Need help with articles: URGENT

[White Hat]

I'm translating a book from Russian into English. Here is a line I need help with:

Gromyko proposed Gorbachev for the post of a new General Secretary, a candidacy endorsed by all subsequent speakers.


I need you to tell me if my choice of articles is correct here. If it's not, please correct me. Thank you very much.

 

[bhaisahab]

I'm translating a book from Russian into English. Here is a line I need help with:

Gromyko proposed Gorbachev for the post of a new General Secretary, a candidacy endorsed by all subsequent speakers.


I need you to tell me if my choice of articles is correct here. If it's not, please correct me. Thank you very much.

I would write it like this: Gromyko proposed Gorbachev for the post of General Secretary, a candidacy endorsed by all subsequent speakers.

 

[White Hat]

Dear bhaisahab, I really appreciate your help. I need that "a new General Secretary" part. Can I keep the 'a' or should I use 'the'?

 

[White Hat]

I guess I'm getting it now. Should I write 'proposed Gorbachev's candidacy as a new General Secretary'?

 

[bhaisahab]

I guess I'm getting it now. Should I write 'proposed Gorbachev's candidacy as a new General Secretary'?

In that case, use "the".

 

[White Hat]

I appreciate your help, Sir. I just wonder HOW you, native speakers, always manage to establish which article to use! Do you arrive at your conclusions through logic or based on what you've heard/read/seen, or a bit of both?

 

[bhaisahab]

I appreciate your help, Sir. I just wonder HOW you, native speakers, always manage to establish which article to use! Do you arrive at your conclusions through logic or based on what you've heard/read/seen, or a bit of both?

In this case, there is only one General Secretary.

 

[White Hat]

Yes, I got it now, Sir! If there were several general secretaries, then, indeed, we'd use 'a'. This is pure logic. Wonderful!