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HUNGARIAN-ENGLISH GRAMMATICAL CONTRASTS: THE NOUN PHRASE
The reference here is to an indefinite number or amount (often equivalent
to some). This is similar to non-specific reference expressed by a(n). In such
sentences some can be inserted without a significant change of meaning:
1 We have some tea and coffee, but no milk.
2 We have some friends in high places.
The zero article can also express generic reference:
Life is hard. Time is money. Music shall live.
Words are lightly spoken. Tigers are dangerous.
Proper names, which are assumed to have the zero article, have specific, defi¬
nite reference:
Mary, Chicago, Mount Everest, Queen Elizabeth
There are also some special uses of the zero article with singular countable
nouns, expressing specific, definite reference, where otherwise we would expect
the or a/an to occur:
He was captain of the team.
He was re-elected president in November.
The ceremony took place in church. He travelled from country to country.
They are going out for dinner. We see eye to eye; face to face, body and soul;
travel by air/car/horse; send by satellite link
THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE
Only singular countable nouns can take the indefinite article.
The indefinite article expresses indefinite meaning, which means that we as¬
sume that the listener cannot identify the person/thing that we are talking
about, although we have a specific person/thing in mind (indefinite, specific
reference).
I have brought you a book. There is a policeman behind you.
Therefore, a(n) is used to introduce a new specific entity into the discourse. It
can often be found in the first line of news items:
A Long Melford pensioner was in council accommodation last night after a
blaze in her home. A passer-by who noticed smoke billowing from the prem¬
ises raised the alarm.
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