[Grammar] the idiot

[Fagin]

In the Bleak Midwinter, by Julia Spencer-Fleming

Another thump, more crunching, several whoops almost drowning out the stifling beat of the bass. Dvorak's hand froze on the door handle. The idiot. He was the idiot.

Why is it not 'an idiot'?

 

[Fagin]

Apparently, prior to this passage there were some comments made about someone else being an idiot. But now Dvorak realizes that he himself​ is the idiot.

Thanks for trying to help me but this is not the case. Unfortunately it can't be seen at the link I provided first but there are only two pages before - it's chapter 1, the very beginning of the book. Here's another link should anybody want to read it:

https://books.google.com/books?id=N...&cad=0#v=onepage&q="he was the idiot"&f=false

No other idiots of any kind.

 

[andrewg927]

The passage right before the one you quoted includes "the idiot".

 

[Fagin]

The passage right before the one you quoted includes "the idiot".

Yes. And that's about himself again and not 'an idiot'. According to your logic there must be yet another idiot, 'an idiot' - but there's no more.

 

[Fagin]

'The idiot' in the earlier paragraph appears to refer to the other driver.

No. He is the only one in the car.

And even if it applied to another driver I would ask you why he is 'the idiot'.

 

[Fagin]

I meant the driver of the other car.

Probably. But than why that one is 'the idiot' and not 'an idiot'.

 

[emsr2d2]

Probably. But [STRIKE]than[/STRIKE] then why is that one [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] 'the idiot' and not 'an idiot'?

I can't get the links to work so I can't comment on the contents but please see my corrections to you most recent post above.

 

[Fagin]

I can't get the links to work so I can't comment on the contents

The first one should work and I fixed the second. I copy it here for convenience:

https://books.google.com/books?id=N...&cad=0#v=onepage&q="he was the idiot"&f=false

If it doesn't work here's the simplest possible but you will have to navigate yourself:

https://books.google.com/books?id=NTKSGZOLM2AC

but please see my corrections to you most recent post above.

Thank you very much!. These are my two common errors. Probably I didn't double-check it this time.

 

[Raymott]

"The idiot" occurs first in the previous paragraph. It refers to the guy who backed his car out in front of Emil. Emil thinks he should go and check out whether anyone needs help, and says he'll sue the guy into next week - "The Idiot." He's assuming that it was an accident. He was going to get out and approach the perpetrator.
The guy has been referred to already. So it's OK to write, "And he backed straight into me, the idiot!"

In the next paragraph, Emil realizes that the guy did it intentionally as part of his queer-baiting. He was about to go and check that everything was OK. So, he was the idiot, because he misread the situation (and for other reasons, such as driving off when he knew these people were around).

 

[Fagin]

"The idiot" occurs first in the previous paragraph. It refers to the guy who backed his car out in front of Emil.

Looks like you have read those two pages and we can talk positively. Thank you.

The guy has been referred to already. So it's OK to write, "And he backed straight into me, the idiot!"

I do not understand this. The only time he mentions the guy is this two words:

Better go see if anyone needed any medical attention before he took down the driver's insurance and sued him into next week. The idiot.

He didn't identify the guy is a yahoo from the first incident yet. And then this is an appellation - idiot - used first time. Can I say:

Here's John. He is the engineer.

I've already mentioned him as John. So it is correct to say 'the engineer'. True?

 

[Raymott]

No you can't say "Here's John. He is the engineer" - unless an engineer has been mentioned.
You can say, "John built a bridge that fell down after two weeks - the idiot!" "An idiot" doesn't work. "Idiot" by itself could work. In the book, "the driver" is mentioned first. (It's available on Amazon to read the first few chapters.)
Such epithets take 'the' or a zero article:
"Since she became famous, she won't talk to us ordinary people - diva!"
"He drove up to the house and did a 360 degree screechy before ending flush to the curb outside our house - the poser!"
"My first husband left me without a penny, the bastard."

 

[Fagin]

You can say, "John built a bridge that fell down after two weeks - the idiot!" "An idiot" doesn't work.

That's news to me.

It's available on Amazon to read the first few chapters.

What about the links in my posts? Can you read the text on Google Books?

Such epithets take 'the' or a zero article:
"Since she became famous, she won't talk to us ordinary people - diva!"
"He drove up to the house and did a 360 degree screechy before ending flush to the curb outside our house - the poser!"
"My first husband left me without a penny, the bastard."

I think I'm beginning to understand, nay, feel it. Thank you!

 

[Raymott]

That's news to me.
Yes, you can learn new things every day here.

What about the links in my posts? Can you read the text on Google Books?
No, I can't. I tried, but knowing that Amazon usually allows you to look at the first few pages, I copied the title there.

See above.