Ukraine

[robert orr]

Couple of small points (as this is going to the whole list I'm not going to men
tion names) some English speakers still insist on saying "the Ukraine" and argu
e that it is a part of usage, without making any statement about independence,
etc.  Also, Russian speakers (again no names, it might cause a flutter)  are ho
rrified at the use of "v Ukraine", probably for stylistic, or grammatical reaso
ns, etc.
With the current (although grossly exaggerated by the media) centrifugal trends
 in the UK, we might just see an English equivalent to the "the Ukraine" emergi
ng.  The best trnaslation of "Ukraine" in Englsih is "March" or "Marches", and
the counties on the Welsh border are, though less frequently nowadays, referred
 to as "the Marches".  Perhaps we might see these counties splitting off, gaini
ng independence, and then insisting on dropping the article, with purists in
(what would be left of) England railing against this usage.  ("Marches" vs. "th
e Marches").  But I digress .....
Also, does anyone know whether Ukrainians speaking Ukrainian in Ukraine really
care whether Englsih uses an article or not?
Robert Orr
2