"is _the_ subject of ongoing research"

[birdeen's call]

The Greek historian Thucydides was the first to relate tsunami to submarine earthquakes, but understanding of tsunami's nature remained slim until the 20th century and is the subject of ongoing research.

Why "the subject"? I'd use "a" if I wanted "subject" as a noun or nothing if I wanted it as an adjective.
PS: Oh, I couldn't use it as an adjective with "of", sorry.

 

[shoaib 1]

Why "the subject"? I'd use "a" if I wanted "subject" as a noun or nothing if I wanted it as an adjective.

we cannot use 'a' because it is a specific subject i.e. 'tsunami' and not a general one. we must use 'the'

 

[Barb_D]

Actually, I find either article okay there.

There are many things being researched and this is A subject of research, among all the others. However, the author is speaking about a specific type of research, so "the " works as well.

I'd actually prefer "the" if it went on to say who and where was researching -- it is the subject of ongoing research by seismologists at the University of Barb.

 

[birdeen's call]

we cannot use 'a' because it is a specific subject i.e. 'tsunami' and not a general one. we must use 'the'

If "tsunami" should have "the", why doesn't it? "To relate tsunami to submarine earthquakes"

But my question wasn't about what stands before "tsunami" but before "subject".

 

[birdeen's call]

Actually, I find either article okay there.

There are many things being researched and this is A subject of research, among all the others. However, the author is speaking about a specific type of research, so "the " works as well.

I'd actually prefer "the" if it went on to say who and where was researching -- it is the subject of ongoing research by seismologists at the University of Barb.

Thanks! It's strange, because no "subject of ongoing research" is mentioned either before or after that, but if that's how you say it, I can only accept... ;-)

 

[Barb_D]

Is "tsunami" the plural of "tsunami"? It should be plural, and I say "tsunamis" but maybe I am ignorant in the plural forms of major natural disasters.

 

[birdeen's call]

Is "tsunami" the plural of "tsunami"? It should be plural, and I say "tsunamis" but maybe I am ignorant in the plural forms of major natural disasters.

I've looked it up and they say it's "tsunamis". But when I read that part I didn't think they meant the plural form. To me, there's no article there because they meant the phenomenon of tsunami.

 

[Barb_D]

Then English grammar would require it to be in the plural.

 

[birdeen's call]

So it should be "tsunamis' nature" too, right?

 

[lauralie2]

Is "tsunami" the plural of "tsunami"?

Well, ... Merriam Webster offers [FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]noun plural tsunamis also tsunami.[/FONT]

I agree with birdeen's call that tsunami doesn't need an article/determiner there--even though it sounds awkward without it.

• tsunami's nature (OK)

 

[lauralie2]

Why "the subject"? I'd use "a" if I wanted "subject" as a noun ... .

While using "a" works, it means one of many:

Understanding the nature of tsunami is a subject of /just one of the many subjects of ongoing research (in that area).


​

Using the, on the other hand, tells us that understanding the nature of tsunami is the main subject of ongoing research. It's definitive, defined, and the reason for "the subject of".

 

[birdeen's call]

While using "a" works, it means one of many:

Understanding the nature of tsunami is a subject of /just one of the many subjects of ongoing research (in that area).


​

Using the, on the other hand, tells us that understanding the nature of tsunami is the main subject of ongoing research. It's definitive, defined, and the reason for "the subject of".

But isn't that nonsense to say that the nature of tsunami is the main subject of ongoing research? I mean, it could be right if the research was anyhow specified, as in Barb's example. But just "ongoing research"? It would mean to me all research in the world...

 

[lauralie2]

But isn't that nonsense to say that the nature of tsunami is the main subject of ongoing research? I mean, it could be right if the research was anyhow specified, as in Barb's example. But just "ongoing research"? It would mean to me all research in the world...

It's the 'understanding' of that nature that is the subject of ongoing research.

I'm not sure I understand your question. Sorry.

 

[birdeen's call]

My question is this. You say we can use "the" in this sentence if we want to say that tsunami is the main subject of ongoing research. But I don't understand how tsunami can be the main subject of ongoing research. What's "ongoing research"? If tsunami is only the "main" subject of it, I understand it's more than just research on tsunamis. But then, I see no other bounds for the meaning of "ongoing research" so I suppose it's just all scientific research that is going on in the world. But it doesn't make any sense, so I don't know what to think about it.