Criteria for using the definite article?

[colkitto]

This one might be for cognitive linguists to come up with something ......

>
> What rule then was in place to produce  "the Sudan" and "the Lebanon"?

 "To my native ear (as it thinks about linguistic issues even in my sleep)",
perhaps the  definite article was originally used for regions whose borders
were (are?) ill-defined (the present borders of (the) Ukraine were fixed
within the lifetimes of many people on the list (not mine!!!).

This would fit Martin Votruba's pertinent list fairly closely as well.

Robert Orr

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------