Trouble in The Gambia… war in The Yemen… what makes a country become a definitive article? The Sudan wasn’t called such (originally) to separate it from any of the other Sudans. The Oman? Not sure The USA falls into this category though (but I’m no lexicographer). Any ideas?
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slotbadger says
I am not sure when this definitive article was dropped, but I can’t ever remember anyone recently referring to “The” Lebanon.
I do like the archaic use of the definitive use for certain London streets and roads, though.
duco01 says
Oh yes – the King’s Road, the Old Kent Road, the Edgware Road. Good stuff.
Gatz says
‘the Strand’
fentonsteve says
‘ave a banana
John Walters says
Must do that.
Moose the Mooche says
Apparently you’re never alone with one.
Moose the Mooche says
A banana, I mean
hubert rawlinson says
The street with the definite article.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bishops_Avenue
cleanersvenus says
High Street Kensington.
GCU Grey Area says
Mornington Crescent. . .
Dogbyte says
All you wanted to know about this subject and more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18233844
Clive says
Thanks. But if The Gambia is short for The Republic of Gambia why isn’t The Iran used because Iran is short for Islamic Republic of Iran? But I get the jist though.
Dogbyte says
History, I guess, Iran was Iran before it was an Islamic republic.
Bingo Little says
You don’t ask a serious musician to play I Ran.
Baron Harkonnen says
I once saw the original singer from `A Flock Of Seagulls` sing his hit at a karaoke in a pub in Liverpool. Twas a couple of years ago, his hair is gone now, must have flew off.
Moose the Mooche says
I say, what’s that on the lawn! Pass me shotgun old son, I’ll see if I can’t pick the blighter orf….
attackdog says
Of course you wouldn’t. In this day and age any ‘serious’ musician would dub it iRan.
GCU Grey Area says
The Yes.
thegrauniad.
MyAmericanMate says
Seems there are only two countries which officially include ‘The’ in their name. There I was thinking it was THE United Kingdom of etc etc. T’aint.
The Gambia and The Bahamas The former was named after the Portuguese name for ‘The River Gambia’ hence The Gambia. Also, their independence came on the heels of Zambia’s shrugging off the yoke of tyrannical oppression from the hated UK and they didn’t want Gambia/Zambia confusion. Bahamas? No ideal. Maybe I’ll look it up.
attackdog says
‘The’ hated UK. Please.
Moose the Mooche says
I’m given to understand that saying The Ukraine instead of Ukraine is slightly insulting.
Mainly because Slavic languages can’t be arsed with articles.
(Or can’t be arted with arsicles)
JQW says
Is it The The album ‘Infected’ or the The The album ‘Infected’? Does anyone know?
Johnny Concheroo says
In Yorkshire it’s t’, T’, T’ album
Moose the Mooche says
In deepest Lancashire they have no name whatsoever.
Johnny Concheroo says
I’ve noticed that in Lancashire the word “to” is optional, as, for example, in “I’m going work”
Moose the Mooche says
I think the Hotpot Hitmakers may be ont’ something there.
Anybody who has taught basic English language will tell you that the little word “to” is a colossal pain in the arse. It’s always turning up in weird or inconvenient places and if you put it in the wrong place you sound daft. Better perhaps (–) call the whole thing off.
The Muswell Hillbilly says
The Young Knives became just Young Knives at some point in their fairly uneventful downward parabola of a career.
Gatz says
Side topic – bands who dropped the ‘The’ when they realised no one was paying attention. See The Pink Floyd, The Fairport Convention and … ?
Sniffity says
The Status Quo.
Moose the Mooche says
That lass in the denim is gonna buy some records by them, apparently.
deramdaze says
If a pop group has never had a “The” they are almost certainly shite.
An exception, off the top of my head, Them.
Moose the Mooche says
The Manfred Mann?
Wilson Wilson says
‘The’ Verve only added ‘The’ after their first album.
Moose the Mooche says
The jazz label sued them… or threatened to.
Sewer Robot says
Solicitors’ letters were the bane of Mr Ashcroft’s lot. Even Lionel Hutz thought Schama was taking the p*ss looking for a slice of the writing credit on “History”..
Moose the Mooche says
…and when they released “So It Goes” both Kurt Vonnegut AND Nick Lowe tried it on, cheeky sods.
Johnny Concheroo says
The first Pentangle LP was credited to The Pentangle.
duco01 says
The first Can album, ‘Monster Movie’, was credited to “The Can”, at least according to the record’s front cover.
Moose the Mooche says
Suzi Quattro told them to can that.
Mousey says
Australians say they’re going to The Snow in the skiing season.
And The Bush when they’re going into the desert.
mikethep says
Except sometimes they say going Bush, don’t they? Or is that like gone troppo?
Junior Wells says
And indigenous people seem to abandon the completely.
Going to country
Working in community etc
garyjohn says
I’ve never heard of going to country, but it might be closely related to the controversial ‘welcome to country’ ceremony often heard at sporting events, the origins of which are historically ambiguous.
Well known fuckwit and ex PM Tony Abbott called it ‘tokenistic’ and if he’d added patronising, I think I might have agreed.
Junior Wells says
you are right not going to country, just country…country matters to us, it’s all about country etc
My step daughter works in a community on a youth program and they all say I have to do program today.
Yeah welcome to country ceremonies are a ritual in the pejorative sense . At least Auntie or Uncle whoever who does the smoking ceremony gets a few bucks.
Sewer Robot says
When Vic Reeves’ Big Night Out was shown on French tv (Grand Nuit Dehors Avec Un imbécile Anglais), the chap with biros in the top pocket of his white coat was called “The”.
Moose the Mooche says
Vous êtes un get faux!
Johnny Concheroo says
Then there’s The Donald, of course
goodfella says
Circa 1978.
“We’re on the march with Ally’s army
We’re going to The Argentine
And we’ll really shake them up
When we win the World Cup
Cos Scotland is the greatest football team!”
We didn’t win.