(the) Spring Festival

Status
Not open for further replies.

norwolf

Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
China
Hello, teachers.
The use of articles for festivals makes me confused so much.
First, I know we use zero articles talking about the usual festivals of the West and international ones.
Second, I found both zero articles and the go with the traditional festivals of the East.


Tomb-sweeping Day///the Tomb-sweeping Day
Lantern Festival///the Lantern Festival
the Mid-Autumn Festival/// Mid-Autumn Festival
the Double Ninth Festival/// Double Ninth Festival
the Cherry Blossom Festival///Cherry Blossom Festival
Songkran Festival Day///the Songkran Festival Day


But:

Corban
Shoton Festival

The question is what the principles of choosing articles in such contexts are.

I’d appreciate it if you kindly do me a favor.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
Here's my personal view.

If I consider the name as a name, I do not use an article; So, I would not use an article with most of the festivals you mention, just as I don't with Christmas, Ramadan, Hanukkah, etc. I would be more likely to use an article if the 'name' appears to me to be simply saying when the festival is; so, I would probably say 'the mid-Autumn festival'.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top