ar case, the described tests should be carried out alternately. Cf.: Laughed with great bitterness (that sort of bitterness - relative generalization). The subject of health (in general - absolute generalization) was carefully avoided by everybody. Coffee (a kind of beverage served at the table - relative generalization) or tea, please? Coffee (in general - absolute generalization) stimulates the function of the heart .. The absence of the article before the countable noun in the plural, likewise, corresponds to both kinds of generalization, and the exposition of the meaning in each case can be achieved by the same semantic tests. Cf.:, Planets and comets (these kinds of objects: relative generalization) are different celestial bodies (not terrestrial bodies: relative generalization). Wars (in general: absolute generalization) should be eliminated as means of deciding international disputes.distinguish the demonstrated semantic functions of the non-uses of the article by definition, we may say that the absence of the article with uncountable nouns, as well as with countable nouns in the plural, renders the meaning of «uncharacterized generalization», as different from the meaning of «absolute generalization», achieved by the absence of the article with countable nouns in the singular.much for the semantic evaluation of the articles as the first stage of our study.to the situational assessment of the article uses, we must point out that the basic principle of their differentiation here is not a direct consideration of their meanings, but disclosing the informational characteristics that the article conveys to its noun in concrete contextual conditions. Examined from this angle, the definite article serves as an indicator of the type of nounal information «which is presented as the» facts already known «, ie as the starting point of the communication. In contrast to this, the indefinite article or the meaningful absence of the article introduces the central communicative nounal part of the sentence, ie the part rendering the immediate informative data to be conveyed from the speaker to the listener. In the situational study of syntax the starting point of the communication is called its »theme«, while the central informative part is called its »rheme".
In accord with the said situational functions, the typical syntactic position of the noun modified by the definite article is the «thematic» subject, while the typical syntactic position of the noun modified by the indefinite article or by the meaningful absence of the article is the «rhematic» predicative. Cf:.
The day (subject) was drawing to a close, the busy noises of the city (subject) were dying down. How to handle the situation was a big question (predicative). The sky was pure gold (predicative) above the setting sun.should be noted that in many other cases of syntactic use, ie non-subjective or non-predicative, the articles reflect the same situational functions. This can be probed by reducing the constructions in question on re-arrangement lines to the logically «canonized» link-type constructions.you would care to verify the Incident (object), pray do so.-If you would care the incident (subject) to be verified, pray have it verified. I am going to make a rather strange request (object) to you.- What I am going to make is a rather strange request (predicative) to you. You are talking nonsense (object), la...
