The "The Ukraine" topic came up as part of a larger "The" usage thread on the Editors' Association of Canada mailing list again recently.
Didn't we discuss, a few months back, some geographic names that take "the"? Places like the NW Territories, the Ukraine, the Argentine, the Arctic, etc.
Here's my response:
I thought "The Ukraine" had finally died (though I see it's listed as an option in Canadian Oxford 2). I've never seen the need for a "the" on it.
I don't know why the use of the "the" ever arose in the first place. But to me it always seemed to be somehow diminishing, second class, not quite worthy of nationhood. With Ukraine's history of being constantly invaded, split up and forcibly incorporated into various empires, and subjected to repeated programs aimed at wiping out its language and culture, Ukrainians can feel rather sensitive about such things.
"Ukraine" in ITP Nelson does not list "The Ukraine," all the definition says is:
"A region and republic of E. Europe; came under control of Lithuania in the mid-14th cent. and was a constituent republic of the USSR from 1922 to 1991."
Huh? That's it? The blind man describing the elephant?
I also note that neutral phrasing: "came under control of" and "was a constituent republic of." Sounds like Ukes happily bought into both regimes, eh?
Posted by Paul at October 20, 2009 09:12 AM