grammar - definite vs. none article before abstract concept; again


I reviewed both:



and I still cannot decide. According to the previous post my sentence should be:



If the number of I/Os of my circuit design exceeds the threshold which is required for the fast operation, then ...



This is because I could say "the fast operation of my circuit". But for me it sounds very odd without this extension.


I can leave out the "the"? If there is only a slight difference in the meanings... does it matter?



Answer




If the number of I/Os of my circuit design exceeds the threshold which is required for the fast operation, then ...



strongly suggests contrast with 'the other possibility' (the slow operation).



If the number of I/Os of my circuit design exceeds the threshold which is required for the fast operation of my circuit, then ...



doesn't carry this suggestion. (Leaving out even apparently unimportant bits of sentences increases the scope for misconstruing.)


Since you're looking at a continuum here, I'd leave out the article:



If the number of I/Os of my circuit design exceeds the threshold which is required for fast operation, then ...



Without further context, the exact meaning of 'fast' is not well-defined anyway.


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