An English Grammar Part 35

You’re reading novel An English Grammar Part 35 online at LightNovelFree.com. Please use the follow button to get notification about the latest chapter next time when you visit LightNovelFree.com. Use F11 button to read novel in full-screen(PC only). Drop by anytime you want to read free – fast – latest novel. It’s great if you could leave a comment, share your opinion about the new chapters, new novel with others on the internet. We’ll do our best to bring you the finest, latest novel everyday. Enjoy!

182. _The_ before cla.s.s nouns may mark one thing as a representative of the cla.s.s to which it belongs; for example,--

The faint, silvery warblings heard over the partially bare and moist fields from _the bluebird_, _the song sparrow_, and _the redwing_, as if the last flakes of winter tinkled as they fell!--Th.o.r.eAU.

In the sands of Africa and Arabia _the camel_ is a sacred and precious gift.--GIBBON.

[Sidenote: _For possessive person p.r.o.nouns._]

183. _The_ is frequently used instead of the possessive case of the personal p.r.o.nouns _his_, _her_, etc.

More than one hinted that a cord twined around _the head_, or a match put between _the fingers_, would speedily extract the required information.--KINGSLEY.

_The_ mouth, and the region of the mouth, were about the strongest features in Wordsworth's face.--DE QUINCEY.

[Sidenote: The _for_ a.]

184. In England and Scotland _the_ is often used where we use _a_, in speaking of measure and price; as,--

Wheat, the price of which necessarily varied, averaged in the middle of the fourteenth century tenpence _the bushel_, barley averaging at the same time three s.h.i.+llings _the quarter_.--FROUDE.

[Sidenote: _A very strong restrictive._]

185. Sometimes _the_ has a strong force, almost equivalent to a descriptive adjective in emphasizing a word,--

No doubt but ye are _the_ people, and wisdom shall die with you.--_Bible._

As for New Orleans, it seemed to me _the_ city of the world where you can eat and drink the most and suffer the least.--THACKERAY.

He was _the_ man in all Europe that could (if any could) have driven six-in-hand full gallop over Al Sirat.--DE QUINCEY.

[Sidenote: _Mark of a substantive._]

186. _The_, since it belongs distinctively to substantives, is a sure indication that a word of verbal form is not used participially, but substantively.

In the hills of Sacramento there is gold for _the gathering_.--EMERSON.

I thought _the writing_ excellent, and wished, if possible, to imitate it.--FRANKLIN.

[Sidenote: _Caution._]

187. There is one use of _the_ which is different from all the above. It is an adverbial use, and is spoken of more fully in Sec.

283. Compare this sentence with those above:--

There was something ugly and evil in his face, which they had not previously noticed, and which grew still _the more obvious_ to the sight _the oftener_ they looked upon him.--HAWTHORNE.

Exercise.--Find sentences with five uses of the definite article.

USES OF THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE.

[Sidenote: _Denotes any one of a cla.s.s._]

188. The most frequent use of the indefinite article is to denote any one of a cla.s.s or group of objects: consequently it belongs to singular words; as in the sentence,--

Near the churchyard gate stands _a_ poor-box, fastened to _a_ post by iron bands and secured by _a_ padlock, with _a_ sloping wooden roof to keep off the rain.--LONGFELLOW

[Sidenote: _Widens the scope of proper nouns._]

189. When the indefinite article precedes proper names, it alters them to cla.s.s names. The qualities or attributes of the object are made prominent, and transferred to any one possessing them; as,--

The vulgar riot and debauchery, which scarcely disgraced _an Alcibiades_ or _a Caesar_, have been exchanged for the higher ideals of _a Bayard_ or _a Sydney_.--PEARSON

[Sidenote: _With abstract nouns._]

190. _An_ or _a_ before abstract nouns often changes them to half abstract: the idea of quality remains, but the word now denotes only one instance or example of things possessing the quality.

[Sidenote: _Become half abstract._]

The simple perception of natural forms is _a delight_.--EMERSON

If thou hadst _a sorrow_ of thine own, the brook might tell thee of it.--HAWTHORNE

In the first sentence, instead of the general abstract notion of delight, which cannot be singular or plural, _a delight_ means one thing delightful, and implies others having the same quality.

So _a sorrow_ means one cause of sorrow, implying that there are other things that bring sorrow.

[Sidenote: _Become pure cla.s.s nouns._]

NOTE.--Some abstract nouns become common cla.s.s nouns with the indefinite article, referring simply to persons; thus,--

If the poet of the "Rape of the Lock" be not _a wit_, who deserves to be called so?--THACKERAY.

He had a little brother in London with him at this time,--as great _a beauty_, as great a dandy, as great a villain.--_Id._

_A youth_ to fortune and to fame unknown.--GRAY.

[Sidenote: _Changes material to cla.s.s nouns._]

191. _An_ or _a_ before a material noun indicates the change to a cla.s.s noun, meaning one kind or a detached portion; as,--

They that dwell up in the steeple,...

Feel a glory in so rolling On the human heart _a stone_.

--POE.

An English Grammar Part 35

You're reading novel An English Grammar Part 35 online at LightNovelFree.com. You can use the follow function to bookmark your favorite novel ( Only for registered users ). If you find any errors ( broken links, can't load photos, etc.. ), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible. And when you start a conversation or debate about a certain topic with other people, please do not offend them just because you don't like their opinions.


An English Grammar Part 35 summary

You're reading An English Grammar Part 35. This novel has been translated by Updating. Author: William Malone Baskervill and James Witt Sewell already has 699 views.

It's great if you read and follow any novel on our website. We promise you that we'll bring you the latest, hottest novel everyday and FREE.

LightNovelFree.com is a most smartest website for reading novel online, it can automatic resize images to fit your pc screen, even on your mobile. Experience now by using your smartphone and access to LightNovelFree.com