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PASTEL Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

the sun/the moon/the Earth

You don't place an article before any planets, do you?! Okay, except the sun,the moon and the Earth. Is there any reason behind?
  

Top answer

just to note that the sun and the moon are not planets. I will offer only a guess that the term takes the article to distinguish between 'earth' and 'Earth'. This distinction does not seem to arise with the other planets.

— Davkett

  • just to note that the sun and the moon are not planets.
  • I will offer only a guess that the term takes the article to distinguish between 'earth' and 'Earth'.
  • This distinction does not seem to arise with the other planets.
  • There are countless examples of the word with no article.
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7 Answers
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...Not to answer your question at this point...just to note that the sun and the moon are not planets. I will offer only a guess that the term takes the article to distinguish between 'earth' and 'Earth'. This distinction does not seem to arise with the other planets.

There are countless examples of the word with no article.
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Oh yes! They're not.

I've just heard a story about why you place an article before sun, moon and Earth. It's quite interesting. I'd like to know if someone knows why.
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Aren't the names of the planets proper names? Jupiter, Saturn, aso... (I hope these are planets...) That would explain the lack of article.
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I think it is just because 'sun', 'moon' and 'earth' were a common substantive name in origin. If you call the sun as Apollo or the moon as Diana, you wouldn't say 'the Apollo' or 'the Diana'.
paco
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PASTELBull eye. Paco!
Should be 'Beagle eye'.

paco
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