against the pompous the

Not the band The The - but the way people order in a restaurant. It still sounds pretentious and alien to me. "I'll have the bacon cheeseburger." why not "a bacon cheeseburger"? I can't stand it. Same with "translated from the Spanish". Why? "From Spanish" sounds less pompous.

Comments

[Joshua Macy]

Huh? It sounds perfectly natural to me to use the when selecting something from a list or other small group of choices. Which one of these will you have? I'll have the lemon.

[mitch]

i guess i'm just pompous. i say, "I'd like the Fillet Mignon," not "I'd like a Fillet Mignon"
Why? because i don't want just any fucking fillet mignon--i want THE fillet mignon they serve at THE restaurant i'm at.

On the other hand, one (and even I) might say they'd like "a beer", but certainly not "a wine". perhaps "some wine" would be nice though.

[cher]

I'll have the chagrin. I always say "the" chilean sea bass, curly fries, whichever...

[Ralphie]

i always ask for a coke, and then i say id like a sprite or a big red one.

[badgerbag]

Maybe it's just me that finds it weird!

[laura quilter]

it would be pretty funny if you said "I'll have the coke," because that makes it sound like a non-carbonated substance.

[RJ Mical]

no, it's not just you. using "the" sounds like high talk to me too. but for the life of me i can't say exactly why...

[barak]

"I'll have a glass of red wine."

"I'll have a glass of the 1994 Chateauneuf-du-pape Vieux Telegraphe"

"I'll have the 1994 Chateauneuf-du-pape Vieux Telegraphe"

The "the" indicates a specific drink or dish, whereas "a" indicates any old wine will do. So yes, there is a dash of haughtiness there, but only that that goes with knowing exactly what you want.