rwb Posted April 11, 2004 #51 Share Posted April 11, 2004 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted April 11, 2004 Author #52 Share Posted April 11, 2004 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruznTom Posted April 11, 2004 #53 Share Posted April 11, 2004 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.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Lois R Posted April 11, 2004 #54 Share Posted April 11, 2004 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] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardencat Posted April 12, 2004 #55 Share Posted April 12, 2004 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!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newtocc Posted April 12, 2004 #56 Share Posted April 12, 2004 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruznTom Posted April 12, 2004 #57 Share Posted April 12, 2004 How about I'm on Ecstacy? Does that sound right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardencat Posted April 12, 2004 #58 Share Posted April 12, 2004 Well... it doesn't sound entirely wrong but not entirely legal either !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabang Posted April 12, 2004 #59 Share Posted April 12, 2004 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...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted April 12, 2004 Author #60 Share Posted April 12, 2004 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newtocc Posted April 12, 2004 #61 Share Posted April 12, 2004 <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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stretch Posted April 12, 2004 #62 Share Posted April 12, 2004 <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] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaribbeanBound Posted April 12, 2004 #63 Share Posted April 12, 2004 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nealberk Posted April 12, 2004 #64 Share Posted April 12, 2004 <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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougnewmanatsea Posted April 12, 2004 #65 Share Posted April 12, 2004 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehrlichpuppy Posted April 13, 2004 #66 Share Posted April 13, 2004 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] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nealberk Posted April 13, 2004 #67 Share Posted April 13, 2004 <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!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfganghowell Posted April 13, 2004 #68 Share Posted April 13, 2004 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smeyer418 Posted April 13, 2004 #69 Share Posted April 13, 2004 can we just stop already and make this [B]THE! END[/B]? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yanceycruiser Posted April 14, 2004 #70 Share Posted April 14, 2004 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabang Posted April 14, 2004 #71 Share Posted April 14, 2004 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akawanda Posted April 14, 2004 #72 Share Posted April 14, 2004 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzinpsycharnp Posted April 14, 2004 #73 Share Posted April 14, 2004 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marco Posted April 14, 2004 #74 Share Posted April 14, 2004 .........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"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brn2crz Posted April 14, 2004 #75 Share Posted April 14, 2004 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] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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