A or no article? “He is_____ racist.”
Why in most cases do not put the article "a", when you enter the sentence in the search?
In the example on this site, the article is adding (OALD (American English))
Just enter in the search and you will see that everywhere in different ways.
He is a racist
and
He is not a racist/I'm not a racist
articles zero-article
add a comment |
Why in most cases do not put the article "a", when you enter the sentence in the search?
In the example on this site, the article is adding (OALD (American English))
Just enter in the search and you will see that everywhere in different ways.
He is a racist
and
He is not a racist/I'm not a racist
articles zero-article
add a comment |
Why in most cases do not put the article "a", when you enter the sentence in the search?
In the example on this site, the article is adding (OALD (American English))
Just enter in the search and you will see that everywhere in different ways.
He is a racist
and
He is not a racist/I'm not a racist
articles zero-article
Why in most cases do not put the article "a", when you enter the sentence in the search?
In the example on this site, the article is adding (OALD (American English))
Just enter in the search and you will see that everywhere in different ways.
He is a racist
and
He is not a racist/I'm not a racist
articles zero-article
articles zero-article
edited 3 hours ago
userr2684291
2,58521531
2,58521531
asked 6 hours ago
BoyepBoyep
38028
38028
add a comment |
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
Like so many other words in English (antique, chief, expert, orange, phony, suspect, etc.), "racist" works as both a noun and an adjective.
He is racist. (adjective)
He is a racist. (noun)
Both have approximately the same nuance, but are used differently. As an adjective "racist" can describe actions, concepts, and objects as well as people. Examples:
A racist decision.
A racist doctrine.
A racist document.
The noun "a racist" can only be applied to people, as in "a person who is racist".
Can the word stupid be as a noun? Wikipedia has the meaning (noun informal).
– Boyep
3 hours ago
1
@Boyep that should be asked as a separate question, but I'm surprised it says it's a noun. I can't think of a way to use it as such. Someone else will definitely know more than me though.
– Aethenosity
3 hours ago
@Boyep in this offensive greeting it is used as a noun: "Hello stupid!"
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
@Mr.Mindor Is it possible to use the word with the article?
– Boyep
3 hours ago
@Boyep You'd get much better answers if you ask a separate question.
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
Both are grammatically correct, and the difference is just about what nuance the author wants the sentence to have. They do have slightly different meanings, however. A racist is a person who is racist, which is the state of holding prejudice against a specific demographic. So the sentence "He is racist" is saying "He is prejudiced", whereas the sentence "He is a racist" is saying "He is the type of person who holds prejudices". Both mean approximately the same thing, just going at it from a different angle.
Depending on context, they can imply degrees of prejudice, but this is not intrinsic to the usage. In my experience, being called "a racist" is usually slightly more serious, just because "a racist" usually means they are a wholly racist and hateful person, whereas being called simply "racist" can mean the same thing, or a lesser degree, such as subconsciously fearing a minority even without hateful intention.
add a comment |
You mention entering the phrase into a search. Do you mean a search engine?
If that is the case, then the reason that people often omit articles from internet searches is that they're largely ignored by the search engine itself.
If you type...
He is a racist
...into a search engine, the search engine is going to ignore the 'a' because it appears possibly literally on every website on the internet. In other words searching for...
He is a racist
vs....
He is racist
...will very likely pull up the same search results.
If you add quotation marks, then the engine will search for that exact phrase:
"He is a racist"
...will return all websites where that exact sentence, including the 'a', appears, whereas...
"He is racist"
...will return all websites where that sentence appears.
New contributor
Welcome to ELL.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already, and check out the help center for more guidance. On its own, this answer does not directly answer the question; it seems more like a comment on OP's reasoning.
– V2Blast
49 mins ago
add a comment |
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Like so many other words in English (antique, chief, expert, orange, phony, suspect, etc.), "racist" works as both a noun and an adjective.
He is racist. (adjective)
He is a racist. (noun)
Both have approximately the same nuance, but are used differently. As an adjective "racist" can describe actions, concepts, and objects as well as people. Examples:
A racist decision.
A racist doctrine.
A racist document.
The noun "a racist" can only be applied to people, as in "a person who is racist".
Can the word stupid be as a noun? Wikipedia has the meaning (noun informal).
– Boyep
3 hours ago
1
@Boyep that should be asked as a separate question, but I'm surprised it says it's a noun. I can't think of a way to use it as such. Someone else will definitely know more than me though.
– Aethenosity
3 hours ago
@Boyep in this offensive greeting it is used as a noun: "Hello stupid!"
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
@Mr.Mindor Is it possible to use the word with the article?
– Boyep
3 hours ago
@Boyep You'd get much better answers if you ask a separate question.
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
Like so many other words in English (antique, chief, expert, orange, phony, suspect, etc.), "racist" works as both a noun and an adjective.
He is racist. (adjective)
He is a racist. (noun)
Both have approximately the same nuance, but are used differently. As an adjective "racist" can describe actions, concepts, and objects as well as people. Examples:
A racist decision.
A racist doctrine.
A racist document.
The noun "a racist" can only be applied to people, as in "a person who is racist".
