"The concorde," or "Concorde"

[bjpilot]

Over the last few months, I have seen quite a few people get jumped on for saying "The concorde" over at a.net. SInce I don't have an account there (and don't plan on paying to get one), I figured I'd bring it up here. Just calling the plane "concorde" is not proper english in my opinion. What other plane would you do this for? For example:

"The concorde flies at Mach 2." <--- Correct.
"Concorde Flies at Mach 2." <--- Incorrect, the same way as:

"The 747-400 has over 400 seats." <---Correct.
"747-400 has over 400 seats." <----Incorrect.

I am no english major, but since the concorde is an object, and not a person's name, then it needs to have a "The" or "A" ahead of it.

More examples:

"I saw a Concorde." Correct.
"I saw the concorde." Incorrect, there are more than one in existance.

However, "the" can be used as a blanket term to discuss features that all of the "concorde" model aircraft share.

"I saw John today." <----Correct, because it is a person's name.

"I saw Concorde today." <---Incorrect, because the concorde is not a person.

I know I have too much time on my hands, and if I am wrong then please someone explain why. Like I said, I am no English major, but this just does not seem right. :)

[FearlessTower]

Well, first, I assume you are referring to airliners.net??? If so, it doesn't suprise me....I like surfing airliners.net to look at the photos, but the forums are frequented by some of the most retarded, non-flying nerds I have ever come across. I swear airliners.net forums are where TV journalists hang out looking for 'expert witnesses' to quote whenever a plane goes down....but I digress.

Personally, I don't think the Concorde has any particular special status to warrant calling it 'concorde' vice 'the concorde'....I would have to side with you on the grammar issue. It sounds like they are trying to talk about the plane like it was a ship. Now, in the maritime world, grammar is often used contrary to what you might think. For example, if I went out on the aircraft carrier ENTERPRISE, I would say I shipped out on ENTERPRISE, not 'the Enterprise'...but we're just weird like that in the nautical world.

[Gimli Glider]

Many Concorde pilots and other poeple who worked on the aircraft use 'Concorde' as a proper noun because the aircraft is very special to them, as well as the reasons above. They also use 'she' when saying something like: "Concorde makes a sonic boom whenever she's supersonic."

[UK_RON]

I live and have lived in the UK for 57 years and ever since I first saw Concorde fly on training flights following the A34 in the South West of England it has been and continues to be called "Concorde" NOT The Concorde or any other made-up phrase.

You say color we say colour

We helped build Concorde so we get to choose the name and it is Concorde, always has been and always WILL BE, after all when you visit ANY of the museums/airports where Concorde rests it is known in this country as going to visit London Heathrow and see Concorde not "THE CONCORDE" or "A CONCORDE" JUST "CONCORDE".

[JSkorna]

So Ron,

At the the local pub is it:

"I'll have AN ALE."

or is it:

"I'll have ALE."?!!

Hope this helps,
Jim
http://www.hifisim.com

http://sales.hifisim.com/pub-downloa...evelopment.jpg http://sales.hifisim.com/pub-downloa...nner-proud.jpg [hr][link:www.jdtllc.com|http://www.jdtllc.com/images/rcv4bannersupporter.jpg]

[EMAPhil]

If you pay I'll ask the question any way you want- but don't you find "an Ale" just a little limiting!!

I also live in the UK and for a while worked on the Olympus Engines.
Everyone I know in the UK in the industry calls it "Concorde" no "A" or "the".

Like Ron says we invented it-we call it what we want.

And just to be a little Xenophobic- all true Brits prefer the original Anglo spelling "Concord" not the sop to the French adding the "e".

Mine's an Ale (as in Flagon)

[UK_RON]

Cheers Phil

Jim,

When we order a drink in a pub (yet another English invention - short for PUBLIC HOUSE - A house where the public meet) we do it the right way and ask for..

A pint of beer
A pint of lager
A pint of anything other than ale

We stopped talking like that around 200 years ago.

So when we talk about Concord(e) we don't talk about THE Concord(e) or A Concord(e) we just talk about Concord(e) as in there goes Concord(e) not there goes A Concord(e) or there goes A Concord(e), so simple , so easy and SO ENGLISH.

[JSkorna]

Hi All,

You guys know I was just joking around right??!!

Hope this helps,
Jim
http://www.hifisim.com

http://sales.hifisim.com/pub-downloa...evelopment.jpg http://sales.hifisim.com/pub-downloa...nner-proud.jpg [hr][link:www.jdtllc.com|http://www.jdtllc.com/images/rcv4bannersupporter.jpg]

[bjpilot]

You're right, you built it, you can give it whatever name you want. The name you gave it was "Concorde."

That does not, however, mean you can change the english grammar system. You named it "Concorde," just as Ford named the "Explorer."

"I saw a Concorde."
"I saw an Explorer."

"Look at that Concorde."

I'm not trying to attack, I mean you're free to say whatever you want, just don't say that it's correct because it isn't. Do you honestly think "look at Concorde" is proper? How about "Look at 747."

[EMAPhil]

Well you know it is the "english" grammar system so being english we can change that as well:7

The US has its oddities: Look at how you refer to highways: You say take I5, we say: Take "the" M1

I am light hearted about this thread. I have met with many Americans on a professional and personal basis for many years and generally we get much mutual amusement from our respective quirky perspectives on life.

Somebody once said "Two great nations seperated by a common language"
How delightfully true.