Difference between revisions of "A"

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(phonology)
(syntax)
 
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=history=
 
=history=
 
<p style="color:darkred;"> an  > a</p>
 
<p style="color:darkred;"> an  > a</p>
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=phonology=
 
=phonology=
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
<li><i>a</i> <span style="color:darkgreen;">ə</span> is used before a consonant sound (a quarter note, a half note, a whole note, a holy otter), and before glides (semi-vowels) like /<span style="color:darkgreen;">w</span>/ and /<span style="color:darkgreen;">j</span>/ (a week, a one-day layover, a year, a uniform, a use [<span style="color:darkgreen;">ju:s</span>]</li>
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<li><span style="color:maroon;">a</span> [<span style="color:green;">ə</span>] is used before a consonant sound (a quarter note, a half note, a whole note, a holy otter)</li>
<li><i>an</i> <span style="color:darkgreen;">ə</span> is used before a vowel sound (an 8th note, an old note, an utter silence, <u>an</u>other sound )</li>
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<li><span style="color:maroon;">a</span> [<span style="color:green;">ə</span>] is also used before glides (semi-vowels) like /<span style="color:green;">w</span>/ and /<span style="color:green;">j</span>/ (a week, a one-day layover, a year, a uniform, a use [<span style="color:green;">ju:s</span>]</li>
<li>Curious dialectal phenomenon:  a whole other story  often becomes:  a whole 'nother story.  (in North Central American)
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<li><span style="color:maroon;">an</span> [<span style="color:green;">ən</span>, <span style="color:green;">æn</span>] is used before a vowel sound (an 8th note, an old note, an utter silence, <u>an</u>other sound )</li>
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<li>Curious dialectal phenomenon:  <span style="color:#400040;">a whole other story</span> often becomes:  <span style="color:#400040;">a whole 'nother story</span>.  (in North Central American)</li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
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=indefinite article=
 
=indefinite article=
  
<span style="color:maroon;">a</span> is called an indefinite article or indefinite determiner[sup]1[/sup] because in a noun phrase like: "a solution", no definite solution is necessarily referred to:
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<span style="color:maroon;">a</span> is called an indefinite article or indefinite determiner<sup style="font-size:72%;">1</sup> because in a noun phrase (NP) like "a solution", no definite solution is necessarily referred to:
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*I'm sure we'll be able to find <u>a solution</u>.  I have no idea what it will look like, but we'll find <u>one</u>.
  
I'm sure we'll be able to find <u>a solution</u>.  I have no idea what it will look like, but we'll find <u>one</u>.
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On the other hand, when one person says to another:  <span style="color:#660066">Look, there's <u>a</u> fat cat on the roof!</span>
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the person speaking has seen the cat, and knows the person listening hasn't seen itOtherwise the speaker would say <span style="color:#660066;">Look, at <u>that</u> fat cat!</span>
  
  
 
==syntax==
 
==syntax==
<span style="color:maroon;">a</span> or <span style="color:maroon;">an</span> can precede a singular common noun (which itself can be preceded by adjectives)
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
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<span style="color:maroon; font-weight:bold;">a</span> or <span style="color:maroon;font-weight:bold;">an</span> can only precede a singular common noun (which itself can be preceded by adjectives).  It can precede some present participles, particularly those which have been reanalyzed as nouns:  A drubbing, a reading, etc.  These cases remain quite rare, contrary to the way in which these participles are used in French:  un footing, un jogging, un pressing, etc.  All of these borrowings represent French syntax, not English syntax.
  
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It contrasts with the <u>zero</u> article which precedes indefinite plural nouns:  <span style="color:#660066;">There are __ problems with the contract</span>. 
  
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It likewise contrasts with cardinal numbers  followed by a plural noun and <span style="color:maroon;">no</span>) followed by a singular noun (uncountables: no <span style="color:#660066;">software</span>) or a plural noun (countables:  <span style="color:#660066;">no problem(s)</span>).
  
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It also contrasts with the definite article ''[[the]]''.</p>
  
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It can be pre-modified by a number of pre-determiners: 
  
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*<u>What</u> a mess!
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*Ironing is <u>such</u> a waste of time.
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*(There's) <u>Never</u> a dull moment with them.
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*<u>Many</u> a man said <u>nary</u> a word.  (in "literary" language: "nary" = "not" (perhaps from ''ne'er'' + ''-y''))
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*That's <u>quite</u> a story!
  
  
In modern grammar, articles are said to "determine" nouns, along with other words once considered to be adjectives, but now are considered to be determiners (possessives for example:  your, her, our, his, their, my; quantifiers: any, many, no, some...).
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<hr>
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<sup style="font-size:72%;">1</sup> <span style="font-size:72%;">In modern grammar, articles are said to "determine" nouns, along with other words once considered to be adjectives, but which are now considered to be determiners (possessives for example:  your, her, our, his, their, my; quantifiers: any, many, no, some...).</span>
  
 
=indefinite determiner=
 
=indefinite determiner=
  
 
[[Category: 100-en]]
 
[[Category: 100-en]]

Latest revision as of 19:10, 13 March 2020

history

an > a

an was the Old English word for "one".

phonology

  • a [ə] is used before a consonant sound (a quarter note, a half note, a whole note, a holy otter)
  • a [ə] is also used before glides (semi-vowels) like /w/ and /j/ (a week, a one-day layover, a year, a uniform, a use [ju:s]
  • an [ən, æn] is used before a vowel sound (an 8th note, an old note, an utter silence, another sound )
  • Curious dialectal phenomenon: a whole other story often becomes: a whole 'nother story. (in North Central American)

expressions

indefinite article

a is called an indefinite article or indefinite determiner1 because in a noun phrase (NP) like "a solution", no definite solution is necessarily referred to:

  • I'm sure we'll be able to find a solution. I have no idea what it will look like, but we'll find one.

On the other hand, when one person says to another: Look, there's a fat cat on the roof! the person speaking has seen the cat, and knows the person listening hasn't seen it. Otherwise the speaker would say Look, at that fat cat!


syntax

a or an can only precede a singular common noun (which itself can be preceded by adjectives). It can precede some present participles, particularly those which have been reanalyzed as nouns: A drubbing, a reading, etc. These cases remain quite rare, contrary to the way in which these participles are used in French: un footing, un jogging, un pressing, etc. All of these borrowings represent French syntax, not English syntax.

It contrasts with the zero article which precedes indefinite plural nouns: There are __ problems with the contract.

It likewise contrasts with cardinal numbers followed by a plural noun and no) followed by a singular noun (uncountables: no software) or a plural noun (countables: no problem(s)).

It also contrasts with the definite article the.</p>

It can be pre-modified by a number of pre-determiners:

  • What a mess!
  • Ironing is such a waste of time.
  • (There's) Never a dull moment with them.
  • Many a man said nary a word. (in "literary" language: "nary" = "not" (perhaps from ne'er + -y))
  • That's quite a story!



1 In modern grammar, articles are said to "determine" nouns, along with other words once considered to be adjectives, but which are now considered to be determiners (possessives for example: your, her, our, his, their, my; quantifiers: any, many, no, some...).

indefinite determiner