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   BeAware :fediverse: (beaware@mementomori.social)'s status on Thursday, 29-May-2025 08:40:29 JST BeAware :fediverse:

   Genuine question that I'm sure will get taken wrongly or seem absolutely stupid:

   Why do people from certain countries not use Article words like "the" and "a" when referring to hospitals?🤔

   "He's at hospital" vs "he's at the hospital" or "he's at a hospital"

   And why is it different from other general location names like "the house", "a house", etc?

   • Embed this notice
     BeAware :fediverse: (beaware@mementomori.social)'s status on Thursday, 29-May-2025 10:29:10 JST BeAware :fediverse:

     in reply to

     • David Njoku

     @davidnjoku Thank you. I didn't understand the difference between the state of being and the physical location. The state of being version isn't really used in the US so that's why it always confused me.

     Appreciate the explanation, friend!🙏👊

   • Embed this notice
     David Njoku (davidnjoku@mastodon.world)'s status on Thursday, 29-May-2025 10:29:11 JST David Njoku

     in reply to

     @BeAware Doesn't it mean something subtly different?

     He's at the hospital = there is one large hospital in our town and that's where he is.

     He's at a hospital = he's in a hospital I'm not familiar with.

     He's at hospital = This is less about a location and more about his state of being. "He had a fall." "Oh no, is he alright?" "No, he's still at hospital."

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     BeAware :fediverse: (beaware@mementomori.social)'s status on Thursday, 29-May-2025 10:33:04 JST BeAware :fediverse:

     in reply to

     • frog

     @frog Yes I get that now. I was also explained that in the cases without an article, it's a state of being. Like specifically inpatient stay because of serious health issues not just there to visit or other reasons, if that makes sense. We don't use it differently in the US so that's where the confusion lay.

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     frog (frog@frogdrool.net)'s status on Thursday, 29-May-2025 10:33:05 JST frog

     in reply to

     @BeAware Same with in line and on line. I think it's just a regional thing. I almost never hear "at hospital" in the US.

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     BeAware :fediverse: (beaware@mementomori.social)'s status on Thursday, 29-May-2025 10:36:20 JST BeAware :fediverse:

     in reply to

     • jerry

     @jerry That does make sense!

     Also, I was told that in other countries, specifically with hospital, the article use or absence is a difference of state of being vs just being at the physical location.

     Like "going to the hospital" is referring to the physical building but not necessarily for poor health while "going to hospital" is specifically referring to being in poor health and like an ER visit or inpatient stay.

     Thanks for your insight, friend!

     I'm glad I could learn a few things today.🙏

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     jerry (jerry@my-place.social)'s status on Thursday, 29-May-2025 10:36:26 JST jerry

     in reply to
     @BeAware Besides school, other U.S. examples are Church and bed. He goes to Church. He's goes to bed. Sometimes, though, using "the" changes the entire meaning. Grandpa lives at home. vs. Grandpa lives at the home