Is it OK to add or omit an indefinite article about job titles and positions?

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I am going to make up three sentences below.

(1) The employer wants to change the title of (an) accountant slightly in the job ad.

(2) In his capacity as (an) accountant, he is required to travel abroad.

(3) He wants to apply for the position of (a) cashier.

As non-native English speakers, my friends and I think the sentences are all OK with or without an indefinite article.

Please give us your opinion. Thanks a lot.

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Type: Question • Score: 2 • Views: 696 • Replies: 11

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You would be unlikely to hear or see sentences one and three from a native speaker. Sentence two is fine the way it is. Sentence one makes no sense. If the person acts as an accountant, then the job title would be accountant. To change the job title would be, effectively, to advertise for a different position. Perhaps you mean this: The employer wants to change the job description for accountant slightly in the job ad.

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@ansonman,

"...without indefinite articles."

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I know you didn't ask for editing, but I would change 1 and 3 to:

1) The employer wants to change the title of the ad for the accountant position.

(2) In his capacity as (an) accountant, he is required to travel abroad.

(3) He wants to apply for the cashier position.

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@ansonman,

In example (1) Our employer he has apparently fielded an ad, perhaps not yet published but is for some reason unsatisfied with a title he has used, so wishes to change it. The implication of 'an' is that the ad hopes to gain the attention of several different kinds of accountant, but that he's unsatisfied with just one of the titles

I could find maybe three other interpretations of (1) but hope for additional input from Man, Con, Oss, Cen, or Eng; if not Blue, Mac, FBM, Rag, or Tutov; if not rundowns on (2) and (3)

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@ansonman,

ansonman wrote:

(1) The employer wants to change the title of (an) accountant slightly in the job ad.

This is unlikely. It's not the title of an accountant (a person), surely, that the employer wants to change? The title of an advertisement announcing a vacancy for an accountant (or an accountant vacancy)?

I suspect that (2) and (3) may apply especially in British English:

ansonman wrote:

(2) In his capacity as (an) accountant, he is required to travel abroad.

The indefinite article can be omitted.

ansonman wrote:

(3) He wants to apply for the position of (a) cashier.

The indefinite article can be omitted.

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@centrox,

Quote:

... not the title of an accountant ...that the employer wants to change [but] ... of an advertisement announcing a vacancy ....?

Yea Cen that's one of 44 different 'terp's that rushed thru my busied old cranium, in spite of the Alzie's

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I see that idiots come here
My post was absolutely accurate and correct.

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@centrox,

Quote:

I see that idiots come here

As your comment follows one of mine, and some do consider me an idiot, and since you didn't include an add., I hoped you didn't mean me

But if you did, rest assured I meant no crit of any sort at any time

1 Reply

@dalehileman,

dalehileman wrote:

Quote:
I see that idiots come here
As your comment follows one of mine, and some do consider me an idiot, and since you didn't include an add., I hoped you didn't mean me

But if you did, rest assured I meant no crit of any sort at any time

I meant whoever voted me down.

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@centrox,

perhaps it was voted down because the person didn't want to see the screenshot.

you are assuming malicious intent where there may not be any...

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@centrox,

Quote:

I meant whoever voted me down.

Ah I see. I don't 'mem' ever havin' voted anyone down, but I hardly blame you for the reaction

Still it's never been entirely clear to me what's the effect, instead of clicking on the red down-arrow, of deleting an entry in a postin' listing

Some say it's okay, some not

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Is it OK to add or omit an indefinite article about job titles and positions?

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