Thursday February 9, 2012
It’s the sound that matters
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED by FADZILAH AMIN
I REFER to the question on “‘A’ before a vowel” (MOE, Feb 2):
... the Education Ministry has been following a “Uphold Bahasa Melayu, Strengthen Bahasa Inggeris” policy that has resulted in it ...
Why isn’t “an” used before “uphold” since it starts with a vowel sound?
In your answer, you said that using “an” was right but I beg to differ. I reason that the whole phrase is within inverted commas and used to describe policy so it basically means that the Education Ministry is following “a” policy that is described as “Uphold Bahasa Melayu, Strengthen Bahasa Inggeris”.
So “a” and not “an” should be used. – Helen Loh
I disagree with your comment about “a” before a vowel.
Though I agree with you that “an” should be used before a vowel, in the context of this sentence, I believe “a” is correct. The reason is this: “Uphold ...” is an adjective (though a very long one) to describe a policy. Without the long adjective in inverted commas, then you are right.
Please read the two sentences below:
1a. It is advisable to read an important guide-book on grammar.
b. It is advisable to read a “Important Guide-Book on Grammar.”
Again, look at these two set of sentences.
2a. There is an essential word in the Agreement.
b. There is a “ESSENTIAL” word in the Agreement.
3a. Winning a game is an ultimate objective of playing.
b. Winning a game is a “Ultimate Objective of Playing.” – S.H. Huang
I would like to address both Helen Loh and S.H. Huang in the first part of my answer.
Whether the indefinite article “a” or “an” is used depends on the initial sound of the word immediately following it, not on the function of that word or whether it is within a longer phrase or clause in inverted commas. “An” is used for reasons of sound, not grammar, because it is very awkward to say “a” before another vowel sound.
So, the part of the sentence quoted should read: “... the Education Ministry has been following an ‘Uphold Bahasa Melayu, Strengthen Bahasa Inggeris’ policy that had resulted in it ...”
If you don’t want to use “an”, you can rephrase the quotation to read: “... the Education Ministry has been following a policy to ‘Uphold Bahasa Melayu, Strengthen Bahasa Inggeris’ that had resulted in it ...”
Below are my answers to S.H. Huang’s other questions:
1a. Your sentence 1 is correct, except that “guidebook” is now spelt as one word.
However, I do not know what your sentence 1b means. “Important Guide-Book on Grammar” looks like the title of a book. In that case, there is no need for the indefinite article before it. The sentence should just read: It is advisable to read “Important Guidebook on Grammar.”
2a. Here, the first sentence is correct.
Sentence 2b, however, sounds very clumsy. It could be rewritten as: The word “ESSENTIAL” is in the Agreement. There is no need to use an indefinite article there.
3a. If an article is needed before the word “ultimate”, it is always the definite article “the”. In your sentences, “ultimate” means “final” or “happening at the end of a long process”. Its other meanings are superlative, e.g. “the best”, “the most advanced”, etc. (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary).
So, your first sentence should read: “Winning a game is the ultimate objective of playing.”
In your sentence 3b, I don’t know why you place “Ultimate Objective of Playing” within inverted commas and capitalise the words. Also, as I pointed out, an indefinite article should not be used before “ultimate”.
Has and have
May I know whether “have” is used correctly in these sentences?
1. “Television and radio have intruded in our lives.”
Should it be “has” instead as both nouns contribute to the same idea?
2. “The young today have lost their passion for those long ago.” Can I use “has” instead as “the young” is considered as a group? – Siza
1. Television and radio are two different media, and so the plural verb “have” should be used.
2. In the phrase “the young” as you use it, the noun “young” is a plural noun, although it refers to young people as a group. So you have to use “have” in the sentence.
Also, it is not clear what you mean by “those long ago.”
Read, read, read
I am really curious about the best way to learn English as another language. My background is far from the English culture, and this could be one of the barriers to learning.
I am 24 and my willingness to be an Englishman in a Malay country has never stopped. Hopefully, you can guide me. – Mohd Ruknuddin Mamat
A lot of people in Malaysia who use English fluently do not have an English cultural background. But we are exposed to the language in school, and also when we watch television, listen to the radio and go to the cinema.
In my opinion, there is no better way to improve your English than through reading. Reading is an active process, whereas watching television is mostly passive. Find a way to get hold of books whose subjects interest you, and read, read, read. Nowadays, you can even read the classics on the computer or download them to your PC for free or a small donation, if you can afford it. Try this website:
www.archive.org/details/gutenberg
You will come across words you don’t understand in your reading. You can look up their meanings in a dictionary. There are many online dictionaries nowadays, and if you have the use of a computer, you can use these dictionaries. Among them are:
oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com and dictionary.cambridge.org
You don’t have to look up every word that you don’t know, but if the word occurs several times and you don’t understand what you are reading without looking it up, then you must look it up. You could keep a notebook of new words you have learnt, and then try to use some of them in your diary, or letters or e-mails to friends, for example.
We all have to work hard to achieve what we want. But why do you want to be an Englishman? You can be very good in the English language and still retain your Malay and Malaysian identity.
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