Articles in English and Arabic The English indefinite

Articles in English and Arabic

The English indefinite article • The indefinite article a/an is used with singular countable nouns for various functions. • A is used before consonants as in a man and a cat, while an is used before vowels as in an eye and an hour.

1. a/an is used when we talk about people or things in general. - A lion is a dangerous animal. (generic usage, any lion). ﺍﻷﺴﺪ ﺣﻴﻮﺍﻥ ﺧﻄﻴﺮ • When translating this example and other similar examples into Arabic, we use the Arabic definite article ﺍﻝ ﺍﻟﺘﻌﺮﻳﻒ.

• When a/an is used to mean unspecific person or thing, we use tanween ﺍﻟﺘﻨﻮﻳﻦ in Arabic which can have three different cases as follows: a. A man came. ( )ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﺿﻢ. ﺭﺟ ﺃﺘﻰ b. Ahmed killed a man. ( )ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻓﺘﺢ. ﺭﺟﻼ ﻗﺘﻞ ﺃﺤﻤﺪ c. Ahmed spoke to a man. ( )ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻛﺴﺮ. ﺗﺤﺪﺙ ﺃﺤﻤﺪ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺭﺟﻞ • In example a-, a man is in the nominative indefinite case which equals ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﺍﻟﻀﻢ in Arabic, used for indefinite nouns in the nominative case. • Examples b- shows the use of the English accusative indefinite case which equals ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﺍﻟﻔﺘﺢ to indicate ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ in Arabic. • In example c-, a man is in the genitive indefinite case and therefore takes ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﺍﻟﻜﺴﺮ to indicate ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ case in Arabic.

2. a/an are used when something is mentioned for the first time. The case is similar in Arabic as when something is mentioned for the first time, it is ﻧﻜﺮﺓ. Consider the following example: • I saw a car driving slowly. The car stopped and a man got out of it. ﺗﻮﻗﻔﺖ ﺗﻠﻚ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺭﺓ ﻭﺧﺮﺝ ﻣﻨﻬﺎ. • ﺭﺃﻴﺖ ﺳﻴﺎﺭﺓ ﺗﺴﻴﺮ ﺑﺒﻄﺀ . ﺭﺟ

3. a/an for price, distance, frequency - price: USD 1 a kilo ﺩﻭﻻﺭ ﺃﻤﺮﻳﻜﻲ ﺳﻌﺮ ﺍﻟﻜﻴﻠﻮ - Distance/speed: 100 km an hour ﻛﻢ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺴﺎﻋﺔ 100 - Frequency/time: trice a day ﺛﻼﺙ ﻣﺮﺍﺕ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻴﻮﻡ -

4. a/an or zero article with illness: - a/an is always used with illnesses like a cold, a headache • I have a headache ﺃﺸﻌﺮ ﺑﺼﺪﺍﻉ - We use zero article with plurals such as measles, mumps • She caught German measles. . ﺍﻷﻠﻤﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﺃﺼﻴﺒﺖ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﺼﺒﺔ

Translate the following sentences focusing on the rendering of a/an. 1. Tariq swam to an island which is close to here. 2. I have a terrible headache. 3. The car was travelling at 80 km an hour. 4. A man carrying a black bag wanted to enter the building. The guard asked the man to open the bag. 5. Tomato price increased to USD 2 a kilo. 6. The medicine must be used twice a day. . ﺃﺴﻮﺩ ﻳﺴﻴﺮ ﺑﺎﺗﺠﺎﻩ ﺍﻟﻤﺤﻄﺔ ﻣﻌﻄﻔ ﻃﺎﻟﺒ ﻳﺮﺗﺪﻱ ﺭﺃﻴﺖ. 7. ﺍﻷﻠﻤﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻗﺒﻞ ﻋﺎﻣﻴﻦ ﺃﺼﻴﺐ ﺍﻟﺮﺟﻞ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﺼﺒﺔ. 8. ﺩﻭﻻﺭﺍﺕ 5 ﺳﻌﺮ ﻛﻴﻠﻮ ﺍﻟﻠﺤﻢ ﺍﻟﺒﻘﺮﻱ. 9. ﻳﻮﻣﻴ ﻧﺼﺢ ﺍﻟﻄﺒﻴﺐ ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻳﺾ ﺑﺎﺳﺘﺨﺪﺍﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﻀﺎﺩ ﺍﻟﺤﻴﻮﻱ ﻣﺮﺓ ﻭﺍﺣﺪﺓ. 10

The definite article 1. The is used to refer to something or someone that is known to the speaker and listener. The car was stolen. . ﺭﻗﺖ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺭﺓ

2. The is used with singular and plural countable nouns as in the table ﺍﻟﻄﺎﻭﻟﺔ and the tables ﺍﻟﻄﺎﻭﻻﺕ . 3. The is used before abbreviations referring to institutions names as in: • I read the news on the BBC website. . ﺍﻹﺫﺍﻋﺔ ﺍﻟﺒﺮﻳﻄﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﺍﻷﺨﺒﺎﺭ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﻮﻗﻊ ﻫﻴﺌﺔ • ﺃﻘﺮﺃ • British Broadcasting Corporation.

