TOM CLARK: Articles

Thursday, 28 January 2010

Articles

dutifully

clarify --

ant-

like.

Ant on a green bough with water drops: photo by Thomas Quaritsch, 2005

TC said...: Well, at least they're humble.; 29 January 2010 at 07:31
Marie W said...: I think we need an infinite article; 23 May 2013 at 16:18
TC said...: Hmm, now this gives pause.

There is the indefinite article, and there is the Zero article (in English).

There is X-bar theory...

No, let's not even try to think about that.

Then there are all those languages that have no article at all. So much less clutter that way.

Just think, all those large deprived sectors on the map of Europe, totally without articles... perhaps we ought simply to refer to them as the grey areas.

Perhaps the Enlightened Mail Art of the Future might keep them in mind, and contribute to consoling those poor souls left without articles by creating the Infinite Article, which will be colourless, odour-less, and all but unnoticeable... until printed on paperbark, with a large bright red "P" at the front, so that henceforth those vast Inarticulate regions may at last become Particulate. But there will have to be a referendum first, I fear. Self-determination in the matter of Articles will have to be a Priority!; 24 May 2013 at 05:20
Marie W said...: The grey zone, how sad to be without an article. Not even a Zero article? Nothing? Nada? Just left with an inarticulate clutter of parted articles?
Federation of Ps, here we come, no soul shall be left unparticulated. Ever.; 24 May 2013 at 18:13

TOM CLARK