Theoretical grammar of english

5. The status of the Article in language str-re. The number of Articles. The meanings and functions.
The status
The ground is that the Article isn't inflected (e/g in German Article is a word).Some Grammarians speak of the morphemic character of the Eng Article. By them, the Article is a structural element building morphemes. The article can change its position in reference to a Noun (e/g a dog; a black dog; a lovely black dog) The A can be substituted by other Ws (the dog = this/ my dog) => such features aren't characteristic of the morphemes. Most linguists say that Article is a separate word.
Several points of view: Place Article among other Ps of speech:
1. Classical Eng Grammar - Article = adj or more often a pronoun. It reminds of a pronoun b/c "the" has originated from the Old Eng. Pronoun "se"
2. The grammarian Kruisinga include indef A - indefinite pronoun, definite - demonstrative pronoun
3. Jesperson & Sweet Article = pronoun
4. Curme A = pronominal attribute
5. Structural Gr Article = function W (determiners)
6. Soviet Linguists A= functional P of Sp
The number of Articles
The older Grammatical Tradition spoke about 2 As. BUT: e.g Language is a means of communication, we use the term ZERO ARTICLE. The idea of a zero article originates from the notion "zero morpheme".
Modem Eng = 3 Articles ( Бархударов, Штеллинг)
The notion of a zero morpheme has been applied to the Article on the grounds that, when there's no Ab4 a noun- reminds of the absence of inflexion in such forms as cat-cats. This point of view is opposed by some Grammarians. They argue that we can speak about a zero Art if we treat the A as a morpheme. Meaningful absence of the Article - significant meaningful absence of the article. But the omition of the A but this term describes a different phenomenon typical of newspapers, acts, etc. (winner gets prize)
Functions of the Article
Whether the Article has meanings or functions?
Barhudarov => The M of the A is highly abstract, it's more proper to speak about functions. Different spheres of Grammar - different functions
• Morphologically - to serve as the formal indicator of a Noun. Ильиш: to indicate substantivity. The presence of the A signals that what follows is a noun or what has acquired some nominal characteristics. (e/g black - a black ( 1 человек), the black (раса)
• From the syntactic point of view - a) to separate the noun phrase from other members of the sentence. What stands btw the A and the noun is one and the same member of the sentence( e/g I bought a think English book)
b) to connect different Sentences
e/g We saw a man. The man was approaching us.
• Semantic role consists in relating a given utterance to a given speech situation. (=actualization). Ws denote many things, they have different meanings but when speaking, people choose one aspect of the thing.
* Barmina, Verkhovskaya "The Eng Article": A has category of definiiteness / indefmiteness A = the determiner of the N or a noun-phrase. Determiners= formal means of expressing this category. This category presents the object as known/unknown, general/individual, identifiable/ non-identifiable. In Eng article is the main means of expressing this category, besides
possessive, demonstrative, indefinite pronouns, Ws denoting place,. numerals and some others.