Definite article question
November 7, 2019 5:36 PM
I have a question about definite article use--and its non-use.
We don't use "the" when writing about "climate change":
"Climate change is a big problem." No definite article; "the climate change" sounds odd.
With the subject "environmental crisis," though, we need an article:
"An environmental crisis is sweeping the nation."
Both phrases boil down to nouns, "change" and "crisis." So why does one take the definite article and the other doesn't? Full disclosure, I'm a teacher and one of my students asked me, but I'm stumped so I'm asking you smart folks.
We don't use "the" when writing about "climate change":
"Climate change is a big problem." No definite article; "the climate change" sounds odd.
With the subject "environmental crisis," though, we need an article:
"An environmental crisis is sweeping the nation."
Both phrases boil down to nouns, "change" and "crisis." So why does one take the definite article and the other doesn't? Full disclosure, I'm a teacher and one of my students asked me, but I'm stumped so I'm asking you smart folks.
Count noun vs. mass noun. It’s conceivable to have more than one environmental crisis so the definite article specifies it, whereas ‘climate change’ is a different form of concept. ‘A/the climate change’ would refer to a specific effect not the general concept.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 5:50 PM on November 7, 2019
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 5:50 PM on November 7, 2019
Also "environmental" is an adjective describing that particular "crisis," while "climate change" is a non-count, compound noun.
posted by tzikeh at 5:56 PM on November 7, 2019
posted by tzikeh at 5:56 PM on November 7, 2019
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posted by pinochiette at 5:49 PM on November 7, 2019