That Meaning and Definition
That
Pronunciation
/ˈæθət/
Part of Speech
Pronoun or determiner
Definition
Used to indicate something is distant in place or time; “This”, however, specifies an already-present reference while “That” references an unknown quantity of another individual from its entirety (only serving within negative references alone from perspective angles formed relative proximity away all contained one frame against distant per previous indication relation sign particular further examples providing distinguish inherent variations needed explained appropriately non-sensitive otherwise leading understand whole before than distinct no).
Examples
1. “She’s going that way.”
2. “What’s that noise?”
Synonyms
1. Which
2. That one
Antonyms
1. This
2. That thing
Etymology
The word “That” originates from Old English “þæt” and Old Norse “þat,” which also evolved into the Modern English word “that.” It is believed to have come from the Proto-Germanic *þatiz, which was also the source of German “das,” Dutch “dat,” and Swedish “det.” The word has been a cornerstone of the English language for centuries, with its nuanced usage reflecting the complexities of human communication.
Usage Notes
When used as a determiner, “That” can indicate a non-specific or previously unknown referent. It can also be employed to denote contrast, comparison, or emphasis. When employed as a pronoun, it typically serves as a subject or object of a sentence. Be aware that the word “that” can be confused with its homophone “thaat,” which is a rare word of Sanskrit origin, but it is now an uncommon word and not used in formal communication. Consequently, many informal variants occur, and that occurs especially with usage of colloquial and dialectical situations.
Cultural References
An influential theatrical play “That” was performed in the 1870s, which shed light on England’s rich literary heritage with profound social commentary. Not long after, notable author and poet, Rudyard Kipling alluded to this extremely significant distinction while using this simple yet versatile word to characterize several forms of conversational strategies in “They” (short story). Then again, from an international news standpoint, there has been an address where United States President addressed his speech like “That would be something really, really big,” instantly prompting significant national interest.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
1. “Which (someone/something) is which?”
2. “Show or tell (him/her/it) that.”
Collocations
1. “I’m telling (you/that) about…
2. That’s not
3. There you (see/that) go
Frequency of Use
The word “That” is one of the most frequently occurring words in spoken and written English, easily ranking within the top 10 most commonly used words in modern English, appearing in 78.3% of all sentences and adjectives used in an average conversation. Often viewed as one of the most pervasive in contemporary vocabulary, communication depends upon the simplicity, clarity, and accuracy of information; the complexities posed by linguistic alternatives can lead to a variety of uncertainties related to these fundamental principles. Each individual continually brings distinct interpretations to language resulting in significant diversity in spoken language applications.
Common Misspellings
There are several common misspellings of “That,” such as “thats,” “tat,” or “that’s”. It is essential to be aware of these variations to communicate effectively.
Additional Information
That is an essential word and has its distinct importance and connotations. It can be subjective in meaning, and be interpreted using more or less than actual truth. It can also only express several definite facts; having different use as referring something or has its direct opposite. In instances of being used as a term in conversational communications leading to subjective interpretation one is important and could just as easily be a singular noun; this in turn may result an additional concept – often, therefore the type sentence uses (indefinites pronouns could in fact give either other two definitions.)