Date: Wed, 30 Nov 1994 13:44:13 HOE

From: Alberto RIO RIOGARAL[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]VM1.SDI.UAM.ES

Subject: 'the' in Spain



'The' ('el', 'la') survived until recently in some geographical names, but

in the overwhelming majority of them is lost: *la Francia, *la Italia, as in

French 'le Spagne', etc.; but today we say 'la India' and a few others, pres-

erving the 'la' (female 'the') in very limited cases.



Regards,

Alberto RIO Fax.: +34 1 397-8599

Servicio de Cartografia, modulo de Geografia Phone: +34 1 397-3894

Universidad Autonoma de Madrid e-mail:

Campus de Cantoblanco riogaral[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]vm1.sdi.uam.es

E-28049 Madrid, Spain riogaral at emduam11