Introduction with Urgent Question

[SANDRO43]

So there you go. 

Meaning that I may be pedantic, but right after all ?

[msmoby_ru]

IIRC, nation and country names in English do not normally take a definite article unless they involve a national 'composite' (implicitly a plural) or an outright plural: hence the UK (but just GB, curiously ),
Now go ahead and insult me .

Hi Sandro .. consider yourself "insulted" , not pedantic enough and "wrong" !!.. UK and GB aren't the same thing..  The UK is Great Britain AND Northern Ireland ... GB is just England, Scotland and Wales ... so they need THE Irish 

[SANDRO43]

Hi Sandro .. consider yourself "insulted" , not pedantic enough and "wrong" !!.. UK and GB aren't the same thing..  The UK is Great Britain AND Northern Ireland ... GB is just England, Scotland and Wales ...

I know THAT, you bómánta, I was not saying they are the SAME thing, just mentioning a 'composite' entity not prefixed by a 'the'.

so they need THE Irish 

... and they can KEEP them, too, just send over their beer .

[msmoby_ru]

I know THAT, you bómánta, I was not saying they are the SAME thing, just mentioning a 'composite' entity not prefixed by a 'the'.
... and they can KEEP them, too, just send over their beer .

Нет, Tы дурак!  .. you may NOT have meant it - but read your sentence, please... when you're  being pedantic .. GET IT RIGHT

BTW .. Strictly speaking, Holland isn't the same entity as the Netherlands, either  ..

Ciao

[SANDRO43]

Нет, Tы дурак!  .. you may NOT have meant it - but read your sentence, please...

OK, here is my sentence:

hence the UK (but just GB, curiously ), the USA/US, the UAE, the Low Countries/Netherlands (but just Holland), the Philippines, the Bahamas, etc.

Am I saying that UK & GB, the Low Countries/Netherlands & Holland are the SAME simply because I am juxtaposing them as related examples of different usage ? I think you're reading what is not there, either explicitly or implicitly.

[GreginGa]

LOL... not even close. I am a Ga Dawg fan, bred and raised, although not an alumni. I've always thought Vick was a thug. It's just too bad he got his comeuppence at the expense of some helpless animals. But I do respect and enjoy the hell out of the OSU/Michigan rivalry. One of the best in the country, outside of the SEC of course.
 

Welcome to the forum Ben
You have some bawls sir, to even admit to that. Your allegiance most likely isn't too popular in your circle of Ga friends I'm guessing?

Funny you say that.I've followed local sports and coached little league baseball and football for years. I was on the local sports talk show a few weeks ago and said that if Notre Dame doesnt win 9 games this year I would walk to the next town over. It's only about 15 miles. I can always just jog it but it was about just making the bet. Yes I certainly do stand out and it's been a long time since 1988. Hopefully we can win more than 3 this year. I actually do own an English Bulldog with 5 diffeerent UGA'S in his pedigree. He's a handsome lad thats for sure and I want to take him up to a game in Athens this year. I never liked the Dawgs but as you know Coach Richt adopted a special needs baby from Ukraine. How can you pull against him? You cant.

[steviej]

Hopefully we can win more than 3 this year.

  Notre Dame won't be making any comebacks. Have you been to South Bend lately? It's become a "Global Free Trade" ghost town. Sad to see it. Another good example of "Free Trade" job creation. Anyway, for recruiting? Not gonna sell to well.

[Faux Pas]

Funny you say that.I've followed local sports and coached little league baseball and football for years. I was on the local sports talk show a few weeks ago and said that if Notre Dame doesnt win 9 games this year I would walk to the next town over. It's only about 15 miles. I can always just jog it but it was about just making the bet. Yes I certainly do stand out and it's been a long time since 1988. Hopefully we can win more than 3 this year. I actually do own an English Bulldog with 5 diffeerent UGA'S in his pedigree. He's a handsome lad thats for sure and I want to take him up to a game in Athens this year. I never liked the Dawgs but as you know Coach Richt adopted a special needs baby from Ukraine. How can you pull against him? You cant.

I think you'll see some improvement over the 3 game win season because they were without a doubt "just awful". Prepare for your walk would be my guess. I would bet they don't win 7. I don't think Weiss will make it a fourth year. I've been a Georgia fan my entire life and you are right about Richt. He is a class act. I do however know of your position. I live in Razorback country so everything I say about Georgia is amplified and my feet held to the fire. Hopefully this is our year.

[msmoby_ru]

OK, here is my sentence:Am I saying that UK & GB, the Low Countries/Netherlands & Holland are the SAME simply because I am juxtaposing them as related examples of different usage ? I think you're reading what is not there, either explicitly or implicitly.

Sandro you are "loosing it" !   Firsty, remember it is THE UK .. you are dropping the definite article, in the wrong places .. I read what is there ... very well explained, from  a grammatical point of view, actually... 

BUT .. as your examples included the UK/GB - USA/ US  and The Netherlands / Holland ( implying they all are one and the same )  can't *I* be pedantic, too ?! 

[Ben Armen]

Well looks like THE topic is getting a lot of play,  to try to answer all the questions, We were planning on visiting parents and is a possibility on this trip, I do feel it is a sign of sincerity, can't say I have met any parents yet.  I do feel thanks for your input, the request is not excessive and will let you know how it goes.  Thanks for all your input, you guys know your RW's college football and grammar is another story. Don't quit your day jobs!!!

The Ben Armen

[SANDRO43]

Definitely  , with apologies to the OP for the persisting pedantry .

