Definite article with proper nouns

[sabyakgp]

Teachers,

If a common noun is pre-modified by a proper noun does it take the definite article ("the")?

For example.

The Iraq War
The Middle east crisis
The American Civil war
The English Language
The Ford Foundation

Thanks
Sabya

[riverkid]

Teachers,

If a common noun is pre-modified by a proper noun does it take the definite article ("the")?

For example.

The Iraq War
The Middle east crisis
The American Civil war
The English [L]language
The Ford Foundation

Thanks
Sabya

It seems that it does, but whether this happens in every instance, I can't say for sure, Sabya. The reason that 'the' is added is that with the addition, it becomes specific; when things become specific in English, we often use 'the' to denote that.

[sabyakgp]

Thanks riverkid,

That means that a common noun can not be made definite if it's pre-modified by a proper noun (At least always) unless the common noun itself is not definite and thus can not be proceeded by "the".

Is there any rule or formula as to how to determine this.

Thanks
Sabya

[riverkid]

Thanks riverkid,

That means that a common noun can not be made definite if it's pre-modified by a proper noun (At least always) unless the common noun itself is not definite and thus can not be proceeded by "the".

Is there any rule or formula as to how to determine this.

Thanks
Sabya

No, Sabya. Rather, it's the addition of the proper noun that has made this become specific, a one of a kind. There have been many wars in Iraq but "The Iraq War" refers to one specific conflict know to most of the English speaking world.

Of rules and formula, there are many many many many, but the specifics are too complicated to go into here and now.

But reading your posts seems to indicate that you have a pretty good handle on this. Are you looking for rules and formulas to convey to students?

Here's a book that you may find helpful

Three Little Words: A, An, and the (A Foreign Student's Guide to English Articles) (A Foreign Student's Guide to English Articles) (A Foreign Student's ... Foreign Student's Guide to English Articles) (Paperback)

Amazon.com: Three Little Words: A, An, and the (A Foreign Student's Guide to English Articles) (A Foreign Student's Guide to English Articles) (A Foreign Student's ... Foreign Student's Guide to English Articles): Books: Elizabeth Claire,Richard Gree

It's not actually the one I was looking for so I can't give it any ringing endorsements but it should be, at the least, of some help.

[sabyakgp]

Thank you riverkid.