Thread: to (the?) NASA, NATO, UNESCO...

I want to write a letter to (the?) NASA (NATO, UNESCO... etc).

Нужен артикль?
Спасибо.

I want to write a letter to NASA.

but

I want to write a letter to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Do not use "the" in front of abbreviations.

Originally Posted by shadow1

I want to write a letter to NASA.

but

I want to write a letter to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Do not use "the" in front of abbreviations.

They say 'in the US'???

Yeah, and one can say

"The UN just announced..." or "I sent a letter to the UN"

NASA, however doesn't use the article "the", neither does NATO...

I think it is because the UN and the US have become nouns in their own right, just like "apple" and "toe". Someone with a little more linguistic knowledge could explain the phenomena better...

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

NASA, however doesn't use the article "the", neither does NATO...

А ЮНЕСКО?

по-моему без

НО (обрати внимание, пожалйста)

The UNESCO offical
The NASA director etc.
(здесь как прилагательные)

Write a letter to UNESCO.

Generally, if you say the abbreviation as a word, do not use an article. If you pronounce the letters individually, use an article.

Hence, "In the U.S." "In NASA" "They are in NAMBLA, run away kids!"

Though I would say "use HTML" not "use the HTML."

I do not know the rules when to use "the".
But here are more examples, maybe they will help.

I am writing to UNESCO
I am writing to NASA
I am writing to NATO
I am writing to NAFTA
I am writing to MADD

exceptions

I am writing to the US
I am writing to the EU
I am writing to the UN
I am writing to the DMV

I am writing to America (or any country, state, city, person)

Originally Posted by shadow1

I am writing to America (or any country, state, city, person)

I am writing to the Hague.

the Hague is not a country, city or person, it is a court

I am writing to the supreme court of America.

I am writing to the Supreme Court of the United States.

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

the Hague is not a country, city or person, it is a court

I am writing to the supreme court of America.

The Hague is a Dutch city if you didn't know.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hague

;^)

Mpf! :P Well, in any case it is an exception since the name of the city is "the Hague", you got to use the whole name! I am sure you could have guessed it yourself :P

Originally Posted by shadow1

I do not know the rules when to use "the".
But here are more examples, maybe they will help.

I am writing to UNESCO
I am writing to NASA
I am writing to NATO
I am writing to NAFTA
I am writing to MADD

exceptions

I am writing to the US
I am writing to the EU
I am writing to the UN
I am writing to the DMV

I am writing to America (or any country, state, city, person)

The rule has been explained above. You don't use 'the' when you read the acronym as one word.