If a language has a grammaticalized indefinite article, it is likely to also have a definite article, while the reverse does not necessarily hold true.
Standardized
IF there is an indefinite article, THEN there is also a definite article.
The reverse generalization — that languages with definite articles also have indefinite ones — is supported by less than 40% of the languages surveyed (Heine 1997: 69).
The reverse generalization — that languages with definite articles also have indefinite ones — is supported by less than 40% of the languages surveyed (Heine 1997: 69).