If I say---
I have a
black and white dog.
I mean a dog that is party black and partly white.
But if I say---
I have a
black and a white dog.
I mean two dogs, one black and the other white.
Hence when two or more adjectives quality the same noun, the
Article is used before the fast adjective only, but when they quality different
nouns, expressed or understood, the article is normally used before each
adjective.
Compare:--
1. The
Secretary and Treasurer is absent.
2. The
Secretary and the Treasurer are absent.
The first sentence clearly indicates that the posts of
Secretary and Treasurer are held by one person.
The repetition of the article in the second sentence
indicates that the two posts are held by two different persons.
Hence we see that when two or more connected nouns refer to
the same person or thing, the Article is ordinarily used before the first only
; but when two or more connected nouns refer to different persons or things,
the article is used before each.
Also
examine the following sentences:---
Sir
Surendranath was a great orator and statesman.
There are
on the committee among others a great economist and a great lawyer.
In expressing a comparison, if two nouns refer to the same
person or thing, the article is used before the first noun only; as,
He is a
better mechanic than clerk.
He is a
better poet than novelist.
He is a
better thinker than debater.
He would
make a better engineer than lawyer.
But if they refer to different persons or things, the
Article must be used with each noun; as,
He is a
better mechanic than a clerk (would make )
He would
make a better statesman than a philosopher (would make )
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