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   Hi, Ardith Hinton! -> Alexander Koryagin   
   I read your message from 01.12.2019 00:35   
      
    AK>> I also don't see any evidence indicating Annabel had been employed   
    AK>> in the same capacity, but IMHO also there is no ground to suggest   
    AK>> that a stenographer is as unique position in a firm as its   
    AK>> President.   
      
    AH>                      |is in as unique a position   
      
   Maybe it is better to remove "position"?:   
   "...but, IMHO, also there is no ground to suggest that a stenographer is as   
   unique in a firm as its President."   
      
    AH> The title of "president" certainly sounds more formal, and is often   
    AH> capitalized. With other job titles, however, the situation may be   
    AH> less clear. "Secretary of State" is an official role which is held   
    AH> by only one person at a time... yet the word "secretary" may be   
    AH> used to describe any of four employees in a large high school. The   
    AH> question in my mind is whether or not the article can correctly be   
    AH> omitted if I'm referring to the secretary, teacher-librarian, etc.   
    AH> at a much smaller school... or to the proprietor of Giovanni's   
    AH> Bistro. I must say I found the omission of the article in your   
    AH> example surprising, but I can see justfication for it if it's   
    AH> optional there & the novelist wants to get on with the show ASAP   
    AH> after filling in a bit of the background....   
      
    AH>        Four centuries ago, other writers left out "the" in:   
      
    AH>              Where is he that is born King of the Jews?   
    AH>                                        --  Matt. 2:2, KJV   
      
    AH>              The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark   
    AH>                                        --  Wm. Shakespeare   
      
    AH> We could have a great time discussing why Herod saw Jesus as a   
    AH> potential rival and whether or not Hamlet was the last of his line,   
    AH> but my point is that AFAIK native speakers of English have been   
    AH> leaving out "the" in situations where the rationale is not   
    AH> immediately obvious for quite awhile now. The rule you cited   
    AH> mentions two important factors... the uniqueness of the job & the   
    AH> formality of the job description. In everyday life things may not   
    AH> be quite so simple. But as long as you know rules have exceptions I   
    AH> can't think of a better one. :-))   
      
   As one Murphy law says, "For every human problem, there is a neat, simple   
   solution; and it is always wrong." ;-)   
      
   Bye, Ardith!   
   Alexander Koryagin   
   english_tutor 2019   
      
   ---   
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