2007-11-28 14:32:23 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Geography
I appreciate marcelino quoting my prior answers to this question. If you want the history of why English speakers refer to it as "the Ukraine", see there. To summarize that post - it is because we English speakers were/are ignorant of Ukraine's independent status.
"The" is actually an article that ONLY English speakers use when referring to Ukraine. Ukrainian and Russian do not have articles, so it would never be called "the Ukraine" in their own language.
The article "the" is only used with subjects that are plural in English. "The United States", "The United Kingdom", "The (former) Soviet Union" are plural because they refer to plural states/countries/regions as a whole. "Canada", "Mexico", and "Ukraine" are singular, referring to single entities, so there is no "the" applied in English.
2007-11-29 10:07:04 · answer #1 · answered by Kevin 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For a long time, Ukraine was not a country, it was a region of Russia and the soviet union. Like The Rockies, the great plains.
2007-11-28 14:56:31 · answer #2 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
so that they don't mix it up with the other Ukraine?
2007-11-28 14:36:30 · answer #3 · answered by Ring of Uranus 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
for the same reason many call it 'The' United States
2007-11-28 14:40:08 · answer #4 · answered by mad embalmer from the north II 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
cos theyre bellends who dont like getting wet...
"aaargh, i hate the yuk rain!"
http://www.the-spine.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/peterpan.jpg
pmsl
2007-11-28 14:39:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Maybe this can help:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqkmhjPt2A9Lp6YuENmThUMjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20070822183942AAaM1A6
2007-11-28 14:54:40 · answer #6 · answered by marcelino angelo (BUSY) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