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

  1. #1
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    to (the?) NASA, NATO, UNESCO...

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

    Нужен артикль?
    Спасибо.
    In Russian, all nationalities and their corresponding languages start with a lower-case letter.

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    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.
    Я взял палку и нож, мелки и бумагу и направился к холмам.

  3. #3
    Завсегдатай Ramil's Avatar
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    Quote 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'???
    Send me a PM if you need me.

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    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...
    Hei, rett norsken min og du er død.
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    Quote Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie
    NASA, however doesn't use the article "the", neither does NATO...
    А ЮНЕСКО?
    In Russian, all nationalities and their corresponding languages start with a lower-case letter.

  6. #6
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    по-моему без

    НО (обрати внимание, пожалйста)

    The UNESCO offical
    The NASA director etc.
    (здесь как прилагательные)
    Hei, rett norsken min og du er død.
    I am a notourriouse misspeller. Be easy on me.
    Пожалуйста! Исправляйте мои глупые ошибки (но оставьте умные)!
    Yo hablo español mejor que tú.
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    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."

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    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)
    Я взял палку и нож, мелки и бумагу и направился к холмам.

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    Quote Originally Posted by shadow1
    I am writing to America (or any country, state, city, person)
    I am writing to the Hague.
    «И всё, что сейчас происходит внутре — тоже является частью вселенной».

  10. #10
    Завсегдатай kalinka_vinnie's Avatar
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    the Hague is not a country, city or person, it is a court

    I am writing to the supreme court of America.
    Hei, rett norsken min og du er død.
    I am a notourriouse misspeller. Be easy on me.
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    I am writing to the Supreme Court of the United States.
    http://www.supremecourtus.gov/

  12. #12
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    Quote 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

    ;^)
    «И всё, что сейчас происходит внутре — тоже является частью вселенной».

  13. #13
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    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
    Hei, rett norsken min og du er død.
    I am a notourriouse misspeller. Be easy on me.
    Пожалуйста! Исправляйте мои глупые ошибки (но оставьте умные)!
    Yo hablo español mejor que tú.
    Trusnse kal'rt eturule sikay!!! ))

  14. #14
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    Quote 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.
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