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in various combinations of fixed type, such as prepositional phrases (on fire, at hand, in debt, etc.), fixed verbal
collocations (take place, make use, cast anchor, etc.), descriptive coordinative groups and repetition groups
(man and wife, dog and gun, day by day, etc.), and the like. These cases of traditionally fixed absence of the
article are quite similar to the cases of traditionally fixed uses of both indefinite and definite articles (cf.: in a
hurry, at a loss, have a look, give a start, etc.; in the main, out of the question, on the look-out, etc.).
Outside the elliptical constructions and fixed uses, however, we know a really semantic absence of the
article with the noun. It is this semantic absence of the article that stands in immediate meaningful correlation
with the definite and indefinite articles as such.
As is widely acknowledged, the meaningful non-uses of the article are not homogeneous; nevertheless, they
admit of a very explicit classification founded on the countability characteristics of the noun. Why countability
characteristics? For the two reasons. The first reason is inherent in the nature of the noun itself: the abstract
generalization reflected through the meaningful non-use of the article is connected with the suppression of the
idea of the number in the noun. The second reason is inherent in the nature of the article: the .indefinite article
which plays the crucial role in the semantic correlation in question reveals the meaning of oneness within its
semantic base, having originated from the indefinite pronoun one, and that is why the abstract use of the noun
naturally goes with the absence of the article.
The essential points of the said classification are three in number.
First. The meaningful absence of the article before the countable noun in the singular signifies that the noun
is taken in an abstract sense, expressing the most general idea of the object denoted. This meaning, which may
be called the meaning of "absolute generalization", can be demonstrated by inserting in the tested construction
a chosen generalizing modifier (such as in general, in the abstract, in the broadest sense). Cf:.
Law (in general) begins with the beginning of human society. Steam-engine (in general) introduced for
locomotion a couple of centuries ago has now become obsolete.
Second. The absence of the article before the uncountable noun corresponds to the two kinds of
generalization: both relative and absolute. To decide which of the two meanings is realized in any particular
case, the described tests should be carried out alternately. Cf.:
John 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.
Third. 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:.
Stars, 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.
To distinguish the demonstrated semantic functions of the nonuses 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.
So much for the semantic evaluation of the articles as the first stage of our study.
§ 3. Passing 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", i.e. 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, i.e. the part
rendering the immediate informative data to be conveyed from the speaker to the listener. In the situational
study of syntax (see Ch. XXII) 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.: