Of course, the fact that the word "Ukraine" means "borderland" means the definite article is the least of their problems.
I've often thought that there should be a single word in Russian (and, for that matter, Ukrainian) that means "Oh crap, here they come
again".
The fact that neither Russian nor Ukranian has a definite article makes the whole debate rather ... errr ... outward-looking.
The Congo problem is exacerbated by the fact that (IIRC) the Republic of Congo isn't the same as the old Belgian Congo which is now the Central African Republic or something. Penny knows, because she has to update all the labels whenever a country changes its name.
I'm pretty sure there are currently
two
countries called Congo.
I am constantly impressed by depth of knowledge on this board, the Buffistas know everything about EVERYTHING.
Here we are, courtesy of the CIA. (I rather love the fact that they were the first Google result!)
Democractic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire, formerly Belgian Congo, etc etc)
Republic of the Congo
I thought
The
Congo referred to the river, not any country.
Wait, Zaire isn't a country anymore? Well, crap, I'm so behind...
Wait, Zaire isn't a country anymore? Well, crap, I'm so behind...
They changed the name in 1997 when Laurent Kabila (the father of the current president) seized power from Mobutu (who had changed its name from Congo to Zaïre in 1971). Sort of an out with the old, in with the older deal.