@alischinsky@eleder@pgcd@linguistics@anathema_device
It's interesting semantically, too, a proper noun is often understood as already definite and so evades use with a def.art. -or is that a misleading analysis? Is it that, when def.art. is used, the speaker is showing an awareness of other (possible) Nellies or Shanes and making sure we all know it's our acquantance? Ditto with "our" Nellie?