ST Alpha - "So many people say "the Ukraine" as I think it just flows better when you're speaking and it's not meant as an insult. It doesn't sound right to say" (Reading a Post)

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In response to "Pelosi did an amateur blunder when she introduced Zelensky...she called him the president of THE Ukraine" by Jingle Bells, Zeitgeist Kvells, posting allll day

So many people say "the Ukraine" as I think it just flows better when you're speaking and it's not meant as an insult. It doesn't sound right to say

Posted by Krusty (aka Krustylu) Dec 22 '22, 04:51

"I visited Ukraine last year" while "I visited the Ukraine last year" sounds more pleasing to the ear for English speakers. Just my guess as to why it seems many English speakers use the before Ukraine.

Responses:

Do these same people say "I am going to the Canada" or "I am going to the Mexico" because that's how "the Ukraine" sounds to me. - Walt_Disney Dec 22, 05:33 3
- Nobody ever said "the Canada," so no. -- nm* - mara xmas, ya filthy animals Dec 22, 05:58
- They do not but I will argue that the Ukraine sounds much more normal than the Canada. I don't know why, I'm not a linguist. -- nm* - Krusty Dec 22, 05:45
- Give us 20 years and we will make it happen cap’n. - Will Hunting Dec 22, 05:42
Say just ‘Ukraine’ for a couple months and you’ll get used to it. Semi-related fun fact: Switzerland has a definite article in German and French. - mafic Dec 22, 04:57 5
- But you don't use it in speech. (in french , dunno german) -- nm - loosilu Dec 22, 05:20 3
  - You would say "La Suisse est un pays". But "Je vais en Suisse" -- nm - Guigue Dec 22, 06:10
  - You do in German. I guess it’s not the official name in French. -- nm - mafic Dec 22, 06:03
  - (or maybe I've been doing it wrong!) -- nm - loosilu Dec 22, 05:21
- I'm pretty good at just saying Ukraine but I catch myself throwing a "the" in there every once and a while. -- nm - Krusty Dec 22, 05:04

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So many people say "the Ukraine" as I think it just flows better when you're speaking and it's not meant as an insult. It doesn't sound right to say

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