the old folks' home

[Ostap]

"Can you imagine what things would be like with Donald Trump at the helm right now? I mean, put aside everything else, have you heard him talk lately? He sounds like he's muttering to himself while sitting under his favorite tree at the old folks' home, after getting his morphine drip topped off."
link with timecode Late Night with Seth Meyers

Hello everyone! What is the meaning of the definite article in the the old folks' home?

 

[jutfrank]

It's essentially the same the as with the bank, the supermarket, the dump, the beach. The idea is (or once was) that each town has only one of these things.

 

[Ostap]

It's essentially the same the as with the bank, the supermarket, the dump, the beach. The idea is (or once was) that each town has only one of these things.

Which means that "a" would also be correct in that sentence, right?

 

[jutfrank]

Which means that "a" would also be correct in that sentence, right?

What do you mean by 'correct'?

I'd say no, it isn't correct since his favourite in his favourite tree tells us that the speaker is using definite noun phrases. However, if you replace his favourite with a, then you may also replace the with an, with the same communicative effect, like this:

... sitting under a tree at an old folks' home

Remember that definite and indefinite articles have fundamentally different meanings, so you can't go trying to replace one with the other.

 

[Ostap]

The reason I suggested "a" with "old folks' home" was that I didn't consider "his favorite tree" to be making the "old folks' home" specific enough.

"... he's muttering to himself while sitting under his favorite tree at an old folks' home."

To me, "an old folks' home" in this sentence described what kind of place his favorite tree is in. Am I wrong?

 

[jutfrank]

To me, "an old folks' home" in this sentence described what kind of place his favorite tree is in. Am I wrong?

You're right that an old folk's home would describe a kind of place, yes, but the original sentence doesn't intend to do that. As I said, the phrase his favourite tree tells us the speaker is specifying the tree and the old folk's home.

 

[5jj]

"... he's muttering to himself while sitting under his favorite tree at an old folks' home."

I see the point jutfrank is makin, but I think your sentence with 'an' is acceptable.

 

[probus]

It's essentially the same the as with the bank, the supermarket, the dump, the beach. The idea is (or once was) that each town has only one of these things.

With respect, I cannot agree. I think a better explanation is that "where he lives" is omitted but understood after old folks' home.