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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 618
addict
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addict
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 618 |
I think you all need to watch The Three Amigos if you want to find this line of threading as amusing as I do. No, El Guapo. I don't know what a plethora is. [straight-line -e]
So, how can you use the word plethora if you do not know what a plethora is?
Just see the movie.
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 69
journeyman
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journeyman
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 69 |
I suspect it has to do with attempts to make it sound more noble. For example, it is common in the UK to have "The Hempsteads" or "The Rush House" or something equivalent, usually a well-established house or town. I suspect this follows through in other languages (Des, Le, La, El) where it is indicating this is *the* place, and there is no other like it. All copies and flatteries are so far beneath the original as to be beneath notice. I suspect "the Bronx" is derived from an older Dutch word/placename with a "the" equivalent in it, but the Webster's 3rd Intl version doesn't say.
Cheers, Bryan
You are only wretched and unworthy if you choose to be.
Cheers, Bryan
You are only wretched and unworthy if you choose to be.
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400 |
The Bronx gets it name from one of the early dutch land holders-- Johanas Bronckes --or something similar-- there are varies spelling of the name --and the Bronx was always far away place, and not a desirable one, particularly. NY has many place names from former dutch and english land holders.. Van Cortlands gave their name to a park, the Van Wyck's to a parkway, near by their old farmstead, Dyckman, to Street, and neighborhood,NY Bowery is named for the bowery road that led to an estate. (curious now that is almost always associated with low life..Bowery bums!)
other NY names are just dutch place names recycled --Flushing, Harlem & New Utrecht, and some place names are from dutch terms for the land scape.. Fresh Kills, Flatbush, Spuyten Duyvil
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156 |
I seem to be coming a bit late to this thread...
St. John's, a few years ago, took a nearby community called The Goulds under its wing. (Pronounced gooldz.) It's listed on maps as just "Goulds" but everyone includes the preceding "the". I don't understand why.
Furthermore, if an accident victim is taken to hospital, you just know they were injured enough to receive medical attention. If I heard to the hospital I'd be inclined to wonder which one. And that's usually not important to the story. That's my analysis of it, anyway...
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891 |
See this is where you see the major influence of the majority French population on the English language in Québec. Here you would never say a person was taken to hospital. The person you are talking with would assume you are so nervous that you are speaking incorrectly and forgot to add the article. We always say to the hospital.
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
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the Chambers, it is always My ChambersOh and as to the "the Chambers" / "my Chambers" debacle brought up by ofTroy. Personnally, I have a Webster's so I can't comment about the whole my dictionary aspect. I can only say that the Chambers sounds like somewhere where you send someone to get tortured and my Chambers is somewhere where you have a whole lot of fun and don't get tortured at all unless you are into that sort of thing of course
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Joined: Apr 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065 |
In reply to:
See this is where you see the major influence of the majority French population on the English language in Québec. Here you would never say a person was taken to hospital.
Although the French are a minority in Angleterre, we would say "The victim was taken to hospital" as well.
Bingley
Bingley
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