see a/the doctor

I think so, although I'm pretty sure they are interchangeable to a large degree.

Re: see a/the doctor


What who said? Where?




There is no "have to" about it. He can say, "I'm going to see a doctor", or "I'm going to see the doctor", or "I'm going to see Doctor Lee", or "I'm going to see my doctor", just as he pleases.

I'm sure glad I'm not one of your neighbours, Yoong Liat, if you tell them what to say all the time! :wink:



Always use a question mark ("?") at the end of a question.

Hi Contrex

Thanks for your detailed reply.

The 'perceived' part was inadvertently pasted, It has nothing to do wth the question.

As regards the missing question marks, it is again a careless mistake.

Regards

I would just mention a couple of AmE/BrE differences regarding medical treatment:-

1. In BrE if one is treated as an "in-patient" in a hospital, one is said to be "in hospital", while is AmE one is "in the hospital".

2. In BrE, the room where the doctor sees you is called his (or her) "surgery" or "consulting room", but not, as in AmE, his (or her) "office".

Maybe AmE speakers would prefer one of "the doctor" or "a doctor"? In BrE it doesn't really matter, in the situation you outlined. If you and your neighbour both know the doctor, and your neighbour knows you well, he would probably use the doctor's name. But I agree with you about "a" for a non-specified notional doctor and "the" for a known, specific doctor.

If they thought somebody looked or seemed ill, BrE speakers would probably say, "You should see a doctor". If I had been seeing my doctor, and my illness recurred, my wife would say "You should go back to the doctor".

Thanks, Contrex.