[Grammar] Mental Defect?

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Jamiehh

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I read some newspaper:


"His lawyers argued that he was not guilty by reason of mental defect, and a defense psychiatrist testified that Muhammad was delusional."

Shouldn't there be some article before "mental defect", since "defect" is countable?
 

JohnParis

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Good question. Very observant.
In this case, however, "not guilty by reason of mental defect" is a defense term taken from a written penal code. It is a specific term unto itself and no article is necessary.

John
 
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