Article: "the" or "a"

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Please read the thread “sentences” where there is this sentence:

Both the speaker and the listener have known the year. (1)

Why there is “the” in front of “speaker” and “listener”? When I write:

Both a speaker and a listener have known the year. (2)

What is the difference in menaing btw (1) and (2)?You think I shoul write “the” or “a”?
What is the rule?

Quoc

2

Hi,

Look at the material I have written on the articles on this site:

ESL Lesson: Articles in English: The vs. A/an
[size=75]http://www.english-test.net/lessons/16/index.html[/size]

Alan