this post was submitted on 11 Jun 2024
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No Stupid Questions

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (6 children)

Ukrainian here. IMO, the first statement is half-stupid, the second one is half-overcomplicated :) no offense to you personally, of course. I understand the whole concept of articles in English and know (at least I thought I knew before this post) their correct usage, and in all use cases I can remember the article uses are logically acceptable for a foreigner, but this one with the mirror and the bathroom is messed up a bit :)

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago (3 children)

The second example is quite good imo. You would never say “I’m going to a bathroom.” Even if you were in a stadium with hundreds of bathrooms, you would still say you are going to the bathroom.

Same as you might say I’m taking the train. Not usually taking a train, though I’ve heard that too sometimes. Though oddly you usually say I’m taking a plane, not the plane. Also I’m taking the freeway, not a freeway. I’m usually going to the doctor, less often than a doctor.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

The second example is quite good imo. You would never say “I’m going to a bathroom.” Even if you were in a stadium with hundreds of bathrooms, you would still say you are going to the bathroom.

you are justifying this statement "because of reasons" :) this is not a logical explanation. there are a bunch of bathrooms in the world. Am I going to the one specific that was mentioned before in the context? then it's "to the bathroom". is this bathroom just a random one that I will encounter on my way? then why not "to a bathroom"?

same with trains: even if you are speaking about a train route with a specific number, you are not talking about a specific train, then it should be "I'll be taking a train". if you are going to take the specific locomotive for a ride in a museum, then, obviously, you are going to take "the train". this sounds logical for the usage of Articles in the English language, at least in my head.

same with doctors: if you are going to a specific doctor, and your opponent knows which one by the context, then it should be "to the doctor", otherwise it would be a random doctor that will be assigned to you as soon as you arrive to the clinic, it cannot be "the doctor" by the same principle I always thought exists :)

I'm not even talking about the option of using a subject without an article, like in Ukrainian. "I'm going to bathroom". if I wanted to say which one, I would have stated it, but as soon as I am going to pee in a random bathroom I find, why can't it be just "I'm going to bathroom"? :D yeah, now it sounds like a verb :D

whoa, another meaningless "the" appeared. "The English Language" phrasing is used despite there are at least four? five? English languages.

so... it's complicated :D but this does not prevent English from being The Language of the World, and I cannot name a language that could have been on its place.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

This is gold! But what I also find confusing is the ultimate difference between Present Perfect and Past Simple...

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