4 ms·

Do proper names in English use article, really? I had the exact opposite idea (as in my own language). Actually I believed that "the" Internet was a weird excep

by narag 11y ago

Do proper names in English use article, really? I had the exact opposite idea (as in my own language). Actually I believed that "the" Internet was a weird exception, not the rule. Is there a specific rule? I ask because I haven't seen "The Michael" or "The Germany". I did see "The Netherlands", but that seems like an exception.

munificent 11y ago
> Is there a specific rule? There isn't a systematic rule as far as I know. Some proper names get a definite article, some don't. Sometimes "the" is part of the name and capitalized, and sometimes it's not: Germany, Washington, New York, Jesus, Dolph Lundgren, Apollo, Godzilla, JavaScript, Madonna, Microsoft. Uncapitalized: the Netherlands, the South, the President of the US, the Everglades, the Pleiades, the Rolling Stones. Capitalized: The Hague, The Rock. English is weird.
- narag 11y ago
  Thank you for the clarification. It seems strange that "the President" is a proper name. In Spanish we used to say e.g. "el papa" (pope) when not mentioned near the proper name "el Papa Francisco". Nowadays even if they're still common names, a lot of public positions and institutions are capitalized by media, probably to show that they're more important than us, common mortals :-) I remember being annoyed writing documents for the job that insisted in taking this fad to an extreme and capitalizing everything that was even vaguely related to the authority positions. There's a special level at hell for language reformers.
  - munificent 11y ago
    > It seems strange that "the President" is a proper name. I believe you say "the president" (lowercase), but "the President of the United States". It's only capitalized when part of the full title, I think.
- rogual 11y ago
  One that I find interesting is that we Brits say "the BBC" but don't extend that courtesy to other broadcasters, either foreign (ABC, NBC) or British (ITV). I guess that reflects how it's seen as a little more than just a corporation, if still a little less than a government agency.
dhimes 11y ago
The Donald. ;)
- narag 11y ago
  I believe I know who you are talking about. It's His Hairness, right? :)
  - dhimes 11y ago
    Yeah- that was actually how he was known in the press when he first became (in)famous as a rich guy with a lot of busted projects but who nevertheless talked with a lot of bravado.

by narag 11y ago

munificent 11y ago

> Is there a specific rule? There isn't a systematic rule as far as I know. Some proper names get a definite article, some don't. Sometimes "the" is part of the name and capitalized, and sometimes it's not: Germany, Washington, New York, Jesus, Dolph Lundgren, Apollo, Godzilla, JavaScript, Madonna, Microsoft. Uncapitalized: the Netherlands, the South, the President of the US, the Everglades, the Pleiades, the Rolling Stones. Capitalized: The Hague, The Rock. English is weird.

narag 11y ago
Thank you for the clarification. It seems strange that "the President" is a proper name. In Spanish we used to say e.g. "el papa" (pope) when not mentioned near the proper name "el Papa Francisco". Nowadays even if they're still common names, a lot of public positions and institutions are capitalized by media, probably to show that they're more important than us, common mortals :-) I remember being annoyed writing documents for the job that insisted in taking this fad to an extreme and capitalizing everything that was even vaguely related to the authority positions. There's a special level at hell for language reformers.
- munificent 11y ago
  > It seems strange that "the President" is a proper name. I believe you say "the president" (lowercase), but "the President of the United States". It's only capitalized when part of the full title, I think.
rogual 11y ago
One that I find interesting is that we Brits say "the BBC" but don't extend that courtesy to other broadcasters, either foreign (ABC, NBC) or British (ITV). I guess that reflects how it's seen as a little more than just a corporation, if still a little less than a government agency.

dhimes 11y ago

The Donald. ;)

narag 11y ago
I believe I know who you are talking about. It's His Hairness, right? :)
- dhimes 11y ago
  Yeah- that was actually how he was known in the press when he first became (in)famous as a rich guy with a lot of busted projects but who nevertheless talked with a lot of bravado.