Re: CHAT: Definite/Indefinite Article Distinction

Quoting John Cowan <jcowan@...>:

> Arthaey Angosii scripsit:
>
> > Do all languages make a distinction between definite and indefinite
> > articles, =E0 la "the" and "a"? Assuming a language uses articles at all,
> > that is.
>
> No.  Greek and Irish have only definite, Farsi (IIRC) has only indefinite.
I don't know Farsi, but I've been given to understand that the
accusative case ending acts a lot like a definite article, since
it shows up only on definites.  One might claim that's a kind of
definite article...

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Thomas Wier            "I find it useful to meet my subjects personally,
Dept. of Linguistics    because our secret police don't get it right
University of Chicago   half the time." -- octogenarian Sheikh Zayed of
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