By a Japanese/ By Japanese?

[Gaya87]

Can someone please identify the correct sentence. Thanks.

1) By a Japanese director starring....
2) By Japanese director starring....

 

[ach4124]

1 is right. The word 'Japanese' can be treated as an adjective describing nationality and modifying the word 'director'. Since 'director' is a singular noun, we need to add the indefinite article 'a' in front of it.

 

[emsr2d2]

You need a comma after "director".

 

[Raymott]

You need a comma after "director".

It's hard to be sure without full sentences.
"By a Japanese director starring in his own film, Toyota Mitsubishi has shown that this primarily American habit of dual roles has reached the Land of the Rising Sun."
(I know it's not a quality sentence but it demonstrates the point.)

 

[Gaya87]

1 is right. The word 'Japanese' can be treated as an adjective describing nationality and modifying the word 'director'. Since 'director' is a singular noun, we need to add the indefinite article 'a' in front of it.

Thanks for your explanation. I agree with you on that, however I feel that the second sentence is still good to me without “a”. For instance, “By acclaimed director, Steven Spielberg”, I’m sure we still can accept this. It’s good to go. Then why, the second phrase is wrong which is “By Japanese director starring...”. Can you please explain further, sometime I couldn’t differentiate them. Thanks.

 

[Gaya87]

It's hard to be sure without full sentences.
"By a Japanese director starring in his own film, Toyota Mitsubishi has shown that this primarily American habit of dual roles has reached the Land of the Rising Sun."
(I know it's not a quality sentence but it demonstrates the point.)

Thanks for your kind explanation. How if the sentence as “By a Japanese director starring Seung Woo and Mi Suk Kim”, do we still need to use the comma after “director”?

 

[tedmc]

By a Japanese director starring Seung Woo and Mi Suk Kim”, do we still need to use the comma after “director

This is confusing. Are there one or two directors? Are there one or two roles?
It is better that you give the full sentence.
My guess is, the film is directed by a Japanese director and the stars are Seung Woo and Mi Suk Kim.

 

[ach4124]

Thanks for your explanation. I agree with you on that, however I feel that the second sentence is still good to me without “a”. For instance, “By acclaimed director, Steven Spielberg”, I’m sure we still can accept this. It’s good to go. Then why, the second phrase is wrong which is “By Japanese director starring...”. Can you please explain further, sometime I couldn’t differentiate them. Thanks.

If we change the sentences to be (1) ... by a Japanese director. (2) ... by Japanese/acclaimed director Name, both are right. I have explained (1). As for (2), we use no article with names of people.

 

[Raymott]

Thanks for your kind explanation. How if the sentence as “By a Japanese director starring Seung Woo and Mi Suk Kim”, do we still need to use the comma after “director”?

I've already demonstrated the impossibility of answering properly without a full sentence. Are you missing that point? Nothing you have offered so far is a sentence. Please help us to help you.

 

[Tdol]

If you want a sentence, you could use something like Made by a Japanese director, the film stars Seung Woo and Mi Suk Kim.

 

[Gaya87]

I've already demonstrated the impossibility of answering properly without a full sentence. Are you missing that point? Nothing you have offered so far is a sentence. Please help us to help you.

This sentence is similar as tagline/title form. The full sentence itself is “By a Japanese director starring Seung Woo and Mi Suk Kim!” I hope this will clear up your question sufficiently.

 

[MikeNewYork]

In that phrase, you need the indefinite article "a" before "Japanese". It is not a sentence.

 

[Gaya87]

In that phrase, you need the indefinite article "a" before "Japanese". It is not a sentence.

You mean as "By a Japanese director...", is it?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Yes.

 

[emsr2d2]

You need to see it as a shortened version of "This is a film by a Japanese director, starring XXX and YYY". Note that it doesn't give the name of the director. If it did, the indefinite article would not be required. "This is a film by Japanese director AAA BBB, starring XXX and YYY".

 

[Gaya87]

You need to see it as a shortened version of "This is a film by a Japanese director, starring XXX and YYY". Note that it doesn't give the name of the director. If it did, the indefinite article would not be required. "This is a film by Japanese director AAA BBB, starring XXX and YYY".

This is very useful, thanks for your feedback.

 

[tedmc]

A film/movie is usually introduced by giving the names of the director and the stars. It doesn't sound logical to state only the nationality of the director followed by the names of the stars.

 

[emsr2d2]

Logical? No. Grammatical? Yes.