k1ng

I'm hoping someone can help explain the use of the word "the" for me.

It seems like a lot of people are misusing this word, but I often have a hard time knowing when it is being misused. I notice this problem a lot more in it's use in titles of things (companies, bands, websites, books, etc..)

I work at Gap and I hear a lot of people calling Gap, "The Gap." I insist that it's just Gap, but I've heard customers and even other employees use "The Gap." I've even seen this printed in materials from that come from Gap. Why don't people say "The Banana Republic" or "The Sears" ?
(This may be a bad example because I think Gap used to be called "The Gap.")

I've seen people here call TFP, "The TFP." Where does the word "The" come from?

There are so many bands that sometimes have "The" in front of their names in some places and not in other places.

When I'm talking about the (mis?)use of the word "The" I don't mean:
"The Red Hot Chili Peppers song that I like the most is..."

I mean:
"I'm going to go see The Red Hot Chili Peppers in concert tomorrow."


I could give more examples, but I think I've gotten my point across. If anyone needs some clarification, let me know.

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Suave

My knowledge of the English language is primarily tacit, so forgive me if I'm wrong. I believe the answer lies in the use of regular nouns as parts of proper nouns. For example, Sears is not a regular noun. It is only a proper noun. Project is a regular noun. Gap is a regular noun, as is a Chili Pepper. It's the best explanation I can come up with. That would be the primary reason, but again when you're naming something, it's also completely arbitrary in many cases so "the" may be included or not at the discretion of the namer.

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Carno

I don't think it is incorrect to use "the" in those examples. Maybe unneccessary, but I don't think it is wrong..

I have no idea what I'm talking about though.

Craven Morehead

Then why does the commercial go "fall in to the gap"?

TheFrogel

It's just how the noun is. Certain nouns pretty much must have "the" in front of them in a sentence to sound right. Example: "United States of America". Say "Pennsylvania is a state in United States of America". You need to put "the" in front of the name of the country, or it just doesn't sound right. Now, let's try with "Canada": "The Northern Territories (is/are, that's a whole new argument) a province in Canada." No "the" is necessary.

And yes, some bands just have "The" tacked on front of the name. "The Beatles" is a great example, and Led Zeppelin is a good counterexample. The only time you'd tack "the" on the front of Led Zeppelin is if you were describing an actualy, physical zeppelin made of lead. I don't think it's a matter of "right" or "wrong", it's a matter of does everyone understand what you're talking about?

So, why is there "the" tacked on the front of random place and band names? Because that's the way its always been, that's what people expect, and that's what people understand.

Fremen

Man, you must really be blown away by the The The band.

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Cartuni

There's a town in Texas called "The Woodlands". That's how it is incorporated, and residents get Very Upset if you call their high school "Woodlands High". It's THE Woodlands High. These are people who truly revere Theism. We should ask them...

maleficent

I know a few folks who graduated from OSU -- and will get practically hostile if you refere to it as anything but THE Ohio State University...

One of the changes I've seen in recent years is the word Prom .. .back when Iw as in high school, I went to the prom, now people just go to prom... and to me it doesn't sound right without the the in front of it.

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keyshawn

Well, I think you answered your question yourself by your title

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BigBen

Sorry. Since this is a grammar thread, I had to mention:

The Territories of Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut are just that. They are territories. They are NOT a province (seperately or together) of Canada.

We have 10 provinces and 3 territories. Similar to OSU, I think that the people living there would get pretty upset if you called them a province.

Just mentioning. I am not mad or anything.

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FlunkedFlank

Forget The Chili Peppers ... this discussion needs to focus on usage of "the" when talking about the Pixies.

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Charlatan

I remember Smashing Pumpkins insisting that they were not *The* Smashing Pumpkins rather just Smashing Pumpkins...

Rather pretentious really... but not unexpected from M. Corgan.

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raveneye

Or when people put a sign on their vacation house saying "The Smith's" It usually makes me chuckle. The apostrophe in "Smith's" is wrong usage, unless somebody in the house goes by the name "The". I've even seen "The Jone's" on a house . . . .

flat5

"We have 10 provinces and 3 territories. Similar to OSU, I think that the people living there would get pretty upset if you called them a province."

Unnecessary "the".

Temporary_User

now we get into how to pronounce it.
tha, or thee?

