SEELANGS Digest - 25 Mar 1996 to 26 Mar 1996

[Zenon M. Feszczak]

Loren Billings said:

>  Ukrainian does not have articles yet
>English speakers are asked not to use them.  I, for one, agree that using
>_the_ lends a meaning of less-than-nation status to this place name.
>Still, it is odd that speakers of a language without articles are telling
>speakers of article-rich languages how to use articles, isn't it?
>

Not necessarily.

Lest we forget, speakers-of-a-language-without-articles may also
understand a language-with-articles.   In fact, speakers-of-a-language-
with-articles may also _be_  speakers-of-a-language-without-articles.

Beyond that, this is a specific subset of language issues which is
being contested - that is, the issue of proper names.   And the entity
involved in the contesting is exactly that entity to which the name
refers, which should certainly have some influence!

If a person prefers to be referenced by their middle name rather than
their first name, should one obstinately continue to use their first name?
It's their own _name_, not just a fine technical point of grammar.
Who best to decide?

One step further - if it still seems improper for English speakers of
Ukrainian descent to be concerned about the name of their native
land, then let this be a reasonable and fair self-criticism of English
speakers instead.   Let knowledgeable native English speakers
ask themselves:

1. Does the term "the Ukraine" (vs. "Ukraine) suggest or imply inferior status?
2. If so, does Ukraine deserve such a status?

This whole issue (which I thought to be a non-issue) comes as a surprise!

Zenon M. Feszczak
Pre-Socratic