Definite Article vs. Indefinite Article
James Cameron’s Avatar (2009), released in 2009, and Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park (1993), released in 1993, correspond to each other in several ways, but the most similar point is that they introduced imagery to the film that was unimaginable at the time. Jurassic Park, although much forgotten now, amazed the world by realistically restoring the movements of dinosaurs with computer-generated graphics (CG: Computer Graphics).
Avatar became the protagonist of the reality CG craze by creating images with 3D animation that made it difficult to distinguish between reality and graphics. It was like a combination of ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Terminator,’ and ‘Jurassic Park,’ but the imagery was unimaginable at the time. It means that Jurassic Park and Avatar were the leading figures in the revolution of imagery.
While Jurassic Park revolves around the project of reviving extinct dinosaurs, Avatar features a project that injects human consciousness into the lifeforms of the planet Pandora. Even if the plot is considered weak, these films share a common theme: the idea that human choices and science are imperfect, but nature and life possess astonishing power in themselves. In short, it’s an awe of life. Let’s look at the following quote from Jurassic Park.
Henry Wu: You’re implying that a group composed entirely of female animals will… breed?
Dr. Ian Malcolm: No, I’m simply saying that life, uh… finds a way. < JURASSIC PARK, 1993>
People who know a bit of English also lack confidence with very simple articles like ‘a’ and ‘the.’ If English is your native language, you can naturally use them because you feel it, but from our perspective as foreigners, it sometimes becomes a perplexing task. Let’s try to get closer to that feeling through a very simple definition here.
Principle of Articles:
When you want to indicate a certain property of a noun, use it without an article, use ‘a’ (an indefinite article) when it means one chosen at random from among them, and use ‘the’ (a definite article) when it’s something selected based on some criteria.
This means if ‘a’ or ‘an’ is attached to any countable singular noun, it can be interpreted as ‘one among those.’ Is that really so? Dr. Malcolm says, “Life finds a way.” Why is it ‘a way’ and not just ‘way’ or ‘the way’? It’s because it means one of many paths, not a path selected under certain conditions. Neither Dr. Malcolm nor his listeners mean any specific way. The following quote from the captain in Apollo 13 to the headquarters is similar.
JIM LOVELL: Houston, we have a problem. <APOLLO 13>
It’s just one problem that has occurred, and the listener does not yet know what the problem is. In the 1968 space SF movie ‘2001: A Space Odyssey,’ let’s listen to a conversation between Dr. Dave Bowman, who is on a journey to explore Jupiter, and HAL 9000, a perfect computer without errors.
Dave Bowman: Hello, HAL. Do you read me, HAL?
HAL: Affirmative, Dave. I read you.
Dave Bowman: Open the pod bay doors, HAL.
HAL: I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.
Dave Bowman: What’s the problem? HAL: I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do. <2001: A Space Odyssey>
When Dave asks to open the pod bay doors, HAL refuses. Then Dr. Bowman asks, “What’s the problem?” It’s ‘the problem,’ not ‘a problem.’ It’s not just any problem, but the problem known to HAL. Among many possible problems, it refers to a specific problem known to HAL. When you say “Close the door!” it means to close the door. In such cases, since it’s not just any door, the definite article ‘the’ should be used. If one says “Close a door,” it could cause confusion about which door in the house to close. That’s why Dr. Dave Bowman tells HAL, “Open the pod bay doors, Hal.”
On the other hand, the Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music says to Maria, who couldn’t become a nun, “When the Lord closes a door, somewhere he opens a window.” It’s because it refers to just one of many doors, not a specifically selected door.
The indefinite article should only be attached to countable nouns. There are five types of nouns: common nouns, collective nouns, abstract nouns, material nouns, and proper nouns. Among these, abstract nouns and material nouns refer to things that, by definition, cannot be counted. This means that the indefinite article ‘a,’ which implies ‘one,’ cannot be attached to uncountable nouns.
Abstract nouns represent abstract concepts without physical form. In the English Bible, the ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil’ is expressed as such. Here, tree is a common noun. Meanwhile, knowledge, good, evil, etc., are abstract concepts, hence abstract nouns. Words like experience, success, education, kindness, youth, beauty, advice, happiness, luck, which represent concepts not visible to the eye, are all abstract nouns.
MORTIMER BREWSTER: Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops. <ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, 1944>
However, when such abstract nouns denote specific actions, experiences, opportunities, etc., they can be used like common nouns, allowing for the use of an indefinite article or plural form. This is referred to as the nominalization of abstract nouns.
Richard ‘Rick’ Blaine: Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. (CASABLANCA: 1942)
The same logic allows for the use of the definite article with such abstract nouns.
