MSGID: 1:153/716.0 77097642   
   REPLY: 2:5023/24.4222 676aae50   
   CHRS: IBMPC 2   
   Hi, Gleb!  Recently you wrote in a message to Alexander Koryagin:   
      
   GH>  Again, as you may surmise, using articles is tricky.   
      
              Yes, I've noticed over the years that my Russian correspondents   
   tend to have difficulty with articles in English.  Based on what little I   
   understand of the Russian language I figure I'd have a very similar problem   
   there....  :-)   
      
      
   GH>  I'd say that you rely too much on dictionaries and try   
   GH>  to over-formalise your approach to language learning   
      
              !?  I conclude your preferred learning styles differ.  Alexander   
   has been actively involved here for a long time & what he's doing seems to   
   work for him.  I probably own more dictionaries & refer to them more often   
   than a lot of other people do.  I'd like to think I help my readers use them   
   more efficiently   
   ... but you may not have been here long enough to notice I say on occasion   
   "Did you continue reading as far as definition #12, where I found the   
   answer?"  :-))   
      
      
   GH>  in real life, in fiction, newspapers/magazines, talk   
   GH>  shows etc., it may at times look a bit different.   
      
              If you want to see & hear native speakers saying "would of never"   
   in our local news or some advertiser telling you the XYZ Company is best   
   qualified to update your windows because they are "real perfessionals" it   
   certainly does. I don't rely on these sources for examples of good English   
   usage...   
      
      
   GH>  In our case I'd say it's an "object vs. substance" thing.   
      
              (which any dictionary I'd give house room to will probably tell you)   
      
      
   GH>  Here are some instances from a website I find suitable:   
      
   GH>        "Brick" as substance/material:   
      
   GH>        "Drilling into brick is a key DIY skill, needed for   
   GH>  all kinds of home improvement projects."   
      
              ... but I understand & appreciate that native speakers tend to   
   learn by example while dictionaries cut these things short.  We all have our   
   talents. If you know how how to find material such as the above, I'm most   
   grateful.  :-)   
      
      
   AK>  The Great Chinese wall is "wall" or "a wall" if I approach   
   AK>  to it?   
      
   GH>  It can only be referred to as THE Wall, given its singular and   
   GH>  unique nature (the same as the Moon, the Earth's only natural   
   GH>  satellite). No other options here. :-)   
      
              To Alexander I'd say "I were to approach it" or "I approached   
   it"... to you I'd say something more like "You've never heard of Hadrian's   
   Wall?"  :-Q   
      
      
      
      
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
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