south vs southern

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ostap77

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I've just been watching a TV programme where they talked about a new state that appeared on the map. "The Republic of South Sudan" So it got me wondering, why is it South Sudan not Southern Sudan?
 

emsr2d2

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I've just been watching a TV programme where they talked about a new state that appeared on the map. "The Republic of South Sudan" So it got me wondering, why is it South Sudan not Southern Sudan?

Southern Sudan would be a description of the area which lies in the south of the country known as Sudan, which is now a separate country.

It's the same as "South Africa" - that's the name of the country. If you said "southern Africa" (note: no capital S) then it would refer to the southern parts of the entire continent which might incorporate various countries (Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa etc).
 

TheParser

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I've just been watching a TV programme where they talked about a new state that appeared on the map. "The Republic of South Sudan" So it got me wondering, why is it South Sudan not Southern Sudan?


NOT A TEACHER


(1) Sometimes there is no reason.

(2) Here in the United States, we have the states of North Dakota and South Dakota,

South Carolina and North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

(3) Some people in California are joking (I think!!!) about cutting the state into

two parts: Northern California and Southern California. I do not know the reason, but

"North" California and "South" California would sound funny. Maybe one reason

(I have read somewhere) is that the southern part of California is so famous

(with cities like Los Angeles -- that includes the world-famous neighborhood of

Hollywood -- and places like Disneyland) that it is currently referred to as "Southern

California." (Notice the capital "s.") On the other hand, no one refers to the

southern area of the state of Utah as "Southern Utah." Why? Because (and this is

said with the greatest respect), southern Utah is not considered a special place with

anything that is noteworthy.

***

P.S. The continent of Africa once had two areas named Southern Rhodesia and

Northern Rhodesia. And today the United Kingdom includes Northern Ireland.

If I were the dictator of the world, I would name that new country The Southern

Sudan.
 
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