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.

Quote:

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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.

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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...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

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

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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)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shadow1

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

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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.

Quote:

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

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:wink: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/

Quote:

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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.

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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

Quote:

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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)

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