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Thread: Misty, ? giraffe gave me a smile!

  1. #1
    Почтенный гражданин oldboy's Avatar
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    Misty, ? giraffe gave me a smile!

    We saw a giraffe at the zoo. (Here, a giraffe is some giraffe in general).
    The giraffe is the tallest animal.
    (Here, the giraffe is a type of animal).

    But what should I say in the following case:
    My girlfriend and I are walking around the zoo. Then going past a cage with a giraffe, I say to her "Misty, ? giraffe gave me a smile!"
    What word ought I to put before "giraffe"? If I use "the", it will mean "a type of animal", isn't it?.. There remains only "this" or "that"...
    Thanks for correcting me.

  2. #2
    Старший оракул Seraph's Avatar
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    It was somewhat note worthy (!), and so 'that' would seem appropriate.

  3. #3
    Завсегдатай Ramil's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by oldboy View Post
    If I use "the", it will mean "a type of animal", isn't it?..
    No, not really, here it would mean this particular giraffe.
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  4. #4
    Старший оракул
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    Quote Originally Posted by oldboy View Post
    My girlfriend and I are walking around the zoo. Then going past a cage with a giraffe, I say to her "Misty, ? giraffe gave me a smile!"
    What word ought I to put before "giraffe"? If I use "the", it will mean "a type of animal", isn't it?.. There remains only "this" or "that"...
    I don't think you can dismiss "a" as an impossible answer. Perhaps, you are surprised that a giraffe, any giraffe at all, not just that particular one, can smile.

    I can be wrong, of course.

  5. #5
    Старший оракул Seraph's Avatar
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    You're right, I think. It is surprising. Any one of a, the or that would probably be ok. My answer was simply what I would probably say.

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    Почтенный гражданин oldboy's Avatar
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    Thank you!
    Thanks for correcting me.

  7. #7
    Завсегдатай rockzmom's Avatar
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    I think the clue here is that Oldboy said "a cage with a giraffe" this means ONE cage and ONE giraffe. So, unless Bitpicker comes and proves otherwise... I would not use "a" as a possible answer here. It would be either "that" or "the."

    If there were more than one, then "a" would be okay to use.

    Bitpicker???
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