4. The is used before nationality nouns referring to all people in general as in: • The Palestinians, the Saudis, the Egyptians, the Chinese ﺍﻟﺼﻴﻨﻴﻮﻥ ، ﺍﻟﻤﺼﺮﻳﻮﻥ ، ﺍﻟﺴﻌﻮﺩﻳﻮﻥ ، • ﺍﻟﻔﻠﺴﻄﻴﻨﻴﻮﻥ

5. The is used with nouns referring to certain places even if we do not know which places exactly as in: • The bank, the mosque, theatre • He went to the bank. . ﺫﻫﺐ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﻤﺼﺮﻑ

6. The is used to refer to ‘one kind of’ as in: • The sun, the moon, the earth, the sky, the sea • No one can live on the moon. . ﻻ ﻳﺴﺘﻄﻴﻊ ﺃﺤﺪ ﺍﻟﻌﻴﺶ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻘﻤﺮ

7. The is also used with things which are unique (these things are not names of places). Thing Example Translation Organizations The United Nations Ships The Titanic ﺍﻟﺘﺎﻳﺘﺎﻧﻴﻚ Documents The Constitution ﺍﻟﺪﺳﺘﻮﺭ Public bodies The Police ﺍﻟﺸﺮﻃﺔ Historical events The French Revolution Political titles The President Political parties The Labour Party The press The Times ﺍﻷﻤﻢ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﺤﺪﺓ ﺍﻟﺜﻮﺭﺓ ﺍﻟﻔﺮﻧﺴﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺮﺋﻴﺲ ﺣﺰﺏ ﺍﻟﻌﻤﺎﻝ ﺍﻟﺘﺎﻳﻤﺰ

• Exercise: Translate the following sentences. 1. The pen which I used in writing the story was a gift. 2. The CNN news covers different topics. 3. The Egyptians are proud of their history. 4. I saw him going to the mosque. 5. She went to a nearby bank.

Zero articles 1. No article is used before plural countable nouns when used in general sense. Here the zero article corresponds to ﺍﻝ ﺍﻟﺘﻌﺮﻳﻒ in Arabic. - People: Women need better pay. . ﺗﺴﺘﺤﻖ ﺍﻟﻨﺴﺎﺀ ﺭﻭﺍﺗﺐ ﺃﻔﻀﻞ - Animals: Cats do not like dogs. . ﺍﻟﻜﻼﺏ ﻻ ﺗﺤﺐ - Products: Watches are cheap. . ﺳﺎﻋﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻴﺪ ﺭﺧﻴﺼﺔ ﺍﻟﺜﻤﻦ ﺍﻟﻘﻄﻂ

2. We do not use an article in front of uncountable nouns (always singular) in general statements. These are normally translated into Arabic using ﺍﻝ ﺍﻟﺘﻌﺮﻳﻒ. - Food: I like butter. . ﺃﺤﺐ ﺍﻟﺰﺑﺪﺓ - Colours: Green is my favourite colour. . ﺍﻷﺨﻀﺮ ﻫﻮ ﺍﻟﻠﻮﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﻔﻀﻞ ﻟﺪﻱ ﺍﻟﻠﻮﻥ - Abstract: Life is short. . ﺍﻟﺤﻴﺎﺓ ﻗﺼﻴﺮﺓ - Substances: Oil is produced in the gulf. . ﻧﺘﺞ ﺍﻟﻨﻔﻂ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺨﻠﻴﺞ - Activities: Writing is interesting. . ﺍﻟﻜﺘﺎﺑﺔ ﻣﻤﺘﻌﺔ - Languages: English is a world language. . ﺍﻻﻧﺠﻠﻴﺰﻳﺔ ﻟﻐﺔ ﻋﺎﻟﻤﻴﺔ • ﺍﻟﻠﻐﺔ

3. No article is used with parts of the day and night. at dawn ﻋﻨﺪ )ﻭﻗﺖ( ﺍﻟﻔﺠﺮ , at sunrise ﻋﻨﺪ ﺍﻟﺸﺮﻭﻕ 4. We do not use articles with meals. • Let us have breakfast. . ﺩﻋﻮﻧﺎ ﻧﺘﻨﺎﻭﻝ ﻃﻌﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﻐﺪﺍﺀ

5. No article is used with proper nouns including place names, but there is an exception for this rule. The is used with kingdom, river, sea, the United States of America, and with proper names in the plural as in the Johnson ﻋﺎﺋﻠﺔ ﺟﻮﻧﺴﻮﻥ.

6. Zero article for countries (Palestine), states (Cairo), geographical areas (Africa). 7. The is used with some countries as in the USA, some geographical areas the Balkans, some historical references the Golden Age, and oceans the Pacific.

Translate the following into Arabic 1. Are men better than women in studying science? 2. Trees do not grow in this area. 3. Vegetables are important for our health. 4. The team members are meeting at sunrise. 5. She will travel to the United States of American to complete her study. 6. English is taught at most universities in the Arab world. 7. The plane will land in Cairo International Airport at dawn. 8. The activities include swimming and running. 9. Africa is the world's second largest continent. 10. I have been to Brazil and Argentina but I have never been to the USA.

