Ukraine with definite article?

[John Dunn]

An hour's displacement activity has enabled me to discover that the usage with the definite article is more venerable than I first thought: the anonymous author of 'The History of the Life and Reign of the Czar Peter the Great, Emperor of All Russia, and Father of his Country' (London, 1740) prefers 'the Ukrain' [sic], though there is one example of 'Ukrainia' and one rather unexpected instance of 'the Volhinia'.

Unfortunately I do have a chapter to finish, so further consideration of this question will need to wait for another occasion.

John Dunn.


John Dunn
SMLC (Slavonic Studies)
University of Glasgow
Hetheringon Building
Bute Gardens
Glasgow G12 8RS
U.K.

Tel.: +44 (0)141 330 5591
Fax: +44 (0)141 330 2297
e-mail: J.Dunn at slavonic.arts.gla.ac.uk

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