The Definite Article: The Anaphoric Use (II)

In the previous entry we discussed about the anaphoric use of the definite article in a simple and general way. In this entry we´ll go deeper and even analyze special cases.

One of the terms we saw previously was the Anchor´s point that consists in a relation of meronymy. In order to keep going we must take into consideration that in Spanish this relation must be understood in a very wide sense.

There is a lot of diversity in the relations of meronymy of the definite article. The most usual one is "WHOLE - PART" as in Una gran lámpara colgaba del techo pero las bombillas estaban fundidas where una gran lámpara represents the "WHOLE" and las bombillas a "PART" of that whole. Another relation is "ENTITY - CHARACTERISTIC" as in Mi hermano preparó un guiso aunque el olor no lo hacía muy apetecible where un guiso would be "ENTITY" and el olor a "CHARACTERISTIC" of that entity. Another very usual relation is "ACTION - CONSEQUENCE" as in Tras cometer cinco robos con violencia, la posible condena se convertía en algo muy serio as well as "CAUSE - EFFECT" as in Hubo una fuerte explosión. El susto fue total.

Regarding the "WHOLE - PART" relation it is important to underline the term of uniquely. This concept implies that inside of a "WHOLE" there is a "PART" that is unique. For example, in the sentence Una gran lámpara colgaba del techo pero las bombillas estaban fundidas, the noun phrase with definite article las bombillas even though is in plural, represents a unique part of la lámpara because a lamp is usually made of more parts (ornaments, chains, crystals, etc.). Nevertheless, this concept of uniquely may have some exceptions sometimes.

Let´s take a look at these examples:

Juan levantó la mano para responder
A mi abuelo le operaron del riñón ayer
Se torció el brazo haciendo deporte

In these examples we are using the definite article in an anaphoric way establishing a relation of "WHOLE - PART". However, are la mano, el riñón and el brazo unique parts of the body? No they are not. Theoretically, everyone has two hands, two kidneys and two arms but these expressions tend to be formed with the definite article. The reason behind this is that even though there is not uniquely there is still an INALIENABLE relation of these parts with its whole. Meaning they are not separable. This also happens with the eyes, the wings of a bird or even the pedals of a bicycle.

That being said, we must say that in Spanish the type of verb affects hardly so what we said previously can be possible and also the replacement of the definite article for the indefinite one can make the message correct. For example, with the verb doler is preferable to say Me duele una muela rather than Me duele la muela (although in Peru both can sound naturally). Or with the verb fallar in Al coche le falla una bujía instead of Al coche le falla la bujía. Both muela and bujía are inalienable elements but because of the verbs they have, the indefinite article is preferable