There is a Persian proverb that says, "Where the eagles' wings are broken what can a tiny mosquito do?" (In Persian: Anja ke oghab par berizad / Az pasheye lagharin che khizad?)
One day you may become a national hereo. There may be a moment in your life when literally hundreds of millions of people all over the world watch you with awe and admiration. But if you fail to use the indefinite article "a" properly with your nouns, the sin Iranians frequently commit, you may be slashed for decades. Here is what the media will say about you:
"Armstrong has faced his share of controversy. For decades he was thought to have flubbed his first words spoken on the moon, by dropping the "a" in speaking of a small step "for man."
It was 37 years later that an Australian expert said high-tech analysis of the static-ridden transmission found the missing adjective, and that history should remember Armstrong saying what he had intended: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."
And if you don't believe me go see for yourself: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100803/ts_alt_afp/usspacemoonanniversaryarmstrong_20100803075234
T
3 comments:
How interesting! Actually 'one step for a man' would be the accurate comparison to the word mankind. To say "one step for man" is about the same as saying "one step for mankind." At any rate what a small thing to consider compared to the achievement of the moment. I remember that moment, watching the moon landing on a TV where the image was almost invisible:how things have changed! Fantastic TV transmissions, computers, word processors, cell phones, ipods, digital TV and cameras...and on and on. Would that our social innoavations were as positive and creative as our technical innovations.
Sue
Hi, Sue. Nice to see again.
"A" is such a short and quick word inpronunciation that I think it has really been lost in transmission. I don't think he flubbed.
And even if he had, it would still have been one small blunder for a man and one great leap for man kind.
T
It is easy to see how it could have been lost in translation. We often pronounce a as "uh", as in "I bought uh book." Or sometimes it is pronounced as a as in acorn. More formal English probably prefers the latter, but when one is talking fast, the 'uh' sound is the norm. An is often prounouced as 'n, as "I wanted 'n apple." Again, 'an' with a pronounced as in 'at' is the more formal pronunciation.
Sue
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