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A funny thing is that, in Castilian (Spanish spoken in Spain), the word "Internet" is always used without an article. We do assign the masculine gender to it w
by glastra 8y ago
A funny thing is that, in Castilian (Spanish spoken in Spain), the word "Internet" is always used without an article.
We do assign the masculine gender to it when we attach adjectives to it, but never an article, which actually is a bit strange once you think about it.
For example, "the Internet is full of X" is "Internet está lleno de X". To refer to a slow Internet connection, we would say "Internet va lento" or "me va lento Internet". No trace of "el Internet".
Also, I think in Latin America they treat it as feminine and always attach the definitive article, so "the Internet" is "la Internet".
And as a last comment, just to see how crazy language is, we always use "la intranet". Maybe because that is a "concrete" place, while the Internet is a more abstract medium.
- spspeaker 8y agoYou know the reason even if you're not aware of it. It's the same reason you are using capital I for Internet and lowercase i for intranet. Internet is a proper noun, like "Laura", because there's only one. Intranet is a common noun, like "silla", because there are many. You don't attach determinants to proper nouns in Spanish.
- usrusr 8y agoThat seems enviably correct to me! "The Internet" usually refers more to a state of connectedness than to a specific entity consisting of connected computers. "Internet" can be slow or broken while the entirety of "el Internet" is doing just fine. In the languages I use you would always say "the internet" or "das Internet" is slow or broken or full of lies, even though the inclusion of the article does make it technically refer to the whole thing and you are clearly just talking about your own tiny little corner.