Author: Boris Norman
Published in Slavyanski dialozi, XX, 2023, 32.
Abstract: The following article examines the secondary and additional functions performed by the definite article in Bulgarian texts. It highlights difficult and ambiguous cases in the use of the article form. It provides examples of new lexical meanings which the noun receives through the addition of an article (много – многото, през ден – през деня, etc.). The syntactic function of the article receive special attention as its presence or absence allows us to distinguish some parts of the sentence from others, such as subject or definition, adverbial modifier or definition, and so on. The study engages with different points of view presented in the works of L. Andreychin, St. Stoyanov, Sv. Ivanchev, and others. It draws examples from Bulgarian fiction and scientific texts. The main idea posits that the general grammatical potential of this language is realized in the internal relations that connect the category of definiteness with othercategories (number, time, degree, etc.).
Key words: Bulgarian language, grammar, definite article, syntactic function