Презентация на тему The definite article

the writer presents a person, a thing or an

abstract notion as known to the listener or to the reader, either from his general knowledge, or from situation, or from the context.

The use of the definite article

its specifying function serves to single out an object

or a group of objects from all the other
objects.
The specification is carried out by
means of
a restrictive attribute
the preceding context
the situation
the meaning of the noun

Refers the following noun to the whole class of objects of same kind:
#The lion is the king of the animals
Suggests a very high degree of abstraction in a count noun, the next stage of abstraction being achieved by the absence of the articles, as with the words man and woman when used in a generic meaning:
#Woman is physically weaker than man.
#This was more than man can be expected to bear
Nouns denoting social classes (both singular and plural forms): the proletariat, the bourgeoisie, the aristocracy, the gentry, the workers, the public, the peasants, t he intelligentsia.
Before substantivized adjectives in their collective or abstract meaning: the poor = all who are poor, the strong = all who are strong

Specifying

Generic

out or individualizing an object. It may be expressed

by a single world, a prepositional phrase, a participial phrase, or by a clause, all functioning as postmodifiers.
#The students in the next room are taking an examination.
#I’m convinced Dave is the man we are looking for.

A restrictive attribute (specifying function)

be specified by reference to file preceding context. This

use of the definite article is qualified as anaphoric.
#My wife always had a passion for owls. The passion’s grown since our marriage.
#“My wife has left me.” Dirk could hardly get the words out.

The preceding context (specifying function)

time, no attribute or context is necessary for the

speaker to point it out for the listener to understand what object is meant.
#After visiting a theatre we may say: I liked the acting and I enjoyed the music too.

Situational specification (specifying function)

used with unique objects or nouns: the sun, the

moon, the earth, the sea, the world, the universe, the horizon, the equator, the south, the north, the east, the west.
#The sun sank below the horizon.
#The moon it the heavenly body that moves round the earth.
#He sailed round the world.

The meaning of the noun (specifying function)

The Little (Lesser) Bear)
Geographical names (The North Pole, The

South Pole; mountain ranges: The Alps, The Pennines (ex. singular mounts); rivers: the Thames, the Nile, the Niva; seas&oceans: the North Sea, the Arctic Ocean; canals: the Panama Canal; some countries, areas, provinces: the USA, the Ukraine; deserts: the Sahara, the Gobi; parts of towns: the West End, the Bronx; the de facto capital of the Netherlands: the Hague)

Propper nouns, regulary used with the definite article