Re: Shall I use 'the' before an 'of' phrase?

fg wrote:

(see prior articles for full context)

> Thanks I can see the point from Purl Gurl's post. The complete sentence is

> Advanced neuroprosthetic systems must interact directly with remaining parts
> of the nervous system, which may be facilitated by employing biomimetic
> principles to design the prosthetic components.

> However again does the 'of phrase' make any difference in whether or not a
> 'the' should be used?

Are you building a bionic woman? If so and your bionic women are attractive,
flexible, agile and anatomically correct, I will buy a dozen and open a brothel
over in Nevada, a brothel offering safe sex. Typically, a small brothel brings
ten-million to fifteen-million dollars a year with a fifty percent net profit margin.

My polite suggestion is to create two sentences. This is, remove
your comma. Your current structure creates too much confusion
for a reader.

"...may be facilitated...." This phrase points back to four prior notions. A reader
cannot be sure which is the correct notion. A reader can make sense after two
or three scans of your sentence. Nonetheless, you don't want to burden readers,
especially if a sales pitch.

systems <-- may be facilitated
interact <-- may be facilitated
remaining parts <-- may be facilitated
nervous system <-- may be facilitated


"Advanced neuroprosthetic systems must interact directly with remaining parts
of the nervous system. This interaction may be facilitated by employing biomimetic
principles to design the prosthetic components."

My use of "this" can be replaced with "that" but creates harshness, and awkwardness.

Use "this" when referring back to a thing which is nearby, literally.

Use "that" when referring back to a thing which is distant, literally.

A guideline is when your object of "this" is in the same paragraph, is within
a few sentences and context has not changed dramatically, use "this."
Your object is fresh in a reader's mind and your reader will associate
"this" quickly and comfortably with your object. "This" is a soft, smooth
word which feels good on a tongue, spoken or thought.

For use of "that" this applies when your object you are referring back to
is in a previous paragraph, or context has changed a lot. Be careful.
If context is changed a lot over sentences or paragraphs. Do not use
"this" nor "that" but rather use the name of your object; interaction.
Our word "that" is harsh, not comfortable on your tongue. Avoid using
"that" when you can; harsh word.

This - object is literally physically close in your writing.
That - object is literally some distance away in your writing.


> However again does the 'of phrase' make any difference in whether or not a
> 'the' should be used?

(original context is should there be a "the" in front of "remaining")

"...must interact directly with remaining parts of the nervous system...."

No. "of the nervous" has no control over "remaining" in your sentence.

Your "of" is directly nailed to "nervous" and has no effect on previous objects.

You will want to use "the remaining parts" when those parts are _special_
in some way. Those remaining parts must be distinct and different from
all other parts. You need a good reason to slip "the" in there.

Do not use "the" when reasonably possible. Too often, writers use "the"
to a point of overkill. A reader will become annoyed reading "the" too much.
In stylistic writing, "the" is a forbidden word, _the_ number one forbidden word.

Notice how uncomfortable is my above paragraph? There are too many "the"
in there and your tongue objects. Underlining is used to highlight _the_ usage
is to make "number one" very special, very different. Usage is then correct.

Now you understand why some readers ask for "full context" from you.

Purl Gurl
.

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