The or not The?

untiensvautmieuxque · 05-07-2007, 09:58 AM

hello,

I'm very confused, I almost never know when to put "the" or not to put it in English;
as for example in this sentence :
"they drive us away from the intimate knowledge we previously had of laws and equilibrium of Nature."
Before "Nature", "the" or not "the"?

(By the way, if my sentence is not correct, I accept any suggestion!)

Thank you in advance.

The_FD · 05-07-2007, 11:13 AM

I would not write the in this case. I am sorry I am unable to tell you why or give you any rule that would work, but still the sentence you wrote is just fine

untiensvautmieuxque · 05-07-2007, 11:34 AM

Ok, thank you anyway!

Johnny Hargreaves · 05-07-2007, 01:14 PM

Ah, a very good question. Indeed, no "the" before "nature", but there should be one before "laws"! The article "the" before a noun generally indicates one specific instance of the object named (provided that it is numerable). "Nature" here is a concept, an idea like truth", "love", "passability" etc. (which also get no "the") while "the laws of nature" are a specific sub-group of laws in the big group of all laws and therefore aslo need the "the".

Tienus · 05-07-2007, 03:11 PM

quelques aides grammaticales dans cet article :

the - Wiktionary

Quote:

The word the is pronounced /ðiː/ whenever it is pronounced as a distinct word, e.g.:

* When it is used for emphasis (This is the hospital for heart surgery.).
* When the speaker pauses between the and the next word (the ... sovereignity).
* In many but not all dialects, when the next word begins with a vowel (the onion) (compare with a vs. an).

The word is generally not pronounced distinctly when attached to a word beginning with a consonant, in which case the e becomes a schwa or is dropped entirely. In dialects that do not pronounce the distinctly before a vowel, a glottal stop is generally inserted (e.g., the Us in the Us festival would still be pronounced differently from thus in thus festival seating should be outlawed).

untiensvautmieuxque · 05-07-2007, 03:51 PM

Oh Thank you to both of you and for the tip of the balance sign, I hadn't noticed it yet!

catachrest · 05-09-2007, 05:13 PM

It should be noted that this Wikipedia quotation is a pronunciation help, not an explanation of when to omit the 'the' altogether. What Tienus has posted is the difference between /ðiː/ (/thee/) and /ðə/(/thuh/).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tienus

quelques aides grammaticales dans cet article :

the - Wiktionary

As far as when to use 'the' and when to drop it, Johnny Hargreaves' explanation is a good one. 'the' indicates definiteness.

Sorry Tienus, I don't mean to step on your toes, it just seems to me that your post could be misinterpreted to mean that you don't use 'the' at all before consonant-initial words!

untiensvautmieuxque, don't worry - this is something many learners of English have difficulty with. The more English you hear, read, etc. the more you will develop an instinctive sense of when to use it and when to leave it out.

05-07-2007, 09:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
untiensvautmieuxque Growing Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 18 untiensvautmieuxque is an unknown character at this point	The or not The? hello, I'm very confused, I almost never know when to put "the" or not to put it in English; as for example in this sentence : "they drive us away from the intimate knowledge we previously had of laws and equilibrium of Nature." Before "Nature", "the" or not "the"? (By the way, if my sentence is not correct, I accept any suggestion!) Thank you in advance.
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05-07-2007, 11:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
The_FD flying dancer Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Paris France Posts: 4,281 The_FD is a splendid one to behold The_FD is a splendid one to behold The_FD is a splendid one to behold	I would not write the in this case. I am sorry I am unable to tell you why or give you any rule that would work, but still the sentence you wrote is just fine __________________ L'histoire de la famille Bourdillon Les fêtes d'Hébé The flying dancer dancing
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05-07-2007, 11:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
untiensvautmieuxque Growing Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 18 untiensvautmieuxque is an unknown character at this point	Ok, thank you anyway!
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05-07-2007, 01:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
Johnny Hargreaves Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 56 Johnny Hargreaves is an unknown character at this point	Ah, a very good question. Indeed, no "the" before "nature", but there should be one before "laws"! The article "the" before a noun generally indicates one specific instance of the object named (provided that it is numerable). "Nature" here is a concept, an idea like truth", "love", "passability" etc. (which also get no "the") while "the laws of nature" are a specific sub-group of laws in the big group of all laws and therefore aslo need the "the". __________________
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05-07-2007, 03:51 PM	#6 (permalink)
untiensvautmieuxque Growing Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 18 untiensvautmieuxque is an unknown character at this point	Oh Thank you to both of you and for the tip of the balance sign, I hadn't noticed it yet!
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