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Guidelines for Translation from French into English

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Robin Lambert

Part 6 Other Problems

Where do you use ‘the’?

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1) Particular and general

The fundamental difference is between the particular and the general. Using ‘the’ gives the idea of something particular or precise. Using ‘a/an’ gives the idea of something general.

When there is only one of something or someone, then it is automatically particular. For example, the world, the sun, the moon, the Queen of Sweden, the President of Mexico.

Logically, when a noun is plural, it cannot be particular and unique, so it does not take ‘the’. Plural nouns need the word ‘the’ if you are referring to a precise group.

Example Explanation
I cleaned the car yesterday. We understand that this is probably my car, or the car we were talking about.
Have you got a car? This is not particular. We don’t know if you have a car or what sort of car.
The cars on the M1 were stuck in a traffic jam for hours yesterday. These cars are precisely defined. ‘traffic jam’ is not precisely defined.
The traffic jam on the M1 yesterday lasted four hours. This traffic jam is precise.
There’s a mouse in the kitchen. We don’t know this mouse, it’s not a pet or a special mouse. But there is only one kitchen in the apartment, therefore ‘the kitchen’.
Mr Shepherd faces treason charges which carry the death penalty. ‘charges’ are plural, so no ‘the’, but the penalty is precise and unique.
I like the people I work with. They are a precise group of people, I know who they are.
I like working with people. It’s a job where I meet new people all the time, not always with people that I know well.

Compare:

Les ventes de véhicules neufs ont chuté de
3,6 % au premier semestre.
Sales of new cars have dropped by 3.6 % in the first half of the year.
Pour les entreprises, pour les architectes et pour les propriétaires, la régularité des ressources financières est une exigence. For companies, architects and owners, it is essential that the flow of financial resources should be regular.
En Méditerranée, les proliférations de méduses sont attribuées de plus en plus au changements climatiques. In the Mediterranean, the proliferation of jellyfish is attributed more and more to climate change.
Valentin se demande comment il fera pour survivre sans les concombres et les tomates de son potager. Valentin wonders how he is going to survive without the cucumbers and tomatoes from his garden. (You do not need to repeat ‘the’ for tomatoes.)

2) Abstract nouns

Abstract nouns are ideas or concepts, not things: courage, fear, birth, death, help, intelligence, love, hatred etc.

They do not take ‘the’, except where the abstract noun is made precise. This is a general guideline; unfortunately there are many exceptions.

Example Explanation
International pressure is mounting against
Mugabe.
Pressure (la pression) is abstract; it comes from many countries so it does not become precise here.
In the 70s, many of the problems we faced were national, not global. Here, both the date and the problems are precisely defined.
Theft is a crime. a general idea (theft - le vol)
I reported the theft of my wallet. a precise theft

Compare:

La crise tibétaine figurera aussi en haut des priorités. The Tibetan crisis will also be high on the list of priorities.
La propriété de la terre est reconnue en
Russie mais pas à Moscou.
Land ownership is recognised in Russia but not in Moscow.
Les hostilités ont commencé le 19 juin
2006.
Hostilities began/broke out on 19th June
2006.

3) ‘The’with an adjective

This can define a precise group of people: the rich, the poor, the homeless, the sick, the dead, the old, the young, the French, the English etc. Because you understand that there are more than one of them, the verb must be plural.

The dead were buried in a mass grave (un charnier).

The homeless are more at risk from contagious diseases.

4) Nouns with numbers

When a noun is followed by a cardinal number, it does not take ‘the’. See the section on numbers for examples.

5) Titles in the press

Titles of articles in the press almost always leave out ‘the’. See the section on titles for examples.

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