LL-L "Grammar" 2010.01.10 (02) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 10 January 2010 - Volume 02
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From: M.-L. Lessing <marless at gmx.de>
Subject: Anfrage

Dear Lowlanders,

I first would like to thank you all for the interesting language promotion
thread of these last days. I have followed all the links and learned so much
from it, and I still hope that in this LL-L circle we will somehow find new
ideas and impulses how to _act_ for Low German language. If anything can be
_done_ I am in on it. The language promotion switch is always on "power"
with me. Go on!

Now I have a new question, and it concerns English. The English often say
"the Argentine" speaking of Argentina. I asked an English friend why. She
mailed:

 We sometimes call Argentina  "The Argentine"   I guess as a shortened
version of The Argentine Republic  which is the official title.

 We also say *The* United States of America    but usually contract this to
USA;      *The* Gambia. *The* Dominican Republic, *The* Bahamas,  there
are others .....  so we are not singling Argentina out!

Now I fully understand that countries with a noun in their name get the
article (the ... states, the ... republic). It is the same in German. And
islands of course (the Bahamas). But why Gambia?! Is it because there is
also a river Gambia (the ... river)? Or is it a French loan? In French al
countries have articles, hm? Or are there exceptions as well?

And while Iran and Iraq do have an artcle in German (der Iran, der Irak),
they don't have one in English. How did these countries come by their
article in german? or lose it in English?

Puzzled greetings

Marlou (just now in Schleswig-Holstein)

•

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