Why do we have to bring the article "the" before USA?

Question

I am not an native English speaker and I always wonder about this. Why are we supposed to say "The States are the richest nation on the planet, today", instead of only "United States are the ..."?

Answer 1

Because the it's not only the name of a country, it's a complex noun (grammatically speaking)!
The fact of having "of" in this name is a way to indentify and link a special group of States to the continent of America.
It's the same for the People's Republic of China.

Actually you have "the" because you have "of".

Answer 2

The article "the" is what's known as the "definite article," as opposed to the "indefinite article" ("a" or "an"). Since "the" is definite, it means there can only be one.

"The United States of America" is a collective noun, not a plural noun, because it is a noun phrase. It is also a Proper Noun, because it is a name of a place. But the previous poster is right that the logic of being plural is at work here.

If you said, "I am going to the states," another person could ask, "Which states?"

You would reply, "The United States of America," and so "the" serves the purpose of telling people which "states" you are going to. In this case, there is only one "United States of America," and so you'd use the definite article.

With most proper nouns, we don't need to use an article. We don't say, for example, "I'm going to the Brazil," because there's only one Brazil. But there are many many states in the world, and so we have to specify which states we're going to.

Answer 3

the USA, it s a little odd you are correct.

Because, there is more than one unified place within the description of what the USA is. Look at the Saudi Emmarints? Did I spell that correct? that little penninsula is not just Saudia Arabia, there are other nations involved in that agreeing pact as well.

Look at Europe, sure sure you don't say the England or the France, but you do say the European Uniion, (EU)

Look at it like this. If the nation has a basic identiy, like a Proper name, like England, France, Russia, India. You would call that nation by it's proper name, however if that nation has a name like United States of America, United Nations, European Union, or even the USSR, use the "the", as the ":united" in the title assocaites more than one nation or governing body within the description.

Answer 4

Because "the" refers to the states that are united to form America. Many other countries have states don't they...remember the USSR? The United States of the Soviet Republic. Kinda calls into question the actual name of the country doesn't it? Which is the official term; The United States of America or America?

Answer 5

I'll assume you're Brazilian, right? If so, you know that you say "o Rio de Janeiro", because "rio" is "river" an ordinary noun. The same happens for "o Recife" (the cliff) and "a Bahia" (the bay). "The United States of America" follows the same rule. "States" (estados) is an ordinary noun, and that is why it takes an article.

Answer 6

We have to because it's the "United States of America", and if we say USA, without the "the", we are using incorrect grammar.


;D

Answer 7

The is used as a function word to indicate that a following noun or noun equivalent is a unique or a particular member of its class.

Answer 8

Because it's a plural noun. "The [plural noun] is . . . " has been defined as the correct English grammar.

Answer 9

What on earth are you talking about?!

Answer 10

Because we are THE BEST!!!