Sunday, November 24, 2019
The Article The in Geographical Names
The Article The in Geographical Names The Article The in Geographical Names The Article The in Geographical Names By Mark Nichol When is it appropriate to use the article the in geographical names? Some types of terms are consistent, but for other categories, usage differs depending on the type of name. The following discussion lists categorical examples and explains why the is used with some designations and not others. Geopolitical names usually do not require an article: Names of thoroughfares rarely, if ever, have one: ââ¬Å"First Avenueâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Main Street,â⬠for example, are not preceded by the, and though Broadway as a name for a thoroughfare used to be styled ââ¬Å"the Broadway,â⬠this usage is long extinct. However, highways and other major concourses often have a descriptive name such as ââ¬Å"the Pacific Coast Highway,â⬠and though numbered routes do not require an article, many people in (or from) Southern California will refer, for example, to ââ¬Å"the I-5â⬠rather than simply I-5 as an abbreviation for ââ¬Å"Interstate 5.â⬠(This usage is apparently customary in Ontario, Canada, as well, and the British refer to their highways as ââ¬Å"the A-1â⬠and so on.) Names of municipalities, with one significant exception- The Hague, in the Netherlands- do not require an article, though names of countries sometimes include the, as in the example earlier in this sentence and in ââ¬Å"the Philippines,â⬠when the nationââ¬â¢s appellation describes a number of areas or islands. (However, note that with the peculiar exception of ââ¬Å"The Hague,â⬠the article is never capitalized in such usage.) Individual islands do not include the in their names (except in descriptive designations such as ââ¬Å"the Big Islandâ⬠for the island of Hawaii as distinct from the collection of islands of which it is the largest), but names of islands generally include the article as in ââ¬Å"the Philippinesâ⬠(or, sometimes, ââ¬Å"the Philippine Islandsâ⬠); some names always include or exclude the geographical term (ââ¬Å"the Channel Islands,â⬠but ââ¬Å"the Hebridesâ⬠). The is not used before names of continents, however, though it is employed in reference to parts of landmasses such as in ââ¬Å"the Arabian Peninsulaâ⬠). In naming larger, areas, too, the is employed, as in ââ¬Å"the Westâ⬠and ââ¬Å"the Middle Eastâ⬠; the same is true of designations of points on the globe, such ââ¬Å"the South Poleâ⬠and ââ¬Å"the Equator.â⬠Names of rivers, gulfs, seas, and oceans always include the, but, oddly, those of creeks and lakes do not, except for the latter in descriptive names like ââ¬Å"the Great Salt Lakeâ⬠or collective designations such as ââ¬Å"the Great Lakes.â⬠(Descriptive names of watercourses such as ââ¬Å"Sandy Creekâ⬠do not follow this rule.) Names of bays vary in usage: Both ââ¬Å"San Francisco Bayâ⬠and ââ¬Å"the San Francisco Bayâ⬠are heard, for example, and though including the is the exception rather than the rule, it is integral in such names as ââ¬Å"the Bay of Biscayâ⬠where the geographical term comes first. Mountains generally do not have the in their names, except in such descriptive cases as ââ¬Å"the Matterhornâ⬠or in reference to mountain ranges (ââ¬Å"the Rocky Mountainsâ⬠or ââ¬Å"the Rockies,â⬠ââ¬Å"the Andesâ⬠). Names of features such as deserts and forests, however, almost always follow the in American usage (such as ââ¬Å"the Allegheny National Forestâ⬠), though in the United Kingdom, in references to forests and woods, the article is omitted (as in ââ¬Å"Sherwood Forestâ⬠). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)Capitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and MovementsGrammar Review #1: Particles and Phrasal Verbs
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