Hi Khirano, I have an opinion about your question. The United States almost was not a country at all. The various states didn't like each other very much, and in many cases, still don't today. For example I know quite a few Californians who don't think very highly of some states in the south eastern part of the US. The various states saw themselves as different sovereign entities, and in many ways, they continue to hold that view today. So while those outside the US might see the US as one country, there are quite a few residents in various states who see question the legitimacy of the US.
The point is that the name of our country describes that basic view. This group of states sees themselves often as a grouping of separate sovereignties with a few common interests. Of course, it is much more complicated than that, and US citizens are know for holding contradictory views simultaneously. One of the few things that the various states have had in common is a suspicion of outsiders. For that reason, one of the few times that the residents of the various states band together is in the time of war. The states banded together to fight the British Crown, and that bond forged in war is one of the few legacies that is common to the various states. And so it remains today. The various states will often disagree about domestic governance, but it is often easy to stir up nationalist feelings in the US by fanning the flames of war. I make it a point not to be political on this list, and I won't vary from that practice today. However, I think that if people outside the US want to understand the US involvement in recent international events, I hope that my perspective will shed a bit of light on things. -----Original Message----- From: Kazunari Hirano < Sent: Jun 20, 2005 9:37 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [social] "the" before US and UK Hi all, :) I live in Japan. We never say "I live in the Japan." But I sometimes or often see that people say or write: "I live in the UK." or "I live in UK." "I live in the US." or "I live in US." Why sometimes or often can US and UK have "the" before them? :) Thanks, khirano
