Difference between revisions of "Definite (definition)"

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Within the closed class, there are articles, which in English, always accompany a noun. An article that is '''definite''' indicates that the noun it is accompanying is a specific noun that is to be set a part from all other nouns of the same name. For example in the sentence: "The boy got the basketball", ''The'' is specifying a particular boy, not just ''a'' boy. “A” and “an”, are indefinite articles in English.
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A [[Noun Phrase (definition)|noun phrase]] is definite when it refers to a specific entity which is identifiable particular contexts. They stand in contrast to [[Indefinite (definition)|indefinite]] noun phrases. In English, definite NPs are typically identified with the [[Article (definition)|article]] ''the'', although NPs marked with the [[Deictic (definition)|deictic]] articles ''this, that, these'' and ''those'' are also definite. In Gaelic, definites are marked with the definite articles ''an', an'', and ''na''.
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==See Also==
 
==See Also==
 
*[[Indefinite (definition)]]
 
*[[Indefinite (definition)]]
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*[[Article (definition)]]
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*[[Articles| Articles in Gaelic]]
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definiteness
 
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_(grammar)
 
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_(grammar)
 
*http://lingweb.eva.mpg.de/apics/index.php/Definite_Articles_(Feature_28)
 
*http://lingweb.eva.mpg.de/apics/index.php/Definite_Articles_(Feature_28)

Revision as of 10:27, 5 June 2012

A noun phrase is definite when it refers to a specific entity which is identifiable particular contexts. They stand in contrast to indefinite noun phrases. In English, definite NPs are typically identified with the article the, although NPs marked with the deictic articles this, that, these and those are also definite. In Gaelic, definites are marked with the definite articles an', an, and na.


See Also

External Links

References

  • Crystal, David (1999) The Penguin Dictionary of Language. London: Penguin.
  • Matthews, P. H. (1997) The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.