Grammar Nerds: I’ve recently noticed yet another Australian linguistic quirk. Many people, when cheering for their favorite sports team, add a “the” in there. For example, last weekend I heard lots of folks say “Go the Wallabies!” See, doesn’t that sound weird? I kept trying to explain the weirdness to the Snook by, like, diagramming the sentence. “Go” obviously makes it an imperative statement, so “the Wallabies” should be who the command is directed at. But you never use a definite article when you’re talking to someone, do you? I can’t imagine a Yank saying “Come over here, the team!” or “Silence, the cadets!” or even “Come on the Cubs!”. I don’t remember ever hearing such a thing in England either. Like I said, it’s just weird.

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  1. it actually doesn’t sound weird to me. a clear indication that i’ve been brainwashed by my aussie.

  2. You know where all those extra ‘the’s come from don’t you? From sentences like ‘I have to go to hospital’ (instead of ‘go to THE hospital’ for all you Aussies)
    tee-hee
    -gg70

  3. Hahaha… That’s so right, gg!

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