From: "Marvin Long, Jr."
> On Thu, 24 May 2001, J. van Baardwijk wrote:
>
> > Can anyone explain why you foreigners keep calling it "Holland"? It's
> > annoying has hell. Oh, and saying "Because it's easier" isn't good
enough
> > as an explanation...
>
> Because saying "The Netherlands" is like saying the "nether regions" which
> is like saying "the dangly parts." You wouldn't want your country
> referred to as the dangly parts, would you? ;-)
>
The Netherlands doesn't quite sound like a country name either.
Countries don't normally get definite articles in modern
English and Netherlands is plural, not a suitable name for a
single entity.
Of course, this doesn't stop us saying we are from
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
but for much the same reasons we are more likely to
call ourselves British which does sideline Northern Ireland.
--
Robert
