Thread: a (the) leg of the table

My grammar book says that in English in phrases like a (the) leg of the table, a (the) wheel of the car both definite and indefinite article can be used. What would native speakers say to that? Are the and a completely interchangeable in such phrases?

No. любая нога стола = a leg; oпределенная нога - the leg. нормальное употребление артиклей.

Here is the exact quote from the book:

The definite article is used, alongside the indefinite, when 
there is a definite number of component parts: the (a) leg of the
table, the (a) wheel of the car, the (an) ear of a dog.

Does that make sense? Or it's arguable?

Originally Posted by alexsms

My grammar book says that in English in phrases like a (the) leg of the table, a (the) wheel of the car both definite and indefinite article can be used. What would native speakers say to that? Are the and a completely interchangeable in such phrases?

Well, yes and no. Either article can be used, but the meaning doesn't stay the same, they're not interchangeable with a constant meaning.