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The Many Reasons for the Word
'The' |
The 1995 film Dead Man has a strange opening scene.
Actor Johnny Depp is sitting on a train. A man sits down
across from Depp’s character, and speaks to him:
"Look out the window. And doesn't this remind you of
when you were in the boat, and then later that night,
you were lying, looking up at the ceiling, and the water
in your head was not dissimilar from the landscape…"
Today we will explore the word 'the.'
Yes, the word 'the.' You heard it many times in the
audio from the movie.
English speakers use this word for several reasons –
some of which we will discuss in this program.
Today, we will show you how Americans use 'the' in
everyday speech, writing, and even in the arts, such as
literature or movies.
But first, we need to give you a few definitions.
What are articles?
Articles are words that go before nouns. They tell if
the noun is general or specific.
When an article is specific, it is called a definite
article. The word 'the' is a definite article.
English speakers use 'the' when both the speaker and the
listener know what is being referred to. They can have
this shared understanding for any number of reasons.
Sometimes the noun is already known, for example.
Sometimes the speakers are referring to nouns that are
unique. At other times, the situation makes it clear
what the noun refers to.
#1 Thing being referred to is
known from the context
One of the main reasons Americans use the word 'the'
when they are speaking is because the noun being
referred to is clearly understood. The noun could be
something seen or heard in an area around the speakers,
or it could be a part of their daily lives.
Let's listen to an example. You can hear the speakers
use 'the' in an everyday situation – at the dinner
table.
1: The pasta turned out great!
2: Thank you!
1: Would you mind passing me the butter?
2: Sure thing!
1: Oh, I just remembered I forgot to let the dog
outside! I'll be right back.
In the example, you heard the speakers use the word
'the' three times: 'the pasta;' 'the butter;' and 'the
dog.'
The reason the speakers used 'the' is because the nouns
they were referring to were clear in the context – in
this case, the dinner table. The speakers all understood
that they were eating pasta, and that there was butter
nearby.
The meaning of 'the dog' is clear to them because the
animal is a part of their daily lives. Even if it is not
in the room at the time, both speakers know what 'the
dog' is referring to.
#2 Modifiers of the noun specify
the thing being referred to
One of the common reasons you will see the word 'the' in
writing is because modifiers of the noun specify what is
being referred to. The modifiers of the noun change it
from a general noun to a specific noun.
Although more common in writing, you can hear examples
in films. Let's listen to this example from the 1955
film Seven Year Itch.
"The island of Manhattan derives its name from its
earliest inhabitants - the Manhattan Indians."
In the film, the speaker said 'the island of Manhattan'
because the modifier, the words “of Manhattan”, gives
information about the noun 'island.' The word 'island'
could be a general or specific noun, but when it is
modified it becomes a specific noun – the island of
Manhattan.
In the example you heard, the modifier came after the
noun. However, sometimes the modifier can come before
the noun.
For example, you might see a story about buildings in
the United States. The story might say, "Chicago has the
tallest building in America."
Here, 'tallest' modifies the noun 'building.' This is a
specific noun because only one building can be the
tallest.
#3 Presenting something as
familiar
The last reason speakers and writers use the word 'the'
is for stylistic purposes. This is most common in
fiction writing and movies.
By using the article 'the', the writer or speaker is
able to make the reader or listener more interested in
the story. People are likely to show an interest because
the writer or speaker is presenting information as if it
is understood - even if it is not!
Let's listen again to the opening lines from Dead Man.
"Look out the window. And doesn't this remind you of
when you were in the boat, and then later that night,
you were lying, looking up at the ceiling, and the water
in your head was not dissimilar from the landscape…"
In the film, the strange man uses specific language –
the boat, the ceiling, and so on. This language is not
understood by those of us watching. Viewers start asking
themselves questions like ‘Which boat is the man talking
about?’ And, ‘Which ceiling?’
In other words, the viewer or listener is more curious
about the story because they do not know what the man is
talking about.
This is a common technique you will see often in films
and books, such as thrillers and mystery stories.
What can you do?
The next time you are watching films or talking with an
English speaker, try to listen for examples of the word
'the'. Ask yourself why the speaker is using 'the'
instead of a different article – such as ‘a’ or ‘an’.
The process of recognizing and understanding articles
can be a difficult one. However, with time and effort,
you will use them with no trouble. And we will be here
to help!
I'm Alice Bryant.
And I'm John Russell.
John Russell wrote this story for Learning English.
George Grow was the editor. |
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