In certain contexts and situations the zero article can perform the same function, eg:Heres a letter for you.The streets are clean and are shaded with trees.3) Anaphoric, cataphoric and situational reference Definite specific reference can be anaphoric, cataphoric, or situational. The word anaphoric means pointing backward. When what is referred to occurs in a previous context and the definite article has to point backward for its meaning, this is known as anaphoric reference. The anaphoric use of the definite article is called “anaphoric THE”, eg:He ordered a book some time ago. The book has now arrived.His car struck a tree; you can still see the mark on the tree.Cataphoric reference is also a kind of definite specific reference. The word cataphoric means pointing forward. When the referential meaning of the definite article is determined by what follows the article and the head, and the article has to point forward for its own interpretation, that is cataphoric reference. The cataphoric use of the definite article is called cataphoric THE, eg:Is this the train for Shanghai?This is the place where I first met her. Here is the student I told you about.Situational reference is a kind of definite specific reference that depends not on any referent that has occurred in the context but solely on the common knowledge shared by speaker and hearer or on a specific situation in which the reference is made clear. Situational reference is most commonly denoted by the definite article, but in certain situations the same function can also be performed by zero, eg: IWhats on the radio?Hows the cough today?Shut the door, please.She asked, Why is Father out of work?He was elected chairman of the students union.7.2 Article usageThe use of articles is often a headache for us Chinese learners. This is not only because there is no article contrast in Chinese common nouns, but also because there are too many exceptions to the rules guiding the use of articles. As a matter of fact, the choice of an article in quite a few idiomatic expressions is just a matter of usagewhich is difficult or even impossible to explain in terms of a few grammatical rules. Following are a few such examples:1) Idiomatic expressions with the definite article,Examples: At the hands ofon the spotby the wayon the wholein the distancethe other dayin the possession ofto bring down the housein the shadeto follow the ploughon the jobto take the fancy of2) Idiomatic expressions with the indefinite article Examples:al of a suddenin a fashionas a matter of fact atin a walkat a losson a large scaleto be in a position towith