Drop the "the"!!!

[rwb]

Gardencat, your analogy mixes apples and oranges. "The" is used before nouns. That's why you feel uncomfortable using it in front of an adjective like "Macy's". The original poster takes too narrow a position, endorsing a convention that is contrary to conventional American English.

Nearly every American dictionary takes the position that "the" is properly used before the name of a ship. The American Heritage Dictionary notes specifically that "the" is used "before a proper name, as of a monument or ship, as in the Alamo or the Titanic." Webster's and the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Disctionary also note that "the" is used "before a proper name as of a ship....the Mayflower." What could be clearer?

American English has developed a sophisticated set of conventions regarding the need for the definite article before proper names. Generally, "the" is not necessary before proper names of persons or places (unless the place is only partially stated, as in the Phillipines, or is composed of multiple words, as in the USA). It is, however, frequently used before the proper names of tangible things, as in the Empire State Building or the Midwest. Nearly all dictionaries and most manuals of style explicitly endorse its use before the names of ships.

The single exception is the US Navy, which does not use the definite article before the names of Navy ships, arguing that only one ship of a given name is in commission at one time and thus there is no need for the specificity provided by the definite article. The Navy does not, however, take this position in the case of private or non-US vessels.

[Danno]

Enough already!! I give up... [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] But it's been fun hasn't it??

Dan

CenturyX1,GalaxyX2,HorizonX5,VolendamX1,

Zenith to Bermuda Oct/04
Century to E.Caribbean Feb/05

[CruznTom]

I wonder what Ebonics has to say about this grammar? [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[This message was edited by CruznTom on 04-11-04 at 09:17 PM.]

[Lois R]

Give up? Danno? No way....LOL....

I still say I sailed "The Century"...and I just sailed "The Mercury"...Saying, I sailed "Mercury" that just sounds weird to me...sounds like a thermometer or something [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Next up...HORIZON Sept 18th to Bermuda!

See My Century and Mercury Pictures at:
[url="http://community.webshots.com/user/lovescruising"]http://community.webshots.com/user/lovescruising[/url]

[gardencat]

Just picture what would happen with some of the Carnival names. "I'm going on Inspiration" may leave some doubt about your actual meaning.

Yes Danno it has been fun or, as my teenaged son would say, "It's the bomb!"

[newtocc]

Danno, say the following aloud, as if you were a taunting 6 year old!

Danno was wrong-ong, Danno was wrong-ong, ha ha ha, ha ha ha!

This ship 10/91
That ship 11/95
Whatever ship 12/98
here a ship 13/99
there a ship 14/00
everywhere
a
ship ship 15/05

<font size="3" color=red>Over 1 year</font> into my LMBO cruise

[CruznTom]

How about I'm on Ecstacy? Does that sound right?

[gardencat]

Well... it doesn't sound entirely wrong but not entirely legal either !!

[jabang]

Having been in the Navy and serving on several ships, "THE" is NEVER used. A ship is christened and considered to be a living entity. That is why ships are ships are called "she."

Also, the correct names as the ships are registered would be "M/V Summit", not "M/V The Summit."

Flame away......

[Danno]

Newt...in light of the post above this I must change my mind. So repeat after me...

"Danno was ri-right, Danno was ri-right, ha ha ha ha..." [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Dan

CenturyX1,GalaxyX2,HorizonX5,VolendamX1,

Zenith to Bermuda Oct/04
Century to E.Caribbean Feb/05

[newtocc]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jabang:


Also, the correct names as the ships are registered would be "M/V Summit", not "M/V The Summit."

Flame away......<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well DUH, I guess you couldn’t call it M/V the Summit, because the GTS Summit is powered by a Gas Turbine!

Danno, you trust this person as a source of definitive knowledge? DUH on you too!

This ship 10/91
That ship 11/95
Whatever ship 12/98
here a ship 13/99
there a ship 14/00
everywhere
a
ship ship 15/05

<font size="3" color=red>Over 1 year</font> into my LMBO cruise

[stretch]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Cruise Cat:
Danno - "Your" wrong! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] Newt has been going around to all the Celebrity Ships and spray-painting the word, "The" in front of all the ship names!


[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
)!!!!..................._<MARQUEE> <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
************************************************
And while you are on the subject of pet peeves, please use the correct words for the phrase. It's "you're" wrong, not your wrong. GEEZZZZZ
I need a vacation!
Stretch

AAYE PARANDAA!

Carnival Celebration 08/97
Carnival Fantasy 02/99
RCI Explorer 05/02
RCI Brilliance 04/03 The Barcrawler Legend Begins
RCI Brilliance 03/04 The Return of the Barcrawlers
2005 Princess or Celebrity TBD

email address: [email]Stretchcrawler@yahoo.com[/email]

[CaribbeanBound]

I can say I've been on Galaxy, and I'm going on Horizon, but I can't say I've been on THE Zenith --- because I haven't.

