Hey,

Yesterday I asked a question about "the" and Writeacher helped me a lot. But now I have a further question.
I have a rule in my grammar book, which says, that Nationalities with the suffix -ese. -ch, -sh, -ss; goes with the. And wirteacher says that I can Also says "The Americans..." Is it a change in language? We have in German a few such changes in language and now I wonder wheter it is the same in english..

I think German has fewer exceptions, variations, and irregularities than English does. Since English is a combination of languages with Germanic roots (mostly grammar and structure and some vocabulary) and all the Latin and Greek influences (mostly in vocabulary), there seem to be more exceptions and variations in phrasing.

But it is sure, that I can use "the" with more nationalties then these with the suffix I write above?!

It all depends on the sentence. If you can post some sentences for me, I can help you better.

The first paragraph here is what I gave you the other day:

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/determiners/determiners.htm

Did you go into this linked section, too?
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/determiners/determiners.htm#articles
Read carefully ... all of it!

The French drink a lot of wine.

The Americans are frindly people.
The Germans always eat Weisswurst.
The Iraquis live in a warm land.

And all these sentence can go without "the", right?

I'd say that all can go without "The" except the first sentence.

Ok, as I write the first sentence, I had the feeling, it can't go without.

I thank you again very much!

You're very welcome!

Hello again! It's great to hear that Writeacher was able to help you with your previous question. Now, let's address your new question about the use of "the" with nationalities.

In English, the general rule is to use the definite article "the" with nationalities, but there are some exceptions. The rule you mentioned from your grammar book states that certain nationalities with suffixes like -ese, -ch, -sh, and -ss are typically used with "the." For example: "the Chinese," "the Japanese," "the Swiss," and "the Portuguese."

However, it's important to note that there can be variations and exceptions in language usage over time. While the general rule still stands, there may be situations where you can also omit "the" with certain nationalities. This can be influenced by regional or cultural differences, as well as language evolution.

For example, while "the Americans" is commonly used, you may also come across "Americans" being used without the definite article in certain contexts, such as in headlines or informal speech. This usage has become more accepted and is often considered a change in language over time.

So, in summary, while there are general rules about using "the" with nationalities, it's essential to understand that language usage can change and evolve. It's always good to be aware of the standard usage but also keep in mind that there might be exceptions or variations in certain contexts.