Zeraph

I'm gonna name something The-The, then when they talk about it they will have to say "Have you heard of The The-Thes?"

Suave

Well, it does have a different connotation. "The Smashing Pumpkins" implies that they are pumpkins who smash things, or using slang, that they are very impressive pumpkins. "Smashing Pumpkins" indicates the act of smashing a pumpkin, or that they may be smashing pumpkins. I doubt it's possible for me to sound any nerdier right now.

__________________
"Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions." - Albert Einstein

"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato

cj2112

As far as calling it "The Gap" I remeber a commercial from the eighties where the hook in the jingle was "Fall into The Gap" perhaps that's where it came from

Tophat665

Suave has nailed this.

Sears comes from is from the Sears & Roebuck Company or, simply Sears & Roebuck. Sears is the name of a person. However Company is a regular noun, like hammer or masturbation. When paired with "company" "Sears & Roebuck" becomes a possessive modifier, like "Dog" in "Dog House". When you have a regular noun, then "the" sounds correct tacked on in front of it. It's like the opposite of the personal "a" in Spanish. On the other hand, you can put "the" in front of a Proper name, like "The McCoy" (as in "the Real McCoy") as a matter of particularlizing it. It's pretty much hubris, but Americans and English are pretty arrogant people.

Suave has also got it right with Smashing Pumpkins. I think they should change their name to Smashing Pretentious Bald Geeks With Whiny Voices, and suit actions to words, but taste is simultaneously indefensible and unassailable. Nope, not particularly geeky at all. Or, at least, merely a grammar geek, and not The grammar geek.

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TheFrogel

You'd think I would notice "Territories" put on the end of that and realize it's a territory. Nope, I'm not that smart. I never realized there were both provinces and territories; ah well, live and learn.

/stands corrected

Suave

Well played.

__________________
"Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions." - Albert Einstein

"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato

TM875

"The" is a use of singularity. In other words, "The" is used to imply 'oneness', that the following noun is the most important of all nouns. It is The United States, The Gap, and The Band.

Maleficient, I've noticed the deal with The Prom, too. Personally, it pisses me off. You don't go to prom - it shouldn't be generic - you go to THE prom.

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Suave

Well TM, prom is a shared activity occurring during many instances, so on a lot of levels it's very generic. It's only not generic in so far as the kids who go to it decide to put a lot of stock in it. I think either variation of the term works, although we call it grad here.

__________________
"Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions." - Albert Einstein

"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato

passthru

"The Smashing Pumpkins" is name of band, and its meaning is pumpkins that are:

smashing

adj : very good; "he did a bully job"; "a neat sports car"; "had a great time at the party"; "you look simply smashing" [syn: bang-up, bully, corking, cracking, dandy, great, groovy, keen, neat, nifty, not bad(p), peachy, slap-up, swell]

(http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=smashing)

edit: I just looked up 'the' and the pronunciation is determined by whether it's followed by a vowel or consonant. I think I've been doing it randomly all these years..

Charlatan

But the name of the band *is* Smashing Pumpkins which implies someone is pulverising squashes... rather than a dapper squash or destructive squash depending on how one interprets the word smashing...

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
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Janey

The Yukon. The Northwest Territories, Nunavut.

Our three territories to the north.

The Band. All of these are terrific.

Charlatan

For those who have forgotten there already is a band called: The The

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Grancey

Last night we had our wall-mounted gas space heater running, which our cats love. They each have their own personal perch to catch the best flow of heat. My husband asked me where Sophia was, and I replied that she was "in the heat." He freaked out because he thought I said...."in heat." The can be a very important word.

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gophtc

"The" can be used to differentiate. Which gap? That gap? No, the Gap (doesn't need to be capitalized as part of the title). As in the one and only Gap. Therefore it can also be used to make things seem more important. Which is why it's tacked on to proper nouns. And why kids refer to it as prom, because even though it may be a big event to them, they don't want to make it seem like it is.

crapshoot

I shop at the Wal-Mart all of the time!

boom29

The usage of "the" is a hot topic of discussion between Southern and Northern Californians when referring to freeways. In So Cal we always use "the" (take "the" 5), while in No. Cal they just call the freeway by the number (5). I wonder how it got to be regionalized, or if its the same in other states, but I just know that it it was always a playful argument waiting to happen.

Coppertop

Nothing yet from onesnowyowl? I'm surprised...