2dly, As the difference between a and one seems to be, that one denotes unity in contradistinction to more, with greater emphasis than a, so the distinction in general between the and that is, that the latter marks the object more emphatically than the former, being indirectly opposed to this. I cannot say, “there goes that man with that long beard,” without implying a contrast with “this man with this long beard,” the word that being always emphatical and discriminative.
The opinion here offered, respecting these words, receives some corroboration from the following circumstances.
In Latin ille frequently supplies the place of our definite article. “Thou art the man.” Tu es ille (iste) homo.
The le in French is clearly a derivative from ille, of which the former syllable il expresses he, and the latter denotes that unemphatically, serving as the definite article. From the same source also proceed the Italian articles il, lo, la.
In Hebrew, in like manner, our definite article is expressed by the prefix of the pronoun ille; thus, aretz, terra, “earth;”[24] ha’aretz, illa seu hæc terra, “the earth,” the letter he abbreviated from hou, ille, expressing the;—ashri, haish[25], beatus ille vir, “happy the man,” or “that man,” the he in like manner signifying the or that.
It appears to me, then, that as ae, ane, when not opposed to more, and therefore unemphatical, by celerity of pronunciation were changed into a, an; so that, when not opposed to this, or when it was unemphatical, was shortened to the. Hence, the words termed articles seem to be the name of unity, and the demonstrative word that abbreviated.
Besides the words a, an, the, there are others which may be considered as reducible to the same class with these; such as this, that, any, other, same, all, one, none. This and that I have already considered. That they are not pronouns is evident, for they are never used as the representatives of a noun, and always require to be associated with a substantive. If ever they appear without this accompaniment, it will invariably be found that the expression is elliptical, some substantive or other being necessarily understood. If I say, “This was a noble action.” This what? “This action.” “This is true virtue.” This what? “This practice,” “this habit,” “this temper.” To what class of words I conceive them to belong has been already mentioned.
One is a word significant of unity, and cannot, without manifest impropriety, be called a pronominal adjective; unless, by an abuse of all language, we be disposed to name two, three, four, pronominal adjectives.
Some is reducible to the same class, denoting an indefinite, but, comparatively to many, a small number.