8

Something which I still couldn't understand is the rule of using "a" in a sentence.

For example:

"As a programmer, I'm responsible for... "

or

"As programmer, I'm responsible for"

Which one is correct?

Improve this question

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
14

When speaking about your profession you always use an article.

Some examples

  1. I am a doctor. ("I am doctor" is incorrect -- so is "As doctor" -- it should be "as a doctor")
  2. He is an engineer.
  3. As a soldier, I have gone through the toughest times in life.
  4. I am telling you this as a friend and not as a brother.
  5. As a father, I know how it must feel.

Let's see some questions

If someone asks you

  1. Are you a programmer? (Here they are asking you a question about your profession)

But when someone asks you

  1. Are you the programmer? (Here they are not asking you about your profession but a specific task that you are working on - like "Are you the one who has designed a particular application?")

Another example

  1. Are you a doctor? (They want to know your profession.)

  2. Are you the doctor? (Here they don't want to know your profession, but they might just be wanting to know whether you are the doctor of a specific patient.)

So when talking about anyone's profession you use an article (a, an, or the depending on the case -- with an exception like when greeting "Good morning, Doctor" here no article used)

Improve this answer
9
  • 6
    You might also mention that there's a distinction between "profession" and "post": "In my capacity as President, I'm responsible for.."
    – CowperKettle
    Nov 20, 2014 at 15:32
  • 1
    certainly. But this question is like 'eternal'. So it might take too many pages to explain it extreme details. Here i just tried to be as brief as possible. @CopperKettle
    – Leo
    Nov 20, 2014 at 16:43
  • "I'm a doctor, not a linguist!" Bones McCoy, probably. But on a serious note, you do not need to have a in there all the time. It depends on the context...
    – corsiKa
    Nov 20, 2014 at 18:02
  • 1
    Also, "Are you the doctor" might not know if you're a doctor or not. They may know there's one doctor on duty and want to know if you're that doctor. You might be a receptionist, or just a dapper looking fellow in a labcoat.
    – corsiKa
    Nov 20, 2014 at 18:08
  • yeah that is correct @corsiKa
    – Leo
    Nov 20, 2014 at 18:13
11

Leo and corsiKa have made excellent distinctions, but I would like to add that

  1. When referring to a profession, you would use an article.

  2. When referring to a title, it only makes sense to neglect the article if the title is unique in the given context. In this case, though, there is an implied "the" article.

    • You would say "As [the] programmer" when addressing the members of a project on which you are the only programmer or in any other situation in which you are the only programmer present.

    • If you are one of multiple programmers in a room, but are in charge of the group, you might say "As [the] lead programmer".

    • If your position is not unique, you can also refer to the group collectively by saying "As [the] programmers".

Improve this answer
5
  • I think your first bullet would still work if you were the only programmer in the meeting you said it in.
    – corsiKa
    Nov 20, 2014 at 18:52
  • 3
    @corsiKa that it would. You certainly could say "As a programmer" if you were the only programmer in the meeting, but you are still referring to your profession, not your title.
    – Luke Willis
    Nov 20, 2014 at 19:14
  • 1
    What I mean is, if you were the only programmer in a meeting, you could say "as programmer".
    – corsiKa
    Nov 20, 2014 at 22:12
  • 1
    @corsiKa Ah, yes. You are correct as your title is indeed unique in that context as well.
    – Luke Willis
    Nov 20, 2014 at 22:16
  • Even if it's unique, I'm wondering if it may more correct to say "As the programmer" or similar. Think of a company meeting, where you might hear "As the CEO, it's my job to..." - which is correct, but over time people have shortened it to "As CEO, it's my job to..."
    – mpontillo
    Nov 20, 2014 at 23:46
-3

Either is acceptable. Consider the following scenario, on a boat.

Sailor: Should we pursue the enemy ship? Or head to base for repairs.

Captain: As captain, I have a duty to protect my crew. We can't go into battle in our current condition. Head back to base.

Now, he could say "As the captain" or even "As a" captain" but he doesn't necessarily have to. The same is true in your programmer scenario. I would say using the article is more popular, but at the same time, when trying to sound more 'prim and proper', the article is often omitted.

Improve this answer
5
  • 5
    The distinction is that in this case captain is not his profession, it is his title or position. Imagine the doctor who has been conscripted to be the royal executioner: As Executioner, it is my duty to shoot this prisoner. As **a** doctor, I cannot take a life.
    – Adam
    Nov 20, 2014 at 18:19
  • If that were the case, it would be as Captain not as captain. Your As a doctor statement is true, you wouldn't say as doctor generally, but remember that programmer is more than the profession in this case. It's also a title.
    – corsiKa
    Nov 20, 2014 at 18:23
  • "Programmer" is not a title.
    – Lightness Races in Orbit
    Nov 20, 2014 at 18:49
  • It is a title, it simply isn't an exclusive or prestigious title. If you have boxes on an org chart for a project, and you get put into the programmer box, your title, in relation to that project, is programmer. And as programmer, you are responsible for ... that stuff, etc.
    – corsiKa
    Nov 20, 2014 at 18:51
  • 2
    consider the following scenario, on a boat. [boards boat] [considers]
    – Luke Willis
    Nov 20, 2014 at 19:18

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .