USES OF THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE
[Sidenote: _Denotes any one of a class._]
188. The most frequent use of the indefinite article is to denote
any one of a class or group of objects: consequently it belongs to
singular words; as in the sentence,--
Near the churchyard gate stands _a_ poor-box, fastened to _a_
post by iron bands and secured by _a_ padlock, with _a_ sloping
wooden roof to keep off the rain.--LONGFELLOW
[Sidenote: _Widens the scope of proper nouns._]
189. When the indefinite article precedes proper names, it alters
them to class names. The qualities or attributes of the object are
made prominent, and transferred to any one possessing them; as,--
The vulgar riot and debauchery, which scarcely disgraced _an
Alcibiades_ or _a Cæsar_, have been exchanged for the higher
ideals of _a Bayard_ or _a Sydney_.--PEARSON
[Sidenote: _With abstract nouns._]
190. _An_ or _a_ before abstract nouns often changes them to half
abstract: the idea of quality remains, but the word now denotes only
one instance or example of things possessing the quality.
[Sidenote: _Become half abstract._]
The simple perception of natural forms is _a delight_.--EMERSON
If thou hadst _a sorrow_ of thine own, the brook might tell thee
of it.--HAWTHORNE
In the first sentence, instead of the general abstract notion of
delight, which cannot be singular or plural, _a delight_ means one
thing delightful, and implies others having the same quality.
So _a sorrow_ means one cause of sorrow, implying that there are
other things that bring sorrow.
[Sidenote: _Become pure class nouns._]
NOTE.--Some abstract nouns become common class nouns with the
indefinite article, referring simply to persons; thus,--
If the poet of the "Rape of the Lock" be not _a wit_, who
deserves to be called so?--THACKERAY.
He had a little brother in London with him at this time,--as
great _a beauty_, as great a dandy, as great a villain.--_Id._
_A youth_ to fortune and to fame unknown.--GRAY.
[Sidenote: _Changes material to class nouns._]
191. _An_ or _a_ before a material noun indicates the change to a
class noun, meaning one kind or a detached portion; as,--
They that dwell up in the steeple,...
Feel a glory in so rolling
On the human heart _a stone_.
--POE.
When God at first made man,
Having _a glass_ of blessings standing by.
--HERBERT.
The roofs were turned into arches of massy stone, joined by _a
cement_ that grew harder by time.--JOHNSON.
[Sidenote: _Like the numeral adjective_ one.]
192. In some cases _an_ or _a_ has the full force of the numeral
adjective _one_. It is shown in the following:--
To every room there was _an_ open and _a_ secret
passage.--JOHNSON.
In a short time these become a small tree, _an_ inverted pyramid
resting on the apex of the other.--THOREAU.
All men are at last of _a_ size.--EMERSON.
At the approach of spring the red squirrels got under my house,
two at _a_ time.--THOREAU.
[Sidenote: _Equivalent to the word_ each _or_ every.]
193. Often, also, the indefinite article has the force of _each_ or
_every_, particularly to express measure or frequency.
It would be so much more pleasant to live at his ease than to
work eight or ten hours _a day_.--BULWER
[Sidenote: _Compare to Sec. 184._]
Strong beer, such as we now buy for eighteenpence _a gallon_, was
then a penny _a gallon_.--FROUDE
[Sidenote: _With_ such, many, what.]
194. _An_ or _a_ is added to the adjectives _such_, _many_, and
_what_, and may be considered a part of these in modifying
substantives.
How was I to pay _such a_ debt?--THACKERAY.
_Many a_ one you and I have had here below.--THACKERAY.
_What a_ world of merriment then melody foretells!--POE.
[Sidenote: _With_ not _and_ many.]
195 LIST III.
A few of comparative form but not comparative meaning:--
After Over Under Nether.
_Not_ and _never_ with _a_ or _an_ are numeral adjectives,
instead of adverbs, which they are in general.
_Not a_ drum was heard, _not a_ funeral note.--WOLFE
My Lord Duke was as hot as a flame at this salute, but said
_never a_ word.--THACKERAY.
NOTE.--All these have the function of adjectives; but in the last
analysis of the expressions, _such_, _many_, _not_, etc., might be
considered as adverbs modifying the article.
[Sidenote: _With_ few _or_ little.]
196. The adjectives _few_ and _little_ have the negative meaning of
_not much_, _not many_, without the article; but when _a_ is put
before them, they have the positive meaning of _some_. Notice the
contrast in the following sentences:--
Of the country beyond the Mississippi _little_ more was known
than of the heart of Africa.--MCMASTER
To both must I of necessity cling, supported always by the hope
that when _a little_ time, _a few_ years, shall have tried me
more fully in their esteem, I may be able to bring them
together.--_Keats's Letters_.
_Few_ of the great characters of history have been so differently
judged as Alexander.--SMITH, _History of Greece_
[Sidenote: _With adjectives, changed to nouns_.]
197. When _the_ is used before adjectives with no substantive
following (Sec. 181 and note), these words are adjectives used as
nouns, or pure nouns; but when _an_ or _a_ precedes such words, they
are always nouns, having the regular use and inflections of nouns; for
example,--
Such are the words _a brave_ should use.--COOPER.
In the great society of wits, John Gay deserves to be _a
favorite_, and to have a good place.--THACKERAY
Only the name of one obscure epigrammatist has been embalmed for
use in the verses of _a rival_.--PEARSON.
Exercise
Bring up sentences with five uses of the indefinite article.
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