Comments on Assignment 1
Recall that we got into a discussion of the different ways
to pronounce the articles "a" and "the." After class, I
checked my Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, and got some answers that
support and extend what we were thinking. When "a" refers to the
letter of the alphabet, it is pronounced long (aeee). When it is an indefinite
article, it is normally pronounced "uh," but can be "aeee"
(for emphasis, I think) "The" as definite article is usually "thuh"
before consonants and "thee" before vowels, but Southerners also say
"thuh" before vowels. It is pronounced "thee" before titles
and names to suggest uniqueness, as in "thee" one and only ….
When we hear "aeee" and "thee" in circumstances other than
these, it is probably colloquial usage.
The dictionary also showed how "a" can be a
preposition and "the" an adverb. Can you think of how? No cheating!