Hi, Mark Lewis!   
   I read your message from 15.06.2015 18:48   
      
    ak>> "My mother uses herbs," said Adam. "So does yours."   
    ak>> "Oh, those are all right," said Brian, determined not to lose his   
    ak>> position as occult expert.   
      
    ak>> Is there any explanation why "occult expert" was used without "an"   
    ak>> article?   
      
    ML> that's probably laid out earlier in the book or in one of the   
    ML> earlier ones... especially considering that there's 41 novels in   
    ML> the entire "Discworld" story line   
      
    ML> i've read some of the story but not all of it... it is on my   
    ML> reading list, though... even moreso now that the author is walking   
    ML> with death along the beaches...   
      
   Maybe, that "occult expert" is like "President." For instance, "President   
   Obama is due to visit the country next month." No article. Making it without   
   "an" the authors imply that Brian is the only occult expert in the gang. But   
   "President" starts with a capital letter. Otherwise it should be "the   
   president" and, accordingly, "the occult expert."   
      
   Bye, Mark!   
   Alexander Koryagin   
   ENGLISH_TUTOR 2015   
      
   --- Paul's Win98SE VirtualBox   
    * Origin: Quinn's Post - Maryborough, Queensland, OZ (3:640/384)