Sandro you are "loosing it" !  

Mark, you too apparently, it's "losing it" (single O), "loose" being the adjective derived from the verb, as in "Loose grammar sinks arguments" .

Firsty, remember it is THE UK .. you are dropping the definite article, in the wrong places

This is grammatically allowed in enumerations, particularly when involving acronyms, as in a sentence like: "UK and GB are different names applied to two overlapping territorial entities".

BUT .. as your examples included the UK/GB - USA/ US  and The Netherlands / Holland (implying they all are one and the same)

Your subjective and imaginative inference: as I said already, just putting two related names side by side does not necessarily imply sameness, nor was it intended.

can't *I* be pedantic, too ?! 

By all means, provided your pedantry is accurate, which is where I beg to differ .

Well looks like THE topic is getting a lot of play

Aha, a new, potential pedant  ?

[msmoby_ru]

Definitely  , with apologies to the OP for the persisting pedantry .

Yep me , too - but this is fun .. don't worry !

Mark, you too apparently, it's "losing it" (single O), "loose" being the adjective derived from the verb, as in "Loose grammar sinks arguments" .

Aha, you "bottom pinching", "mooning" Blody AyeTie .... you GOT me ...  on my GRAMMAR ... ( where else can you find an Irishman getting corrected by a Italian ?) .. it should be "Mark, you're "losing it", too, apparently.. We say ARE losing it.. 

This is grammatically allowed in enumerations, particularly when involving acronyms, as in a sentence like: "UK and GB are different names applied to two overlapping territorial entities".Your subjective and imaginative inference: as I said already, just putting two related names side by side does not necessarily imply sameness, nor was it intended.By all means, provided your pedantry is accurate, which is where I beg to differ .

Not so fast, I've not "finished" with you , YET ... ! .. My spelling of "losing it" doesn't "get you off the hook"!!... You used the UK / US and Netherlands as examples with GB / US / Holland as the comparitive acronyms - it is NOT inaccurate to point out that, in two cases, the territories aren't the same..  You're only qualifiying it as you've been picked up on your "boo boo"..

Pull up your trousers, and I'll buy you that beer

[Shadow]

Well looks like THE topic is getting a lot of play,  to try to answer all the questions, We were planning on visiting parents and is a possibility on this trip, I do feel it is a sign of sincerity, can't say I have met any parents yet.  I do feel thanks for your input, the request is not excessive and will let you know how it goes.  Thanks for all your input, you guys know your RW's college football and grammar is another story. Don't quit your day jobs!!!

The Ben Armen

I overlooked that it was to be a second meeting, and for the second meeting the best thing to do is spend time together if possible 24/7, to see if you are able to without getting in to fights. 
A visit to the parents means that you are considered as a candidate for marriage, so if asked, do not avoid such meeting.

 
It depends in which part one was born to consider Holland and the Netherlands as one. As the Counts of Holland are the ones who founded our country, and the rest of the territories were added to have some buffer against enemies and somewhere to run to in case of flood, in my opinion both names are equal. Now lets see how many Dutch from the other parts will flame me. 

[catzenmouse]

Strange this.. someone here said the same to me, yet in all my trips to "The Ukraine" - no one their ever corrected me.. could we be used to saying "the" from what the name means .. The Borderlands ?!

No insult was meant. I was just surprised at the use of the term by someone with some travel experience. Way back when, I was writing with a lady from Ukraine and she got rather insulted by my use of the term. I have also seen this brought up, with varying degrees of veracity, on different boards over the years.

[SANDRO43]

Aha, you "bottom pinching", "mooning" Blody AyeTie .... you GOT me ...  on my GRAMMAR ... (where else can you find an Irishman getting corrected by a Italian ?)

An Italian, BTW . You can imagine the dismay of my IBM (no preceding THE  ) UK colleagues when they were told in 1971 that I would be editing their draft manuals for publication. They DID need editing sorely, but to salve their ego I told them "You surely know English much better than I do, but I do know IBMese better than you may do". The compromise satisfied both parties involved .

You used the UK / US and Netherlands as examples with GB / US / Holland as the comparitive acronyms - it is NOT inaccurate to point out that, in two cases, the territories aren't the same.. 

Irrelevant and ineffectual, a forlorn last-ditch attempt  evidenced by the use of a double negative (a tell-tale sign of "loosening it", tsk, tsk ).

Pull up your trousers, and I'll buy you that beer

Done, I'll hold you to that  .

[msmoby_ru]

An Italian, BTW . You can imagine the dismay of my IBM (no preceding THE  ) UK colleagues when they were told in 1971 that I would be editing their draft manuals for publication. They DID need editing sorely, but to salve their ego I told them "You surely know English much better than I do, but I do know IBMese better than you may do". The compromise satisfied both parties involved .Irrelevant and ineffectual, a forlorn last-ditch attempt  evidenced by the use of a double negative (a tell-tale sign of "loosening it", tsk, tsk ).Done, I'll hold you to that  .

Hey Sandro, if you spent less Bloody time correcting my grammer  (YEP, got me AGAIN -with *an* Italian)  you could concentrate on your Geography 

BTW I said I'd buy you a Beer.. I reserve the right to decide whether you can drink it .. or wear it  !!!!       

[Gator]

Hey Sandro, if you spent less Bloody time correcting my grammer ...

Where and when did Sandro correct your grandmother?   

[msmoby_ru]

Where and when did Sandro correct your grandmother?   

AYeeee..  Grammar and spelling going to pot today.. but let's not let the "little things" get in the way of good advice