Owen

[chrome reef]

Please be patient

Our volunteers look into many questions every day; sometimes it takes them a little while to answer.

Pro tip: you can rename the thread title with `.tr <thread name>`

Make it descriptive, including relevant context, but also to the point. This way you improve your chances of getting a more relevant and specific answer.

[proper ridge]

because you need an article there

[old loom]

why

like when describing people i often see it with the def article but with other things i dont so im confused

[proper ridge]

Gimme a sec I’m looking for the article

In the meantime, do you have examples where it’s not used for inanimate stuff?

[old loom]

bague à intaille

i sthis cause the intaille is not specified?

[proper ridge]

RIght, I can't find the article – it's late over here and I apologise for that. You are right in that the article implies specificity but its specificity is related to the object. For example, is this object specifically defined by a characteristic, like this object is known for having this characteristic, or is this object just feature a characteristic without it being specifically defined by it? Bit of a correction on my part, both of your examples work but they imply different things.
« Les poissons aux reflets argentés » implies that there's a type of fish whose key characteristic is its silvery sheen; it's shared by nothing else in its class.
« Les poissons à reflets argentés » implies that there's some fish whose characteristic is a silvery sheen but it's not defined by it; it's a characteristic but not the characteristic.

[old loom]

was it a lawless french article btw

also your explanation is very informative and has much to think about