LECTURE III.
OF ARTICLES.
An article is a word prefixed to nouns to limit their signification; as, a man, the woman.
There are only two articles, a or an, and the. A or an is called the indefinite article. The is called the definite article.
The indefinite article limits the noun to one of a kind, but to no particular one; as, a house.
The definite article generally limits the noun to a particular object, or collection of objects; as, the house, the men.
The small claims of the article to a separate rank as a distinct part of speech, ought not to be admitted in a scientific classification of words. A and the, this and that, ten, few, and fourth, and many other words, are used to restrict, vary, or define the signification of the nouns to which they are joined. They might, therefore, with propriety, be ranked under the general head of Restrictives, Indexes, or Defining Adjectives. But, as there is a marked distinction in their particular meaning and application, each class requires a separate explanation. Hence, no practical advantage would be gained, by rejecting their established classification, as articles, numerals, and demonstratives, and by giving them new names. The character and application of a and the can be learned as soon when they are styled articles, as when they are denominated specifying or defining adjectives.
The history of this part of speech is very brief. As there are but two articles, a or an and the, you will know them wherever they occur.
A noun used without an article, or any other restrictive, is taken in its general sense; as, "Fruit is abundant;" "Gold is heavy;" "Man is born to trouble" Here we mean, fruit and gold in general; and all men, or mankind.