文脈と冠詞の働き

*a six inches diameter circle

【和訳】

直径６インチの円

a six inch diameter circle

【要点】

限定詞と（それが修飾する）名詞との間に名詞句を置く場合、その名詞句を限定詞で修飾したり複数形にすることはできない。Abney (1991).

【類例】

1) *the thousands men [those thousand men] / *the a [one] dozen men [the dozen men] / *a six feet long board [a six foot long board]

2) *a usual [same] time [the usual [same] time] / ?My husband is in prison, not being held as a prisoner. / ?My husband, being held as a prisoner, is in prison. / ?We'll discuss the matters in court, not as part of a trial. / We'll discuss the matters in court as part of a trial. / *I name you a Charles Wilson. [I name you Charles Wilson.]

【出典】

荒木一雄（編）(1996) 現代英語正誤辞典　研究社出版　p. 26.