Is "The" Superfluous?

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   eugbugposted 2 years ago

   Editors seem to put "the" in front of every object.
   
   For instance this was the original version of a sentence in an article:
   
   "As an aside, let's look at the equation for velocity of a falling object when there's no drag."
   
   An editor changed it to:
   
   "As an aside, let's look at the equation for the velocity of a falling object when there's no drag"
   
   To me, it sounds very fussy, putting "the" infront of every subject or object in a sentence.
   
   Looks like I'm going to have to swat up on when, where and if the definite article needs to be used in sentences.
   
   Further down, there's no "the" in front of velocity, presumably because the reference is to velocity in general, not the velocity mentioned earlier, which was the "velocity of a falling object" and a specific type of velocity.
   
   "In terms of time t in seconds since the object was dropped, another equation for velocity is:"

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      Jodahposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      It seems like they couldn’t find much that needed changing but the “I’m an editor, so I need to edit!” mentality kicked in.

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      Miebakagh57posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      That sounds like that editor is using a software, like Grammarly.

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         eugbugposted 2 years agoin reply to this

         Poossibly/probably or they're just good editors and able to spot such errors a mile away. I suppose that's their job. I forget when to use all these details or just aren't aware of all the subtleties. They also added lots of commas where they thought there should have been pauses in sentences.

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            Miebakagh57posted 2 years agoin reply to this

            Eugbug, I agree with you entirely.                                  Now, if that paragraph was taken up by another editor, would they be same result? Probably not. But they should have been a little similarity.                                         Critically, it shows that the controlling factor is more than English grammar and sentence structure. Style, tune, and medium of the magazine, newspaper, and or website also plays a vital part. So, 5 editors in the same media will give 5 differing format.                                  Seriously, an editor's ability to spot a flaw or two in a story, is  commmon even among writers.

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            Patty Inglish, MSposted 2 years agoin reply to this

            I also often leave out "the' when teaching math; reminds me of Klingon battle language LOL. As for commas, a lot of mine get removed.

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2. 66

   eugbugposted 2 years ago

   This seems to explain it quite well:
   http://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/ti … icles.html

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3. 67

   PaulGoodman67posted 2 years ago

   The editor's correct, I believe. You're referring to a specific velocity, so the definite article is required.

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4. 66

   eugbugposted 2 years ago

   I wonder is there an exception for math?
   
   When we make statements in equations (or a mixture of math and English in this example) we tend to leave out stuff. So for instance I wrote:
   
   "So mass of displaced water m = density of sea water x volume of water displaced"
   
   which is clear.
   
   If I was to follow grammar to the letter, it would be:
   
   "So mass of the displaced water m = density of seawater x the volume of water displaced"
   
   which is more of a mouthful.

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      PaulGoodman67posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Maths people tend to leave out stuff, as long as the meaning is clear. While you won't get punished for it in a maths exam, that doesn't necessarily mean it's good English.
      
      You seem to want to miss out all the definite articles for reasons I don't quite understand...
      
      Just giving my two cents worth...

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5. 81

   Stephen Tomkinsonposted 2 years ago

   I'm with Paul. Velocity is one attribute, so we need the article Think of this example:
   "I bought a new shirt but my doesn't like color"

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6. 67

   PaulGoodman67posted 2 years ago

   It is complicated, though. My understanding is that there are cases where you are supposed to use articles in equations and other times when you aren't.
   
   The rules on this aren't simple and I can understand why you might see not using articles at all as a solution, but that isn't  correct, as they are required in some instances.
   
   I never bothered to learn the grammar rules on this, but I've aware that they exist. I think that if you're going to write formal articles with lots of equations in them, then you're stuck with learning the rules.
   
   I once did a logic course at university on nouns vs. pronouns and definite vs. indefinite articles. I never fully appreciated how difficult logical and mathematical language was until then. I've stayed away ever since. Good luck.

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      Miebakagh57posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      No. Instead of running away, come, give a helping hand...lol.

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7. 66

   eugbugposted 2 years ago

   It's not that I don't want to use them, the title of this post is probably misleading and it probably should have read "Is 'The' Sometimes Superfluous?" It's just the subtleties of when and how to use it that confuses me, but I'm a little wiser now. Luckily there isn't a masculine and feminine version of the definite and indefinite articles as in French and other languages. I don't know how people remember the "gender" of loads of nouns in order to use the correct one.

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8. 67

   PaulGoodman67posted 2 years ago

   As an example, if one takes Einstein's famous equation E=MC squared, and one is discussing it in the general sense, then E and M are treated as proper nouns. C, however, is a specific quantity and therefore treated as a regular noun. This means we say "energy" and "mass", but "the speed of light".
   
   If, however, one is discussing the use of the equation to perform a calculation and E and M are given specific values, then they lose their proper noun status and become regular nouns, so they do require articles.
   
   The big rule is generally that proper nouns shouldn't have articles and regular nouns should, so you have to figure out which is which. That's usually fairly easy in everyday English, but not necessarily so straightforward in mathematics.
   
   That's how I understand it, anyway.
   
   There are all sorts of other rules, too, not just this one. It's more complicated. I find it interesting, but also an effing headache.

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      Miebakagh57posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Now, you're coming home. Welcome. Thank you.

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   Stephen Tomkinsonposted 2 years ago

   Aspirin is good for headache - it may be especially good for the effing headache that you have.

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      Miebakagh57posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      It has not occur to me. Are you a doctor? Lol!

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         eugbugposted 2 years agoin reply to this

         A doctor of words maybe.

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      SerenityHaloposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Perhaps a way to consider whether a subject needs an article is to follow your formula.
      
      If the subject can have an article and a curse word with a gerund before it, then it probably can afford an article. Just remove the unnecessary curse word before you hit publish.
      
      

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10. 67

    PaulGoodman67posted 2 years ago

    If you take the following three sentences:
    
    Eugene likes doughnuts.
    The Irishman likes doughnuts.
    The writer likes doughnuts.
    
    Most of us who were brought up with the English language know which sentences should have a "the" at the start. We've absorbed the rules so deeply, we may not even be conscious of them, we tend to know instinctively what's right.
    
    The equivalent English language rules for maths and logic aren't quite so intuitive. You generally have to be fully cognizant of what the nouns represent before you can say for sure whether they should have a "the" in front of them. It's easier to get it wrong.
    
    That's how I see it anyway.

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       eugbugposted 2 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, all that makes sense.

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       Miebakagh57posted 2 years agoin reply to this

       You're welcome.

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