Netherlands and Switzerland.

Tdol :We say 'the Netherlands', but we don't use 'the' with Switzerland.



I read there is no need to use any article before the name of the country.Is Netherlands not Country name? Please Explain and from where I know more about rules of Articles.

sanukeeeeeeeeeee

Originally Posted by sanukeeeeeeeeeee

Is Netherlands not Country name?

Yes And No. You might write 'Netherlands' as part of an address, but strictly speaking, the name of the country, in English, is 'The Netherlands'.

I read there is no need to use any article before the name of the country.

That's true. You wouldn't say "The Switzerland", and you wouldn't say "The The Netherlands."


There are a few countries that include 'The' as part of the name. Another example is The Phillipines.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by sanukeeeeeeeeeee

I read there is no need to use any article before the name of the country. Is Netherlands not Country name? Please Explain and from where I know more about rules of Articles.

sanukeeeeeeeeeee

Was it made up of independent areas before it became the Netherlands?

For example, the USA is made up of States that were at one time separate, and after the States united, they became one country; i.e., the United States of America.

Good point. The key would seem to be the plural.
East Timor.
The West Indies.

I think it is similar to "The Hague" usage.

So much for that theory, then.

That might be due to direct translation from the Dutch, 'Den Haag'.

Possibly.
I remember my teacher pointed at that peculiarityof the usage and said it is historically formed exception as British people had intensive commerce thus the place was of highest and exceptional importance. So that is why “The Hague” remained as cliché.
I think that 'Den Haag' is an alluring explanation indeed. Very interesting.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by TheMadBaron

So much for that theory, then.

That might be due to direct translation from the Dutch, 'Den Haag'.

Nah, the "plural theory" is the accepted one. Direct translation is also a shoe-in:

Kingdom of The Netherlands
Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

Such exceptions comprise the flavor of any language. People who have knowledge about certain set of exceptions in language generally share some certain values. E.g. it is curious to observe how linguists make battles for preservation of each exception in language, at those moments they behave lake an army members as they share specific values rocked on those exceptions. But exceptions have also a negative side: when they are too many it is like to stuff a dish with too much spice.

A quick review of the countries of the World turns up The United Arab Emerites, The Grenadines, The Maldives, The Bahamas and The Soloman Islands. A little more problematic are The United Kingdom, The Central African Republic and The Congo.....