Can the word stupid be as a noun? Wikipedia has the meaning (noun informal).
– Boyep
3 hours ago
1
@Boyep that should be asked as a separate question, but I'm surprised it says it's a noun. I can't think of a way to use it as such. Someone else will definitely know more than me though.
– Aethenosity
3 hours ago
@Boyep in this offensive greeting it is used as a noun: "Hello stupid!"
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
@Mr.Mindor Is it possible to use the word with the article?
– Boyep
3 hours ago
@Boyep You'd get much better answers if you ask a separate question.
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
Like so many other words in English (antique, chief, expert, orange, phony, suspect, etc.), "racist" works as both a noun and an adjective.
He is racist. (adjective)
He is a racist. (noun)
Both have approximately the same nuance, but are used differently. As an adjective "racist" can describe actions, concepts, and objects as well as people. Examples:
A racist decision.
A racist doctrine.
A racist document.
The noun "a racist" can only be applied to people, as in "a person who is racist".
Like so many other words in English (antique, chief, expert, orange, phony, suspect, etc.), "racist" works as both a noun and an adjective.
He is racist. (adjective)
He is a racist. (noun)
Both have approximately the same nuance, but are used differently. As an adjective "racist" can describe actions, concepts, and objects as well as people. Examples:
A racist decision.
A racist doctrine.
A racist document.
The noun "a racist" can only be applied to people, as in "a person who is racist".
answered 5 hours ago
AndrewAndrew
67.9k676150
67.9k676150
Can the word stupid be as a noun? Wikipedia has the meaning (noun informal).
– Boyep
3 hours ago
1
@Boyep that should be asked as a separate question, but I'm surprised it says it's a noun. I can't think of a way to use it as such. Someone else will definitely know more than me though.
– Aethenosity
3 hours ago
@Boyep in this offensive greeting it is used as a noun: "Hello stupid!"
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
@Mr.Mindor Is it possible to use the word with the article?
– Boyep
3 hours ago
@Boyep You'd get much better answers if you ask a separate question.
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
Can the word stupid be as a noun? Wikipedia has the meaning (noun informal).
– Boyep
3 hours ago
1
@Boyep that should be asked as a separate question, but I'm surprised it says it's a noun. I can't think of a way to use it as such. Someone else will definitely know more than me though.
– Aethenosity
3 hours ago
@Boyep in this offensive greeting it is used as a noun: "Hello stupid!"
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
@Mr.Mindor Is it possible to use the word with the article?
– Boyep
3 hours ago
@Boyep You'd get much better answers if you ask a separate question.
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
Can the word stupid be as a noun? Wikipedia has the meaning (noun informal).
– Boyep
3 hours ago
Can the word stupid be as a noun? Wikipedia has the meaning (noun informal).
– Boyep
3 hours ago
1
1
@Boyep that should be asked as a separate question, but I'm surprised it says it's a noun. I can't think of a way to use it as such. Someone else will definitely know more than me though.
– Aethenosity
3 hours ago
@Boyep that should be asked as a separate question, but I'm surprised it says it's a noun. I can't think of a way to use it as such. Someone else will definitely know more than me though.
– Aethenosity
3 hours ago
@Boyep in this offensive greeting it is used as a noun: "Hello stupid!"
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
@Boyep in this offensive greeting it is used as a noun: "Hello stupid!"
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
@Mr.Mindor Is it possible to use the word with the article?
– Boyep
3 hours ago
@Mr.Mindor Is it possible to use the word with the article?
– Boyep
3 hours ago
@Boyep You'd get much better answers if you ask a separate question.
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
@Boyep You'd get much better answers if you ask a separate question.
– Mr.Mindor
3 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
Both are grammatically correct, and the difference is just about what nuance the author wants the sentence to have. They do have slightly different meanings, however. A racist is a person who is racist, which is the state of holding prejudice against a specific demographic. So the sentence "He is racist" is saying "He is prejudiced", whereas the sentence "He is a racist" is saying "He is the type of person who holds prejudices". Both mean approximately the same thing, just going at it from a different angle.
Depending on context, they can imply degrees of prejudice, but this is not intrinsic to the usage. In my experience, being called "a racist" is usually slightly more serious, just because "a racist" usually means they are a wholly racist and hateful person, whereas being called simply "racist" can mean the same thing, or a lesser degree, such as subconsciously fearing a minority even without hateful intention.
add a comment |
Both are grammatically correct, and the difference is just about what nuance the author wants the sentence to have. They do have slightly different meanings, however. A racist is a person who is racist, which is the state of holding prejudice against a specific demographic. So the sentence "He is racist" is saying "He is prejudiced", whereas the sentence "He is a racist" is saying "He is the type of person who holds prejudices". Both mean approximately the same thing, just going at it from a different angle.
Depending on context, they can imply degrees of prejudice, but this is not intrinsic to the usage. In my experience, being called "a racist" is usually slightly more serious, just because "a racist" usually means they are a wholly racist and hateful person, whereas being called simply "racist" can mean the same thing, or a lesser degree, such as subconsciously fearing a minority even without hateful intention.
add a comment |
Both are grammatically correct, and the difference is just about what nuance the author wants the sentence to have. They do have slightly different meanings, however. A racist is a person who is racist, which is the state of holding prejudice against a specific demographic. So the sentence "He is racist" is saying "He is prejudiced", whereas the sentence "He is a racist" is saying "He is the type of person who holds prejudices". Both mean approximately the same thing, just going at it from a different angle.