Put a/an or the 1. …… Second World war ended in 1945. 2. Do you know ……. . people who live next door. 3. Are you interested in …… art or …… architecture. 4. Don't stay in that hotel. …… beds are very uncomfortable. 5. I hate …… violence. 6. Two of the biggest problems facing our society are …… crime and …… unemployment. 7. Ken's brother is in …… prison for robbery. 8. What time do your children finish …… school. 9. The other day the fire brigade had to go to …… prison to put out the fire.

Definiteness and indefiniteness q. Arabic substantives may be marked for definiteness or indefiniteness. q. There is a definite article in Arabic, but it is not an independent word, it is a prefix al-. q. The indefinite marker (“a” or “an” in English) is not a separate word in Arabic. It is a suffix, -n, referred to technically as “nunation” ﺍﻟﺘﻨﻮﻳﻦ

Thus, in Arabic, the definiteness marker is attached to the beginning of a word and the indefiniteness marker is attached to the end of a word. They are, of course, mutually exclusive.

Definiteness Specifying definiteness, or determination, is a way of specifying or restricting the meaning of a noun. Arabic nouns are determined or made definite in three ways: (1) By prefixing the definite article /al-/; (2) By using the noun as first term of an i. Daafa (annexation structure); (3) By suffixing a possessive pronoun to the noun.

The definite article /al-/ has different features: q. It is a prefix:

Assimilation of laam The nature of the first letter of a noun or adjective determines the pronunciation of /al-/. The letters of the Arabic alphabet are divided into two sections, one section whose members assimilate the /l/ sound another section whose members allow the full pronunciation of /l/ of the definite article.

• Certain sounds, or letters, when they begin a word, cause the laam of the definite article to assimilate or be absorbed into them in pronunciation (but not in writing). • When this assimilation happens, it has the effect of doubling the first letter of the word. That letter is then written with a shadda, or doubling marker. The list is:

Uses of the definite article • The definite article is used in the following ways: 1. Previous Specification: To specify a noun or noun phrase previously referred to or understood by the reader or hearer. For example:

2. Generic use: Here the definite article is used to specify a noun in general terms. In English, the generic use of the noun often omits the definite article, for example, “life is beautiful, ” “squirrels like nuts, ” “elephants never forget, ” Sometimes, also, in English, an indefinite article is used to refer to something in general: “a noun is a part of speech. ” In Arabic, the definite article is used when referring to something in general.

3. Place names • Certain place names in Arabic contain the definite article. This includes names of places in the Arab world and elsewhere. Khartoum ﺍﻟﺨﺮﻃﻮﻡ Jordan ﺍﻷﺮﺩﻥ Riyadh ﺍﻟﺮﻳﺎﺽ Iraq ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺍﻕ Cairo ﺍﻟﻘﺎﻫﺮﺓ Kuwait ﺍﻟﻜﻮﻳﺖ Morocco ﺍﻟﻤﻐﺮﺏ Austria ﺍﻟﻨﻤﺴﺎ Algeria ﺍﻟﺠﺰﺍﺋﺮ China ﺍﻟﺼﻴﻦ

4. NAMES OF THE DAYS OF THE WEEK

5. TIMES OF THE DAY

6. WITH ADJECTIVES: • The definite article is used with adjectives when they modify definite nouns.

• Translate the following into Arabic focusing on the underlined • I prefer meeting my friends on Saturdays. • I went to the building which has been built last year.

• The article is also used on stand-alone adjectives when they serve as substitutes for nouns.

7. with cardinal numbers in definite phrases:

Definiteness through annexation ﺇﺿﺎﻓﺔ • A noun can become definite through being added or annexed to another (Arabic: i. Daafa ‘addition; annexation’ also called the “genitive construct”). • The first term of an annexation structure cannot have the definite article because it is made definite by means of its annexation to another noun. • When the annexing noun is definite, or a proper noun, the whole phrase is considered definite

Indefiniteness as a noun feature is usually marked by a suffixed /-n/ sound, which is written in a special way as a variation of the case-marking short vowel at the end of a word.

Masculine singular indefinite word

• SOUND FEMININE PLURAL INDEFINITE WORD: The sound feminine plural does not take fat. Ha or fat. Hataani; the genitive and accusative forms are identical:

Uses of the indefinite • TO EXPRESS NON-DEFINITE STATUS: Nunation is used on Arabic nouns and adjectives to mark indefinite status. An adjective modifying an indefinite noun is also indefinite:

Masculine Proper Names: A perhaps unusual (to English speakers) function of the indefinite marker is its use on many Arabic masculine given names. They are semantically definite, but morphologically indefinite. This is so because many of these Arabic names are derived from adjectives which describe particular attributes.

Adverbial accusative expressions: Adverbial expressions in Arabic tend to be in the accusative case, and quite often in the indefinite accusative. It is therefore common to see the indefinite accusative marker when reading Arabic texts.