He is the man whom we all admire.

[Grablevskij]

He is the man whom we all admire.

Is the article correct? In the keys to the textbook given is an indefinite article.
I suppose that it is hardly likely that a group of people admire several people.

 

[jutfrank]

An indefinite article makes more sense in this limited context.

It's not usually very useful to talk about 'correctness' in the case of article usage because it's really about meaning.

 

[Grablevskij]

Could you clarify why do you think like that?
Does it have a classifying attribute (whom we all admire)?
Or is it just int the centre of communication, which usually implies an indefinite article?
Or some other reason?

 

[Rover_KE]

He is the man whom we all admire.

I suppose that it is hardly likely that a group of people admire several people.

On the contrary: it's hardly likely they admire only one person.

I'd say 'He is a man (whom) we all admire'.

 

[Tarheel]

What do you mean by "centre of communication"?

 

[Grablevskij]

So. Is the attribute to the noun (whom we all admire):
1. Classifying (case of the indefinite article).
Excluded: 2. Individualizing (case of the definite article).
3. Descriptive (doesn't influence the choice of an article)?

 

[GoesStation]

So. Is the attribute to the noun (whom we all admire):
1. Classifying (case of the indefinite article).
Excluded: 2. Individualizing (case of the definite article).
3. Descriptive (doesn't influence the choice of an article)?

Nearly all native speakers go through their entire lives not knowing how to formulate such a question, much less answer it. This has no effect on our mastery of the language or our ability to use it. You're welcome to pursue it out of interest, but I don't think it will help you learn English.

 

[probus]

Native speakers of a language have no need for rules, of course. But I think rules can be somewhat helpful for learners. To take a personal example, in Spanish I have a mnemonic that helps me choose between ser and estar.

 

[Grablevskij]

What do you mean by "centre of communication"?

I mean focus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focus_(linguistics)).

They were sent to a conference in May.
They were sent to the conference in May.

The focus is marked bold.

 

[GoesStation]

Native speakers of a language have no need for rules, of course. But I think rules can be somewhat helpful for learners. To take a personal example, in Spanish I have a mnemonic that helps me choose between ser and estar.

I know quite a few rules about French grammar, gender, and pronunciation. There's no doubt that many of them help me appear relatively fluent. But delving too deeply into rules poses a serious risk of getting lost in the weeds (look up the idiom if it's unfamiliar). You have to strike a happy medium (ditto).

 

[jutfrank]

So. Is the attribute to the noun (whom we all admire):
1. Classifying (case of the indefinite article).
Excluded: 2. Individualizing (case of the definite article).
3. Descriptive (doesn't influence the choice of an article)?

I'm not certain I understand the options you've listed so I'll avoid those terms.

I'd call the attribute 'defining' (which I think is what you're calling 'classifying') in both cases, i.e., with both definite and indefinite articles. The difference, simply put, is that they respectively yield a definite and indefinite noun phrase.

This thread is going to get very confused very quickly if we don't properly understand the terms we use. I think your question is really at the heart of the general and basic difference between definite and indefinite articles.

I'll also add that you should forget about focus when trying to understand this.