Michael: do Australians go "in the hospital," like Americans, or do they go "in hospital," like the English?
----- Original Message ----
From: "mje@xxxxxxxx"
To: XyWrite list
Sent: Tuesday, January 8, 2008 12:24:52 PM
Subject: Countries with needless definite article.
[Flash:]
Well, yes, I guess that is one; but it isn't the one I had mind.
I've thought about it a bit further, and I believe "the Lebanon" is
the one I was trying to think of (which I did mention earlier).
I'm thinking of an A.B.C. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
current-affairs presenter who always
says "the Lebanon", and I always
found it curious and illogical - even the tiniest touch irritating,
since it seemed to be utterly without reason. I suppose it's some
antique linguistic/historic fossil which is amazingly persistent even
today.
Perhaps it's a bit like people who refer to India and some of
its neighbouring countries as "the subcontinent", even though they are
talking about the political/social entities those countries represent,
and even though I believe a subcontinent is only a geological entity,
not a political or national one. It just sounds strange to me.
Regards,
Michael Edwards.