Today marks the 55th Anniversary of mankind’s first steps on another heavenly body–the moon. Neil Armstrong was the first human to make that step, and his first words ring down through history:
That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
The phrasing of this sentence has become iconic, but careful dissection reveals an awkwardness that the sentence has a confusing meaning. The words “small step for man” would make more sense if it read “small step for a man.”
The insertion of the indefinite article “a” gives important meaning to the next word “man” as a singular reference to Armstrong rather than the plural reference to the human race implied without the article. The latter is confusing.
However, Armstrong until his death insisted that he did say “a” and that a communications pause or other glitch masked his pronouncement.
A 2012 article may help illuminate the mystery of the missing “a“. Take a look and read for yourself.
https://www.space.com/17307-neil-armstrong-one-small-step-quote.html