Depending on context, they can imply degrees of prejudice, but this is not intrinsic to the usage. In my experience, being called "a racist" is usually slightly more serious, just because "a racist" usually means they are a wholly racist and hateful person, whereas being called simply "racist" can mean the same thing, or a lesser degree, such as subconsciously fearing a minority even without hateful intention.
Both are grammatically correct, and the difference is just about what nuance the author wants the sentence to have. They do have slightly different meanings, however. A racist is a person who is racist, which is the state of holding prejudice against a specific demographic. So the sentence "He is racist" is saying "He is prejudiced", whereas the sentence "He is a racist" is saying "He is the type of person who holds prejudices". Both mean approximately the same thing, just going at it from a different angle.
Depending on context, they can imply degrees of prejudice, but this is not intrinsic to the usage. In my experience, being called "a racist" is usually slightly more serious, just because "a racist" usually means they are a wholly racist and hateful person, whereas being called simply "racist" can mean the same thing, or a lesser degree, such as subconsciously fearing a minority even without hateful intention.
answered 5 hours ago
Nathan YoungNathan Young
1,161310
1,161310
add a comment |
add a comment |
You mention entering the phrase into a search. Do you mean a search engine?
If that is the case, then the reason that people often omit articles from internet searches is that they're largely ignored by the search engine itself.
If you type...
He is a racist
...into a search engine, the search engine is going to ignore the 'a' because it appears possibly literally on every website on the internet. In other words searching for...
He is a racist
vs....
He is racist
...will very likely pull up the same search results.
If you add quotation marks, then the engine will search for that exact phrase:
"He is a racist"
...will return all websites where that exact sentence, including the 'a', appears, whereas...
"He is racist"
...will return all websites where that sentence appears.
New contributor
Welcome to ELL.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already, and check out the help center for more guidance. On its own, this answer does not directly answer the question; it seems more like a comment on OP's reasoning.
– V2Blast
49 mins ago
add a comment |
You mention entering the phrase into a search. Do you mean a search engine?
If that is the case, then the reason that people often omit articles from internet searches is that they're largely ignored by the search engine itself.
If you type...
He is a racist
...into a search engine, the search engine is going to ignore the 'a' because it appears possibly literally on every website on the internet. In other words searching for...
He is a racist
vs....
He is racist
...will very likely pull up the same search results.
If you add quotation marks, then the engine will search for that exact phrase:
"He is a racist"
...will return all websites where that exact sentence, including the 'a', appears, whereas...
"He is racist"
...will return all websites where that sentence appears.
New contributor
Welcome to ELL.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already, and check out the help center for more guidance. On its own, this answer does not directly answer the question; it seems more like a comment on OP's reasoning.
– V2Blast
49 mins ago
add a comment |
You mention entering the phrase into a search. Do you mean a search engine?
If that is the case, then the reason that people often omit articles from internet searches is that they're largely ignored by the search engine itself.
If you type...
He is a racist
...into a search engine, the search engine is going to ignore the 'a' because it appears possibly literally on every website on the internet. In other words searching for...
He is a racist
vs....
He is racist
...will very likely pull up the same search results.
If you add quotation marks, then the engine will search for that exact phrase:
"He is a racist"
...will return all websites where that exact sentence, including the 'a', appears, whereas...
"He is racist"
...will return all websites where that sentence appears.
New contributor
You mention entering the phrase into a search. Do you mean a search engine?
If that is the case, then the reason that people often omit articles from internet searches is that they're largely ignored by the search engine itself.
If you type...
He is a racist
...into a search engine, the search engine is going to ignore the 'a' because it appears possibly literally on every website on the internet. In other words searching for...
He is a racist
vs....
He is racist
...will very likely pull up the same search results.
If you add quotation marks, then the engine will search for that exact phrase:
"He is a racist"
...will return all websites where that exact sentence, including the 'a', appears, whereas...
"He is racist"
...will return all websites where that sentence appears.
New contributor
New contributor
answered 2 hours ago
John DoeJohn Doe
101
101
New contributor
New contributor
Welcome to ELL.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already, and check out the help center for more guidance. On its own, this answer does not directly answer the question; it seems more like a comment on OP's reasoning.
– V2Blast
49 mins ago
add a comment |
Welcome to ELL.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already, and check out the help center for more guidance. On its own, this answer does not directly answer the question; it seems more like a comment on OP's reasoning.
– V2Blast
49 mins ago
Welcome to ELL.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already, and check out the help center for more guidance. On its own, this answer does not directly answer the question; it seems more like a comment on OP's reasoning.
– V2Blast
49 mins ago
Welcome to ELL.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already, and check out the help center for more guidance. On its own, this answer does not directly answer the question; it seems more like a comment on OP's reasoning.
– V2Blast
49 mins ago
add a comment |
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