THE threat or threat

[Freeguy]

What's the reason that we use "the" before threat in this sentence? In dictionaries we wouldn't see that "threat" comes after "the".

Many species of animals are under the threat of a reduction in numbers.

 

[Tarheel]

That sentence has no context. Having said that, it seems to me that the use of "the" there is optional. (You can use it or not.)

 

[emsr2d2]

Even without context, I find the use of "the" there very unusual and unlikely. The standard phrase is "under threat of". That is not to say that "under the threat of" is not possible. In a differently constructed sentence, that is perfectly possible.

 

[Raymott]

In dictionaries we wouldn't see that "threat" comes after "the".

It's not a dictionary's function to state whether "the" should precede "threat" or not. You won't find dictionaries telling you that "threat" doesn't come after "the" either. Whether any word should be preceded by "the" or not is part of the context in which the writer uses it. A dictionary can't know that. (Note I'm referring to normal words like 'threat'. A dictionary might tell you that 'the' comes before some titles, like "Queen".)

 

[MikeNewYork]

I would use "the" there because it is a specific threat.

 

[Boris Tatarenko]

Despite I'm not a teacher nor a native speaker, I'd use "the". I was surprised when I read post #3.
Can I say it's a difference between AmE and BrE?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Possibly. But one does not have to go global to find differences of opinions about article usage.

 

[Raymott]

Can I say it's a difference between AmE and BrE?

On the basis of one opinion from each? I hope you wouldn't make such a leap as that. Being "under threat" is a common collocation. If the sentence has read "Many species of animals are under threat from human activity" then 'the' would sound strange. (And no, it's not solely due to change of following adverb from 'of' to 'from'.)

 

[Boris Tatarenko]

I said that because I'm sure I came across with "under the threat" when I was in the US. I'd better go for "under threat" now.

 

[Raymott]

I'd better go for "under threat" now.

I'd advise you to wait for a context and make your decision then. If you want to say that your house is under threat from a bushfire (wildfire), then 'the' is wrong. If a person asks you "What threat?", you have to say "the ... threat ... "
There's nothing special about this word "threat" - it takes 'the' before it in contexts where 'the' is needed, just like any other normal noun.

 

[MikeNewYork]

In Raymott's sentence, I wouldn't use the article either. But in the sentence: "Many species of animals are under the threat of extinction" I would. Without the article, it would sound strange (to me).