Subj : "a" or "the"
To   : Anton Shepelev
From : Paul Quinn
Date : Fri Jun 08 2018 08:58:04

Hi! Anton,

You may get other replies that will give you some technical assistance whereas 
I would like to leave you with my just my unskilled thoughts on your questions.

On 06/08/2018 05:42 AM, you wrote:

 AS> I then realised I cannot rationalise my choice of articles:
 AS> why "a citizen" but "the holder"?  Perhaps because a country
 AS> has many citizens but a passport always a single holder?

Bad rhythm.  Either would be fine.  However, like a child at the keyboard of a 
piano continually thumping just a single key.  Klang, klang, klang... ad 
infinitum.  It's exceedingly boring.  In your text, the choice of a "the" 
breaks the boredom of the potential use of another "a".  Either would probably 
work but why repeat its use?

 AS> But then, a note in the British passport says:

 AS>     This passport remains the property of Her Majesty's
 AS>     Government in the United Kingdom.

 AS> Why "the property"?  I am sure a passport does not
 AS> constitute the property of the Government.

An "a" would not be correct.  Yes, it will be one of a very many properties 
owned by a government but this statement is being very specific about a 
singular object.

OTOH, that declaration brings to mind the possibility of thinking that if the 
holder is indeed visiting another country, then the passport is no longer the 
property of the Government.  It could be said then that it's only its property 
while _in_ the United Kingdom.  8-)

Cheers,
Paul.

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