phrasesword-choice
I want to quote something from a song and say something like "this is just like in this song." What is the correct phrasing between the following sentences?
But, as song says, "now you have it, now you don't."
But, as THE song says, "now you have it, now you don't."
Based on some answers I added an extra question.
Would the following sentence be more correct?
But, just like in the song, "now you have it, now you don't"?
To "remember the lyrics of a song," expresses the idea of lyrics being a characteristic, or possession:
As though lyrics are a characteristic of a song, and you're asking whether one knows that characteristic, or as though this particular song contains a set of lyrics, and you're asking whether one knows the lyrics the song contains, thereby asking whether one "knows the lyrics of the song."
To "remember the lyrics to the song," would express the idea of a connection, showing that with this particular song, comes a set a lyrics connected. Asking whether one remembers the lyrics to the song, would be the same idea as asking whether one knows the lyrics that comes with the song.
They'll both do you justice, but some may be more favourable than others depending on your preferences. For example, asking whether one knows "the brand to this monitor" sounds a bit odd, at least to me.
Hope this helps.
Recursive is the correct answer, in my opinion.
I have considered recursive, but does that necessarily imply self-referentiality? I don't think it would imply an infinite process either.
By definition, recursion is self-referential, isn't it?
The number one definition you linked on wiktionary:
- drawing upon itself, referring back.
Recursion can be infinite:
If you wanted to be more specific, you could say that The Song That Never Ends is an infinitely recursive children's song.
Best Answer
You are referring to a particular song, so you have to use the definite article
You would not use the article if you were talking more in general, for instance: