But leave one out, or put one in an unexpected place, and the effect can be substantial. More on arts and culture in The Atlantic Monthly and Atlantic Unbound. The much-publicized intellectual conflicts of the past decade may have lost their intensity, but they haven't lost their importance. A book like Marjorie Garber's latest reminds us why.
Slavic languages are famous for their lack of articles.
The trait carries over into how some Slavs speak English, and this has long been a target of parody. My country broke. Adding an article before a noun that usually lacks one can bring about a variety of shifts in tone. Sometimes the definite article adds a pretentious note. We all know what culture without an article is.