LL-L "Grammar" 2010.01.10 (04) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 10 January 2010 - Volume 01
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 From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>

Subject: Grammar

Marlou,

You asked about the use of definite articles with names of countries, states
and regions. This is a large topic, so I’ll only cover the very basics in my
response.



Both Dutch and English very rarely use articles with country names. When
they do, it is because the name contains or implies elements such as
“islands,” e.g. the Marshall Islands (*Marshalleilanden*), the Grenadines (*de
Grenadines*), the Northwest Territories.

* *

*The Basics:*





German

Low Saxon (D)

Nederlands

English

Comment

01

­land

­land

­land

­land



02

­en*

­en*

­e(n)

­en



02

­ien

­ien*

­ië(n)

­ia



04

*die ­ei* [aı] (f)

*de ­ee ~ ­ie* [εı] ~ [i:] (f)**

­ije

­ia

< French *la ...* ­*ie*

05

*die ­ie* [i:] (f)

*de ­ie* [i:] (f)

­ië

­(e)y

06

*die ­krain(e)* (f)**

*de ­krain* (f)**

­kraïne

­kraine

< Slavic *krajina* ‘borderland’

07

­stan

­staan

­stan

­stan

< Persian *­stān* (ـستان) < Sanskrit *­sthāna* (स्थान) ‘land’, ‘region’



*with article*

* with the exception of *Jemen* (see below)
** in Germany widely replaced by German *­ei* ([aı]) due to lack of
familiarity with traditional Low Saxon equivalents



Examples:



German

Low Saxon (D)

Nederlands

English

01

England, Deutschland, Griechenland, Holland

Ingland, Düütschland, Gräkenland, Holland

Engeland, Duitsland, Griekenland, Holland

England, Holland

02

Schweden, Polen, Ägypten

Swäden, Polen, Ägypten

Zweden, Polen, Egypte

Sweden

03

Indien, Brasilien, Italien

Indien, Brasilien, Italien

Brazilië, Italië, Mongolië, Normandië

India

04

*die Türkei, die Mongolei, die Mandschurei, die Walachei*

*de Törkee ~ de Törkie*

Turkije, Mantsjoerije, Walachije

Manchuria, Wallachia

05

*die Normandie*

*de Normandie*


 Normandy, Italy, Turkey

06

*die Ukraine, die Oberkrain*

*de Ukrain*

Ukraïne

Ukraine

07

Pakistan, Usbekistan, Afghanistan, Kurdestan

Pakistaan, Usbekistaan, Afghanistaan, Kurdestaan

Pakistan, Oezbekistan, Afghanistan, Kordestan

Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Kurdestan



*Apparent Exceptions:*



In English, country names with articles are now rare, unless things like
“islands” or “territories” are involved and thus require articles. The few
remaining cases, which may be considered archaisms, seem to be giving way to
names without articles, especially in American English.



“The Gambia” seems to be a translation from Portuguese *a Gâmbia***. Use of
the article may have been reinforced by awareness of the country having
begun as the territory along the Gambia River. Most Americans say “Gambia.”



“The Argentine,” probably a calque of French *l’Argentine*, is perceived as
archaic or foreign in the USA where “Argentina” is the ordinary name,
assumedly taken directly from Spanish.



German retains many names of countries, states and regions with articles
even where things like “islands” or “territories” are not involved. As seen
above, cases with the Romance-derived endings *­ei* and *­ie* require use of
an article following the old Romance pattern, as do place names with the
Slavic-derived ending *­krain(e)*. This applies also to a few other types of
Slavic place names of regions that were once perceived as countries, such as
*die Lausitz* (Lusatia) from the feminine Sorbian name* Łužica* ~ *Łužyca*,
similarly *der Elsass* (Alsace, in which case some English speakers say “the
Alsace,” probably because of French *l’Alsace*). Article use with certain
Middle Eastern countries seems to follow the Arabic pattern in which use of
the article is mandatory, e.g. *der Irak* (العراق *al-Irāq*) and *der
Jemen*(‏اليمن‎
*al-Yaman*). However, in the case of *der Libanon* the Arabic equivalent
does not require the article (لبنان‎‎ *Lubnān*). In the case of *der Iran*,
note that Persian does not use articles (ایران *Irân*) and the Arabic
equivalent has no article either (إيران *‘Irân*). Perhaps someone just went
crazy there ...



Originally denoting ‘borderland’ (like Slavic *krajina*, and like archaic
English *march*), the German ending *-mark* is in flux. In cases of
German-speaking regions an article is required; e.g. *die Uckermark*, *die
Mark Brandenburg*, *die Altmark*, *die Windische Mark*, and *die Steiermark*.
(All of the examples represent old Germanic-Slavic border regions.) But no
article is used with foreign names containing *­-mark*, e.g. *Dänemark*, *
Telemark*.



Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

Seattle, USA

•

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