[nealberk]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by derf5585:
Remember it's "Smokey Bear" Not "Smokey the Bear"
Also "Kermit the Frog" not "Kermit Frog"

Smokey Bear has been working for over 50 years
from
[url="http://www.smokeybear.com/"]http://www.smokeybear.com/[/url]

USS Chilton APA-38 1966-1968
USS Guam LPH-9 1968-1970
Pacific Princess Oct 21 2001 Bermuda
Golden Princess Dec 7 2002 "Eastern Caribbean"
Coral Princess Dec 9 2003 "Panama Canal"

Carnival Miracle 17 Oct 2004

NOT UPDATED again 25 Feb [url="http://www.geocities.com/fsbsdel"]http://www.geocities.com/fsbsdel[/url]

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, but the song goes:

Smokey the bear,
Smokey the bear,
He can spot a fire,
Before it starts to flame,
That's why they call him Smokey,
And he sure deserves the name.

[dougnewmanatsea]

Well I don't know what the US Navy says but according to the people who write dictionaries it is perfectly fine to put "the" in front of the name of a ship.

Chandris, Celebrity's predecessor, actually had two ships called THE VICTORIA and THE AZUR. Whether it would have been appropriate to talk about having "been on the THE VICTORIA" I do not know...

Now, what about Concorde? People would generally talk about "taking Concorde", not "taking the Concorde". Arguably it should have been "taking a Concorde" since there were more than one. After all, I have never heard someone say, "I took 747 to New York", unless maybe they were talking about a flight number 747...

Doug Newman
Cruise Critic Message Boards Host
e-mail: shiploverny AT yahoo DOT com

[ehrlichpuppy]

hi guys!!! just wanted to check in & i found this fun thread! I'm well into cruise withdrawal & so in a bad mood, but I think it makes more sense to say the Century. I know the cure for my cruise withdrawal, unfortunatly, I haven't won the lottery or robbed any banks , so it looks like it won't happen until next year

HAL Rotterdam 11/01
Celebrity Horizon 12/02
Celebrity Century 11/03
[img]http://www.webdeveloper.com/animations/bnifiles/dogrun.gif[/img]
[img]http://www.gifs.net/animate/mermaidswim.gif[/img]
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00FF00&CDT=2003;11;01;4;30;00&timezone=EST-1600[/img]

[nealberk]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Host Doug:

Now, what about Concorde? People would generally talk about "taking Concorde", not "taking the Concorde". Arguably it should have been "taking a Concorde" since there were more than one. After all, I have never heard someone say, "I took 747 to New York", unless maybe they were talking about a flight number 747...

Doug Newman
Cruise Critic Message Boards Host
e-mail: shiploverny AT yahoo DOT com<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hi Doug! Interesting, all the people I have spoken to have called it THE Concorde since it was such a different way of flying. The actual plane was not important, it was the fact that you were going on the fastest commercial jet around and actually going faster than the earth was moving that was so remarkable. (Breakfast in Paris, up, away, and landing in New York in time for ... breakfast!)

[wolfganghowell]

Passenger: I sailed on Century.
Non Cruise person: What century?

Passenger: I sailed on Millennium.
Non Cruise Person: How was New Year's?

Passenger: I sailed on Infinity.
Non Cruise Person: Have you seen a doctor? Is life really that hopeless?

Passenger: I sailed on Rhapsody.
Non Cruise Person: (slaps face of Passenger)I knew you were cheating on me!!!!

I shall continue to use the appropriate and grammatically correct "the".

Good day sir.

Century 99-00
Rhapsody 11/00
Rhapsody 10/01
Infinity 2/02
Millennium 11/02
Millennium 11/03
Rhapsody 11/04

[smeyer418]

can we just stop already and make this


[B]THE! END[/B]?

[yanceycruiser]

I second that motion...THE END!

Yanceycruiser

Dreamward 1/95
Norway 1/97
Grandeur of the Seas 1/99
Grand Princess 2/01
Carnival Pride 2/03

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=000080&cdt=2004;08;22;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

Until the Infinity on
August 22, 2004

[jabang]

OK then, but I guess everyone who has ships listed in their signatures should go back and edit them to include "The".

The Danno, you really shouldn't have started all of this. Now I will take the advice of The Smeyer418 and The Yanceycruiser and and end this.

The JaBang

[akawanda]

Dang, just as I was comtemplating the "the" question, it is being put to rest and probably best. But as I was reading I thought of something that drives me batty, the phrase "over and out" HEY it's either over or it's out, can't be both. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]
Akawanda/Mrs. Catmand

[cruzinpsycharnp]

Who axed this question anyway?

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00ffff&cdt=2004;6;13;16;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img] till Mariner
Queen Elizabeth 1963
Florida 1966
Mardi Gras 1980
Holiday 1982
Tropicale 1999
Pride 2002
Grand Princess 2003
Mariner 2004

[marco]

.........I guess it must be a "Canada thing", or is it "THE Canada thing"? ey?

You know how Canada got her name, don't you? They put all the letters of the alphabet in a bag, and gave it to someone who started to pull letters out. As he pulled them out, he was to announce to the crowd what the letter was, so....he started and...
"C....ey" "N.....ey" "D.....ey"
And that's how Canada got her name.
Is it OK to call Canada "her" or is it "it"?

[brn2crz]

I wrote a paper in College about my experience
trying out for the
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.I was failed for my improper use of the plural "cowboys"???

Cathy
NCL-Starward 1982
NCL-Seaward 1986
NCL-Norway 1992
Carnival-Celebration 1996
Carnival-Jubilee 2001
RCI-Rhapsody 1999
RCI-Rhapsody- 2003
Grand Princess or Rhapsody ?
2004


[img]http://heathersanimations.com/Fish2/netdiver.gif[/img]