Articleless

Articleless is a term used to describe text or languages in which definite or indefinite articles (the, a, an) are absent. It can refer to two related phenomena: languages that lack articles as part of their standard grammar, and stylistic or register-based usages in languages that normally require articles where speakers or writers omit them in specific contexts. In languages that have no articles, definiteness and count are typically expressed through other means such as demonstratives, numerals, or contextual cues.

Several well-known languages are described as articleless because they do not mark definite or indefinite articles in their syntax. Examples include Russian, Chinese, and Japanese, among others. In these languages, the absence of articles is a grammatical default, and definiteness or specificity is conveyed through word order, demonstratives, or context rather than a separate article marker. When such languages are described in contrast to English, learners must rely on context and alternative devices to signal referents.

In English and other article-bearing languages, articleless usage often appears in specific styles. Headlines, telegraphic writing, and certain slogans or poems may omit articles for concision or impact, as in "Government approves budget" or "Hope springs eternal." This zero-article style is sometimes described as anarthrous in linguistic terms, a concept borrowed from the study of languages that use articles sparingly or not at all.

Overall, articleless usage highlights how languages encode information about definiteness, count, and focus through systems other than articles, and how stylistic choices can alter the presence of articles in writing.