Introduction
Recently, we addressed the question of the so-called neutral article in cases where it has an individualizing value. But what happens when the neutral article acquires a weighting or intensifying value? In this article, we will explore this facet of language and its application in different contexts.
The weighted value of the neutral article
First, we must note that the use of the neutral article as a weighting element is not considered appropriate in formal records. Although the definite article “the” can serve to emphasize something, this function is not attributed to the neuter article. For example, it would not be correct to say “how much someone studies”, but we should say “how much this person gets to study”.
Similarly, we could not use the neuter article next to words like “much” or “little”. Instead of saying “how little we sleep at the end of the year”, we should replace this construction with another one that uses the conjunctions “which” or “if”. For example, we could say “that we sleep little at the end of the year having to correct so many exams and papers”.
Alternatives to avoid the weighted neutral article
There are several alternatives to avoid using the weighted neutral article. We can use sentences introduced by the conjunctions “how”, “what”, “how much” or “if”. For example, instead of saying “how good the ensaimada is”, we could say “how good the ensaimada is”. Similarly, instead of lamenting “how loud some firecrackers are”, we can express the complaint by saying “how loud those firecrackers are” or “yes they are loud, those firecrackers”.
conclusion
In summary, we have explored the weighting value of the neutral article and its limitations in formal registers. It is important to use appropriate alternatives to express weighting or emphasis in language. We hope this article has been informative and we wish you a happy new year and a happy end of the school year. If you have any questions or queries, you can contact us at [email protected].
