Part 2 Geographical and Astronomical Orientating Names

No article is used with astronomical and geographical orientating names. They denote objects which help people determine position in space (1), on land (2), at sea (3), relatively to sea-level (4).

1. No article is found with astronomical orientating names which denote constellations (Cygnus, Procyori) and planets of the solar system (Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptun, Pluto, Mars) though the definite article is kept with the names of the Sun, the Moon, the Earth.

Note: No article is found with the noun 'Earth' when it is used in an orientating function:

a) in prepositional phrases where Earth is represented as a place of human activity:

e.g. Here was a dish with a taste like nothing else on earth (Jerome K.Jerome).

b) when Earth is treated in contrast to other planets:

e.g. Why is Venus too hot for life. Mars too cold, and Earth just right? (RD).

2. No article is used with names denoting orientating points on land:

a) places of natural elevation on Earth's surface:

• names of peaks (Everest);

• names of hills (Capitol Hill);

• names of cliffs and rocks, e.g. You can climb to the top of Independence Rock (RD).

b) places connected with movement on land (travelling):

- names of railway stations (Euston), bus stations (Stratford Bus Station), airports (Kennedy Airport);

- names of parks (Hyde Park) and bridges (Tower Bridge) inside cities while similar names in the country have the definite article (the Severn Bridge, the Forth Bridge),

e.g. Cross the Forth Bridge or drive along the south shore to the River Forth.

3. No article is used with orientating names at sea which denote objects helping to determine the position of a vessel during navigation:

1. names of capes, e.g. Cape Horn, but the Cape of Good Hope;

2. names of bays, e.g. Hudson Bay, but the Bay of Bengal;

3. names of harbours (New York Harbour);

4. names of seaports (Portsmouth);

5. names of sandbanks, e.g. By the time Cassier Bar was reached he was so weak that he was falling repeatedly (J.London).

4. No article is used in phrases denoting the position of objects relatively to sea level (below sea level, above sea-level) e.g. Then I had a lovely sail down to sea-level (RD).

The definite article is used with geographical names denoting objects which can't be used for orientation:

a) because they are uninhabited and as a result rarely used for orien­tation by people:

- names of deserts (the Gobi);

- names of permafrost regions (the Arctic, the Antarctic, but Antarctica).

b) on account of the size of an object:

• names of oceans (the Pacific Ocean);

• names of seas (the Mediterranean);

• names of gulfs (the Percian Gulf).

Note: No article is used with names of lakes in the pattern 'Lake Ontario' because the fixed surface of a lake allows to use it for orientation.

c) on account of the length of objects:

• names of rivers (the Thames);

• names of channels (the English Channel);

• names of canals (the Panama Canal).

Note:

No article is used with names of rivers in compound place-names in which they perform an orientating function (Stratford-on- Avon, Berwick-on-Tweed, Wellingford-on-Thames).

d) the definite article is also used with geographical orientating names according to the rules common for all orientating names:

• in the plural (the Alps);

• in 'of-phrases' (the Cape of Good Hope).

Though the definite article is usually recommended with names of ships sometimes it can be dropped in this position: e.g. Bridgewater, a West German freighter, en route to England acknowledged the call... At that moment Hyccup disappeared beneath the waves (RD).