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Is it grammatically correct to use an indefinite article "a" twice in the following sentence:

Sean is a coward and a psychopath.

There is a previous question about a definite article the, "Is it necessary to use “the” multiple times?", but it doesn't seem to answer my question.

Community
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user141202
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    You forgot a ? at the end. :p – ralph.m Dec 16 '15 at 08:13
  • Sorry I don't get u – user141202 Dec 16 '15 at 08:17
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    What makes you think there is an error? And show some respect for the community by using Standard English. Is it so hard to type you instead of u? If you don't have enough time for two more characters, why should anyone spend their time answering your question? – A.P. Dec 16 '15 at 08:22
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    @A.P. Don't be too harsh on the OP. :-) –  Dec 16 '15 at 08:24
  • @A.P. I second Rathony. Your first question is exactly on point, and it's fair to point out that posting standards here different from those that govern texting and tweeting. But do you really feel disrespected? Even if the answer is yes, consider that 141202 might have intended none. – deadrat Dec 16 '15 at 09:17
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    @deadrat I don't feel disrespected, but the question and the ensuing comments on the part of the OP seem to indicate a fundamental lack of research and effort. Be it effort of crafting a good question, going through the FAQ, using a spellchecker, or putting commas where they obviously belong. And that is not a Good Thing. – A.P. Dec 16 '15 at 09:28
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    There's no question mark, (?) at the end of your question, that is what ralph.m was saying. – Mari-Lou A Dec 16 '15 at 09:38
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    You need to explain "why" you are asking. Did someone tell you there was an error? Who was this person, a teacher, a friend, a non-native speaker etc. Do you think there is an error, why? The question needs more "meat", it's boring without any context. Also, the question title is very direct, so it sounds rude to native speakers, as if you're ordering them to give you an answer. In life, first impressions count (unfortunately). – Mari-Lou A Dec 16 '15 at 09:41
  • @A.P. I don't either, but only one of us accused 141202 of not showing enough respect. I'm in favor of the Good Things you mention, and I'm also in favor of Good Ways of pointing them out. By the way, 141202 only made one "ensuing" comment, an effort I'd guess won't be repeated. – deadrat Dec 16 '15 at 09:58
  • By the way, I am not a downvoter. – deadrat Dec 16 '15 at 09:58
  • @deadrat Why "accuse"? Why not "state the obvious"? One definition of respect is willingness to show consideration or appreciation. And I didn't see any. The comment the OP made in response only strengthened the initial poor impression. "It's not me, it's the mean guy who 'can't answer'". Would you have objected if I had written "show some willingness to appreciate the effort on the part of community by checking your spelling and reading the FAQ"? – A.P. Dec 16 '15 at 10:37
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    @A.P. Because in my judgment it's best not to read people's minds from their text. Especially the minds of posters who may be unfamiliar with the language. Willingness, consideration, respect, and appreciation are all attitudes that I find hard to infer reliably from words on the screen. I express this simply as my standard, one that I'm sure that I, myself fail to abide by at times, and one that I have no standing to impose upon you. I wouldn't even if I did. As they say, YMMV. – deadrat Dec 16 '15 at 10:47
  • @deadrat Thank you for sharing that. I think I overreacted somewhat. I appreciate your comments. – A.P. Dec 16 '15 at 11:01
  • I changed the question so that it could be closer to being On-Topic and voted to reopen it. –  Dec 16 '15 at 12:11
  • Your question is reopened. Please try to understand how you could write an *on-topic* question comparing your original question with the edited one. It is not that difficult. Good luck! :-) –  Dec 16 '15 at 12:51

3 Answers3

2

Who says (said) there is (was) an error? Sounds pretty OK to me.

With more words and perhaps a bit more force, you could say,

Sean is both a coward and a psychopath.

Or,

Sean is at the same time a coward and a psychopath.

Or,

Sean is a cowardly psychopath.

Or,

Sean is, at the same time, a coward and a psychopath.

Or,

Sean is characterized by cowardice and psychopathology [in the sense of abnormal, maladaptive behavior or mental activity.

Or,

Sean is an odd mixture of cowardice and psychopathology.

Or,

I would characterize Sean as a cowardly psychopath.

rhetorician
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  • How does the first sentence without both sound, i.e. Sean is a coward and a psychopath? The OP might have been taught to omit the second *a*. –  Dec 16 '15 at 08:38
  • Is the use of second a wrong in the sentence? – user141202 Dec 16 '15 at 11:45
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There's nothing wrong with repeating the article.

We have several phrases in English that do this, and they are well accepted:

  • An officer and a gentleman
  • A gentleman and a scholar
  • A blessing and a curse

In rhetoric, the intentional repetition of a word for emphasis is called anaphora.

http://www.bing.com/search?q=anaphora&qs=n&form=QBRE&pq=anaphora&sc=8-8&sp=-1&sk=&ghc=1&cvid=F8C1597527ED480CB08401F4FE8E6F27&adlt=strict

This appears to be a version of this device whose purpose is to emphasize the equality of the two qualities bestowed upon the person or thing described.

Steven Littman
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Technically, it must be; 'Sean is a coward and psychopath'. In this sentence we're referring to only one person who is both a coward and a psychopath.

Zeeshan Asrar
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    What technicality are you citing? And why doesn't it apply to "who is both a coward and a psychopath"? – deadrat Dec 16 '15 at 09:11
  • I want to know it too. – user141202 Dec 16 '15 at 11:46
  • So in the movie "An Officer and a Gentleman", the officer. and the gentleman were two different people? I missed that completely – Peter Shor Dec 16 '15 at 12:58
  • @PeterShor That's a very interesting example. As far as I understood it from watching the movie, I don't think an Officer and a Gentleman necessarily mean the same guy. Hmm... I am NOT sure... –  Dec 16 '15 at 13:04
  • @Rathony: "An officer and a gentleman" is an old idiom in English, and they generally mean the same person. From 1840 Google Books "but recollect, Peter, that you are an officer and a gentleman". So I naturally assumed they were both Richard Gere in the movie, but I think you're right ... it's possible that they're not. – Peter Shor Dec 16 '15 at 14:13
  • @PeterShor I am really not sure. I think you are right. I asked this question in Movies Stackexchange and the answer seems to confirm your idea. I am planning to watch it myself. :-) –  Dec 16 '15 at 14:50