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In my native language, we can say:
I have dog
Because I don't want to say a dog (one dog, how many dogs) or the dog (that dog, the listener don't care which dog).
p.s. after 3 years later, I have to say, why I ask this question, is I still cannot grasp how to use the right 'article word'. sometimes, a noun will use an article, sometimes, a noun could not(or omit) the article word before it. there aren't a formula for this. So, I have to remember all the time! I feel so frustrate
Well, first of all, we don't need an article before any noun. I can say:
I like dogs.
As to your question of why, the answer is, "because that is how English works".
The articles perform a discourse function, by indicating new and old information. They often evolve from demonstratives (e.g. "this" and "that"). They evolve independently in unrelated languages. Normally, once an article system becomes a part of a language, it is an all-or-nothing thing. This is not unlike a verbal inflection system, a gender system, or a case system; once the system is in place, it is not optional.
Aside from this, there isn't really a more concrete reason for "why" English works this way.
I could just as easily flip this around and say, why does your native language not use articles? To me:
I have dog
Isn't specific enough. Do you have one dog? Multiple dogs? A specific dog?
My point is, different languages have different rules, which make sense to native speakers because that's what they're used to. Consequently languages with different rules make less sense.
In some languages it's not necessary to use articles before a noun. Persian and Turkish are the examples. For example:
I have dog.
It means that I have a dog. So not using an article before a singular noun is similar to using an article. Also they can use other kinds of articles after the noun.
In these languages: I have dog. = I have a dog.
But in some other languages like English and Arabic you should use an article before a noun to make it clear and specific. Otherwise it's not clear for the reader. So I think that depends on the language.
This is not an answer to the question about English articles; but it seems from comments that you may actually be more interested in how to say you keep an unspecified number of dogs. So, some alternative ways one could achieve that:
[Showing someone a photo.] This is my dog Bruno.
I’ve owned dogs for about ten years now.
(This implies you’ve had more than one dog in total, but leaves open how many you own now.)
Oh, damn! I forgot to buy dog food today!
I’m definitely a dog person! I’d get really lonely living without a dog.
English doesn't require an article before a noun. I can write:
Visitors are welcome everyday.
I like pizza.
He knew Latin and Greek.
In English, it is not possible to say you have dogs without to say if it's only one dog, or they are many dogs. Even if you would say I have my dog, that would be interpreted as you have one dog.
after 3 years later, I have to say, why I ask this question, is I still cannot grasp how to use the right 'article word'. sometimes, a noun will use an article, sometimes, a noun could not(or omit) the article word before it. there aren't a formula for this.
There is actually a "formula" for how to use articles in English. There are a set of rules that have evolved for when a definite or indefinite article is appropriate. Yes, there are special cases; but it's not as difficult as say, memorizing the gender of nouns in some Romance languages.
You can determine which article to place in front of almost any noun by answering three questions:
A noun is countable if you can have more than one instance of it. I can have three apples, so apple is a countable noun. Luggage is an uncountable noun. Many words can have different countable and uncountable meanings.
Just ask the question: am I referring to more than one instance of something?
A noun is definite if it is clear what specific thing you are referring to. Otherwise it is indefinite.
After you answer those questions you can determine which article to use with this table:
definite indefinite
countable singular the a, an
countable plural the (don't use an article)
uncountable the (don't use an article)
Notice the rule of thumb: if the noun is definite, use the article the; if it is indefinite it never takes the article the.
Here's some examples given on that University of Toronto page I referenced:
I need to study hardest for the exam that I write next Wednesday.
I have an exam to write this afternoon, and then my summer holiday finally begins.
The exams that I wrote last year were much easier.
Exams are an inescapable fact of life for most university students.
The importance of studying hard cannot be exaggerated.
Do not attach importance to memorizing facts.
There are several special cases in the use of the definite article. I won't go into detail here, but they have to do with special classes of nouns and modified nouns. The rules are actually pretty regular with only a few edge-cases.
A colleague of mine and I created a set of grammar materials when we taught high school. This is an excerpt:
GENERAL STATEMENTS
A general statement is a statement about a category of items in the world. When making a general statement, we do not use an article at all.
- With plurals
When we say, for example, I love dogs, we are making a general statement about a category of animal. When we say, I hate vegetables, we are again making a general statement about a food category. Both of these sentences are general statements with plurals; dogs is a plural noun and vegetables is a plural noun, and we are not referring to any specific dogs or vegetables. We are referring to the category of dogs and vegetables. Thus, we do not use an article.
EXAMPLES OF GENERAL STATEMENTS WITH PLURALS
Cats are unfriendly. There are too many cars on the road. There are pencils for sale at the store. I love to put posters on my wall.
*** o With uncountables**
We also make general statements with uncountable nouns. When we say, I love music, we are making a general statement with an uncountable noun, music. When we say, I hate homework, we are making a general statement with the uncountable noun, homework. In both cases, we are not referring to any specific music or homework so they are considered general statements with uncountables. We, therefore, do not use an article.
EXAMPLES OF GENERAL STATEMENTS WITH UNCOUNTABLES
Information is available at the library. Pollution is destroying the earth. Homework is boring.
SPECIFIED PLURALS AND UNCOUNTABLES
We use the when we have specified the plural or uncountable. In other words, use the when we know exactly which item(s) or object(s) we are discussing.
*** o Specified plurals**
When we say, I love the movies made by Steven Spielberg, we use the because we know which movies. They are the movies made by Steven Spielberg. When we say, the police officers in Richmond are very professional, we use the because we have specified which police officers.
EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIED PLURALS
The boats in Vancouver Harbour are protected from storms. I like to visit the whales in the aquarium. Many people like the activities available in Vancouver. The courses offered at UBC are numerous and varied.
Specified uncountables
When we say, the homework from Math class is easy, we have used the because we have specified which homework. It is the homework from Math class. When we say, the pollution created by the local pulp mill is making people sick, we have used the, because we have specified which pollution. It is the pollution created by the local pulp mill.
EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIED UNCOUNTABLES
The vocabulary from English class seems easy, but it's not. The information that I received from the government is useful. The ice-cream made by my friends is always good. I want to see the jewelry that my friend bought yesterday.
Note: Never use a or an before a plural or an uncountable noun.
SINGLE UNSPECIFIED NOUNS
When we have one item, and we cannot identify and thus specify it, we use a or an in front of it. This is a general statement with a single unspecified noun. When we say, I want to buy a cat, we use a because there is only one cat, and we do not know which cat. In this case, the word cat is a single unspecified noun. When we say, I would like a bike, we use a because there is only one bike, and we do not know which bike it is. In other words, bike is a single unspecified noun. Single unspecified nouns are preceded by a or an.
EXAMPLES OF SINGLE UNSPECIFIED NOUNS WITH “A” OR “AN”
There is a cat on the road. A dog is difficult to care for. May I have a drink please? I do not have a pen. Please bring me a tissue.
SINGLE SPECIFIED NOUNS
When we know exactly which single item we are talking about, it is specified, and we use the in front of it. When we say, the dog that lives next door barks all of the time, we know exactly which dog it is; when we say, I bought the car that John used to own, we know exactly which car it is. Hence, we must use the before the specified noun.
The pen on the floor is mine. The movie that is playing at 10 pm is sold out. The car that is parked under the street lamp is Jack’s.