NATHAN JESSEP: You can’t handle the truth! <A FEW GOOD MEN: 1992)
It’s not just any truth, but a specific truth about that incident. When we want to express this meaning, we attach the definite article ‘the.’ The definite article is used when you want to express something specifically selected in a selection process.
Let’s take a closer look at expressions where the definite article must be attached. For example, when adjectives of superlative degree, ordinal numbers, only, next, same, etc., modify a noun to indicate that the noun refers to a specific person or thing, the definite article must be attached. This is because it is a comparative expression, naturally referring to something selected from among several.
JIMMY ‘POPEYE’ DOYLE: When’s the last time you picked your feet, Willy? Who’s your connection, Willy? What’s his name? I’ve got a man in Poughkeepsie who wants to talk to you. You ever been to Poughkeepsie? <THE FRENCH CONNECTION, 1971>
When a certain action is applied to a part of the body, it is expressed as ‘preposition + the + body part’ – it is part of the body of a specific person, not just anyone’s body.
Raymond: [Charlie grabs him by the neck] OW!
Charlie: Don’t make a scene!
Raymond: OW!
Charlie: Stop acting like a fu- retard.
Raymond: UH-OH! <Rain Man>
It is a principle that proper nouns do not have the definite article attached. Therefore, the proper noun God referring to the deity is not accompanied by an article and is capitalized to distinguish it from other ‘gods.’ However, in the case of general nouns that exist only once in the world like the sun, the moon, the earth, the world, the universe, the sky, ‘the’ is attached to show that they have been selected. Words indicating directions like the north, the south, the east, the west, the right, the left also need the definite article. These indicate one selected from among several directions.
Andy Dufresne: One in particular. It’s got a long rock wall with a big oak tree at the north end. <Shawshank Redemption>
However, proper nouns like the Alps, the United States, the Philippines, the Netherlands, the Smiths, which refer to mountain ranges, countries, family names, etc., do have the definite article. Why is that? It’s because they designate something specific selected from among many. The Smiths refers to a particular family among many people with the name Smith. The United States represents a country made from selecting specific states among many in the world. The Netherlands is a country made from selecting parts of land that are below (nether) the sea level.
Then why do names of rivers, straits, canals, seas, and deserts like the Nile, the Mediterranean, the Suez, the Pacific, the Sahara have the definite article? These too are names attached to some of the widely existing things, selected from among them. Seas, rivers, and deserts exist in many places on Earth. Among these, specific rivers and deserts have been given names like the Nile or the Sahara.
Andy Dufresne: You know what the Mexicans say about the Pacific?
Red: No.
Andy Dufresne: They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory. <The Shawshank Redemption, 1994>
The definite article ‘the’ is attached to names of ships (the Mayflower), trains (the Saemaul), and public buildings (the White House, the British Museum), but not to names of stations, airports, harbors, parks (Seoul Station, Heathrow Airport, Hyde Park), etc. Why is that? It can also be explained by the concept of ‘being selected.’ There are countless ships, trains, and buildings. Among them, some are specifically selected to be given names. Since they are selected, the definite article ‘the’ must be attached.
On the other hand, stations, airports, harbors, parks are not as numerous as rivers, deserts, ships, trains, buildings. Stations, airports, harbors, parks are man-made and given unique names, making them proper nouns. The principle is not to attach the definite article to proper nouns.
The definite article ‘the’ can also transform adjectives indicating human characteristics, such as good, rich, young, etc., into nouns that refer to a category of people. For example, ‘the rich’ means ‘rich people.’ It expresses selecting the wealthy among many people. Therefore, ‘the rich’ usually becomes plural.
JONATHAN SHIELDS: Georgia, love is for the very young.
Helen: What on earth do you think the baby will be doing?
Edna: Well, I am sure I don’t know, darling. Luck favors the prepared. <The Incredibles, 2004>
In the principles of articles, the first part was “use without an article when you want to indicate a certain property of a noun.” This means if a noun appears without an article, it should be interpreted as indicating a property.
ITZAK STERN: The list is an absolute good. The list is life. <SCHINDLER’S LIST 1993>
Here, ‘life’ means life in general, not someone’s life. On the other hand, when talking about playing, it’s usually mentioned with an article as ‘a game.’
JOSHUA THE COMPUTER: Would you like to play a game? <WARGAMES MGM, 1983>
However, specific sports do not have articles attached because the names of meals, sports games, diseases, academic subjects, seasons are words indicating properties.
Forrest Gump: Teaching him how to play ping-pong. He’s really good. <Forrest Gump, 1994>
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