# Why do we say "the" in front of some countries? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576 "2011-07-19T13:46:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/21 "2011-07-19T17:56:28Z")
> [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > ETA: There’s also the Czech Republic but, again, those I’ve met from there just say they’re from Czech, and it only really gets the article because we tend to use the full name for the country, whereas it makes no sense to say the Czech. So that’s probably mostly along the normal case except that the name comes first rather than the adjective. As I understnad it, the natiponal name of the Czech Repoublic _in Czech_ is Cesky, with a _hacek_ over the C, poronounced roughly “CHESS-key.” The English moniker picks up the article from being a desc4ritor – it’s “the Czech Republic.” In this regard it’s worth noting that the long form of national names, rarely used in conversation or ‘third-party’ descriptive writing but required in formal direct address, as in official correspondence, generally does call for the article: “The Commonwealth of Australia”, “the Kingdom of Sweden”, “the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations”, “the Republic of South Africa.” ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/22 "2011-07-19T18:00:27Z")
What? This thread has been going for more than 4 hours and no one has posted this yet: [The Iraq](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww) You guys are letting me down. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![polar\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/23 "2011-07-19T19:45:02Z")
Funny thing about The Netherlands is that we _in_ The Netherlands don’t use the plural (even though out official name - Koninkrijk der Nederlanden - does). In other lamguages I know (Spannish, French, German, English) they do use the plural… ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/24 "2011-07-19T20:37:51Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > As I understnad it, the natiponal name of the Czech Repoublic _in Czech_ is Cesky, with a _hacek_ over the C, poronounced roughly “CHESS-key.” The English moniker picks up the article from being a desc4ritor – it’s “the Czech Republic.” IANCzech, but I thought it was “Česká republika”, which means Czech Republic. From [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_Republic): > [@](#): > > Following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the Czech part of the former nation found itself without a common single-word name in English. In 1993, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggested the name Czechia /ˈtʃɛki.ə/ (Česko [ˈtʃɛskɔ] in Czech) as an official alternative in all situations other than formal official documents and the full names of government institutions; however, this has not become widespread in English, even though most other languages have single-word names for the country (usually their own variants of “Czechia”). ---
**Author:** ![Kiwi\_Fruit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiwi_fruit/32/12_2.png) [@Kiwi\_Fruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiwi_Fruit)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/25 "2011-07-19T21:33:11Z")
And no one has mentioned the Argentine yet. It probably had a similar genesis as the Sudan, the Gambia, etc. ---
**Author:** ![spikebrennan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@spikebrennan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spikebrennan)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/26 "2011-07-19T21:47:00Z")
[Here’s a list of a bunch of them.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Spikebrennan/List_of_place_names_starting_with_%22The%22) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/27 "2011-07-19T22:24:31Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > Search on “Gambia” or “Hague” to find previous threads on the general topic. > > [The Ukraine - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=332975) > [Two Questions about The Gambia - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=474365) > [The use of "the" in place names. - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=270341) Pretty sure The Hague is a direct translation from Dutch: _Den Haag_. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/28 "2011-07-19T23:36:46Z")
THE United States used to be commonly called THESE United States in its earlier years when federalism was a weaker than it is today. The states are still semi-sovereign but they used to be thought of more as individual units who worked together rather than just subparts of a federal arrangement. Either word implies a collection but the shift was made as they become more unified. ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/29 "2011-07-19T23:43:15Z")
> [@Lobelia\_Overhill](#): > > I’ve always thought it was a similar thing to the whole “a” or “an” debate. Wait. What? ---
**Author:** ![f.coli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eada6e/32.png) [@f.coli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/f.coli)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/30 "2011-07-19T23:50:23Z")
And don’t forget “The Bronx” which was addressed by Cecil at: > **[Why is the Bronx called THE Bronx?](https://www.straightdope.com/21341669/why-is-the-bronx-called-the-bronx)** ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/31 "2011-07-20T02:44:09Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > Along the same lines, why is it “The Ohio State University” and not “The Indiana University” or “The Illinois State University?” I’ve never heard anyone say it that way. If “university” is at the end, I say “Ohio State University.” If “university” is at the beginning, then I do say “The University of Ohio.” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/32 "2011-07-20T10:54:11Z")
The OSU university administration insists on the “the” but normal people ignore it. ---
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/33 "2011-07-20T10:56:59Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > Wait. What? Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realise there was someone on here who hasn’t got me on User Ignore. In much the same way that it is easier to say “I ate an apple” than “I ate a apple” it’s easier to say “Obama is President of the United States” rather than “Obama is President of United States” If you see what I mean ---
**Author:** ![polar\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/34 "2011-07-20T11:01:26Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Pretty sure The Hague is a direct translation from Dutch: _Den Haag_. Yep. It means The Hedge. It’s also called 's Gravenhaghe or The Count’s Hedge. ---
**Author:** ![Anachronism](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@Anachronism](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anachronism)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/35 "2011-07-20T11:39:02Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Asked, answered, beaten to death, risen from the dead and finally shut down [here.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=275486&highlight=Ohio+State) Um… I don’t see an answer there 😕 To me the ones that have ‘the’ in front of them usually sound better that way, but I don’t know why. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/36 "2011-07-20T11:49:17Z")
> [@Lobelia\_Overhill](#): > > Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realise there was someone on here who hasn’t got me on User Ignore. > > In much the same way that it is easier to say “I ate an apple” than “I ate a apple” it’s easier to say “Obama is President of the United States” rather than “Obama is President of United States” > > If you see what I mean No, I don’t see how they’re similar at all. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/37 "2011-07-20T13:13:38Z")
“a apple” is never correct. That’s not even a personal preference thing. ---
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/38 "2011-07-20T15:10:09Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > No, I don’t see how they’re similar at all. I didn’t say they were, I was suggesting that it was a similar idea to… > [@Omar\_Little](#): > > “a apple” is never correct. That’s not even a personal preference thing. so saying Obama is the President of United States is correct then? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/39 "2011-07-20T15:18:03Z")
> [@Lobelia\_Overhill](#): > > so saying Obama is the President of United States is correct then? Why wouldn’t it be correct? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576/40 "2011-07-20T16:18:08Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Why wouldn’t it be correct? See post #20. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-the-in-front-of-some-countries/589576.md?page=3)