Ian Lynch wrote:
On Mon, 2005-06-20 at 09:52 -0400, Greg Neumann wrote:
Simple:
"I live in United States of America." or "I live in United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland.", is not correct English. The
official name of the US IS "The United States of America" (as in, "We,
the people, of the United States of America ...). At least thus I was
taught way back in my earliest youth. (LONG time ago! ;-) ) I suspect
the same is true on the other side of the pond.
It draws the distinction between some united states eg Texas and
Kentucky might have things that unite them and then they would be united
states of America but when referring to The United States of America it
makes it clear that its the specific entity that we are referring to as
a noun not just any old states that happen to be united. The kingdom of
Norway could be united but it would not be The United Kingdom we
specifically mean when referring to England, Scotland Wales and Northern
Ireland. So I live in England does not need a definite article before
England because its unambiguously a specific place - only one country
called England but I also live in The Uk not just any old united
kingdom. Other cases are The United Arab Emirates, the European Union,
the Republic of China. Where the name is made of adjectives and nouns
"the" appears first to show its a single entity because words like
European, Republic, United are descriptions that can apply generically
to many things.
Well that's how it appears to me but I'm not a linguist so I could be
entirely wrong :-)
Yeah, what Ian said! ;-)
Much better said, and more technically correct. And it holds up. I would
never say, "I live in the New York State." I might say "I live in the
real New York." to differentiate my abode from New York City, but that's
a whole separate (ist?) issue. ;-)
-Greg
