"Earth" or "The Earth"?

[FishInferno]

This question is simple: Do you refer to Earth as "The Earth" or just "Earth".

I personally try to use just "Earth" because that is its proper name. We don't call Mars "The Mars".

[Tex]

I use just "Earth" for the same reason. Though we are unique and rare in the universe, we are just a planet like everybody else. We're still the best planet, though

[Nikolai]

We don't call Mars "The Mars".

Well, no, but there's not a frequently-used common noun "mars", either.

"Earth" is not only the name of our home planet; it's also a synonym for "soil". So I use "Earth" in most contexts, but "the Earth" when I want to make it clear that I'm talking about the planet and not the dirt.

[FishInferno]

Well, no, but there's not a frequently-used common noun "mars", either.

"Earth" is not only the name of our home planet; it's also a synonym for "soil". So I use "Earth" in most contexts, but "the Earth" when I want to make it clear that I'm talking about the planet and not the dirt.

Shouldn't the capitalization of "Earth" show that you are referring to Earth and not the dirt?

[Kibble]

I probably say "the Earth" most often, because sometimes it just sounds wierd without the "the". Like in 1968 the Apollo 8 astronauts went to Moon. Ideally we should say that, but etymologically saying the ​Moon sounds better.

[Nikolai]

Shouldn't the capitalization of "Earth" show that you are referring to Earth and not the dirt?

In instances where I am writing and not speaking, yes. Unless you want to channel Victor Borge for a moment and come up with a way to pronounce capitalization.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Mars is also a greek god of war, by the way.

The "Earth/The Earth" dichotomy is kind of interesting. There are almost no circumstances where just saying "Earth" would not be correct and unambiguous given context. However, it seems that some phrases sound better with the definitive article, because they are established as common phrases in the english language. Being the one solitary home of humanity for so long (it still is, as of this post) made it special enough that it just feels right to emphasize that it is the one, singular Earth that is being mentioned. The article has become embedded in a number of established phrases, like "the face of the earth", which is likely also a big reason why "the Earth" is generally accepted and fairly widespread.

I normally just use whichever sounds best. It makes no difference in principle. There is just the one Earth either way.

[FishInferno]

I probably say "the Earth" most often, because sometimes it just sounds wierd without the "the". Like in 1968 the Apollo 8 astronauts went to Luna. Ideally we should say that, but etymologically saying the ​Moon sounds better.

Fixed that for you:)

We call the Moon "The Moon" because a long time ago people didn't understand stars and planets and whatnot:wink:

[Kibble]

We call the Moon "The Moon" because a long time ago people didn't understand stars and planets and whatnot:wink:

Luna is just Latin for "Moon" isn't it? It is a pretty name though, and doesn't sound (more) wierd to say without "the".

OTOH we call the Planets after their Latin names, so maybe "Luna" should be standard!

[r4pt0r]

How long till we return a sample of martian earth?

[Nikolai]

How long till we return a sample of martian earth?

Not long, I hope. But we already have some lunar earth. I mean Moon earth. I mean Moon earth brought to Earth. I mean...

Dang it.

[Sampa]

Shouldn't the capitalization of "Earth" show that you are referring to Earth and not the dirt?

Not necessarily. If he means physically speaking, you don't get to see capitalization as you do when it is written down

I probably say "the Earth" most often, because sometimes it just sounds wierd without the "the". Like in 1968 the Apollo 8 astronauts went to Moon. Ideally we should say that, but etymologically saying the ​Moon sounds better.

We actually get away with calling the Moon "the Moon" mostly because it actually HAS a registered name: Luna. In the same sense, the Sun also has its own registered name: Sol.

[FishInferno]

Not necessarily. If he means physically speaking, you don't get to see capitalization as you do when it is written down

I think that the context of the conversation would give it away. IF someone said "We live on Earth", It is safe to assume that he is talking about the planet.

[Sampa]

I think that the context of the conversation would give it away. IF someone said "We live on Earth", It is safe to assume that he is talking about the planet.

True, in any case, I actually use both terms interchangeably as I need them

[Bill Phil]

Depends on context.

For example:

The Earth was still being formed.

Earth is tiny compared to Jupiter.

I don't know, whichever feels like the right one.

- - - Updated - - -

I use just "Earth" for the same reason. Though we are unique and rare in the universe, we are just a planet like everybody else. We're still the best planet, though

I think we say The Earth because it's the only Earth. But Mars is the only Mars, so... Let's just start saying "The Mars".

[Norpo]

Whichever sounds best at the time, which is normally just "Earth"

e.g "Earth is home to life as we know it."

or "The Earth is home to life as we know it."

Which sounds best depends on context, sentence flow, and (if talking verbally) accent.

[Bill Phil]

Whichever sounds best at the time, which is normally just "Earth"

e.g "Earth is home to life as we know it."

or "The Earth is home to life as we know it."

Which sounds best depends on context, sentence flow, and (if talking verbally) accent.

The one with The Earth would be better when pointing to Earth. The one without The would be better when referring to Earth in general, while not pointing to it. For me, that is.

[cpast]

We actually get away with calling the Moon "the Moon" mostly because it actually HAS a registered name: Luna. In the same sense, the Sun also has its own registered name: Sol.

No, the Moon's scientific name in English is "Moon." The Earth's is "Earth." The Sun's is "Sun." In other languages, the name is the common name in that language (so it is "Luna" in some languages, but not in English). There is no "registered" name; the IAU's official policy is "every language has a term for it, so use the term from the language you're writing in."

[Vanamonde]

Mars is also a greek god of war, by the way.

Not to be all Science Labsy, but Ares is the Greek god of war. Mars is his Latin name.

[Newt]

Mars is also a greek god of war, by the way.

You mean Roman. Mars is Roman (Greek Ares), Venus (Greek Aphrodite) Mercury (Hermes (you should get that these are all Greek)) and Jupiter (Zeus), are Roman, Saturn (Cronus) Neptune (Poseidon), Pluto (Hades) and Charon (same in Greek) are Roman, so are Vesta (Roughly Hestia) and Ceres (Demeter). The one planet which is Greek is Uranus (Roman Caelus).

Vanamonde you incomplete ninja you!

[Starwhip]

Really, I find that they are somewhat interchangeable, and I use whichever sounds "right" for the context.

For example: Apollo 11 returned to the Earth, or Apollo 11 returned to Earth.

Either works, but I like the second one better.

Now, if we say; The Earth orbits the Sun or Earth orbits the Sun, the first sounds better to me.

[StrandedonEarth]

I think that the context of the conversation would give it away. IF someone said "We live on Earth", It is safe to assume that he is talking about the planet.

Well, there are some tribes in Africa and the Amazonian basin living in simple huts, who live on earth. To be precise: their huts have earthen floors. Or dirt floors, if you prefer.

[Kibble]

You mean Roman. Mars is Roman (Greek Ares), Venus (Greek Aphrodite) Mercury (Hermes (you should get that these are all Greek)) and Jupiter (Zeus), are Roman, Saturn (Cronus) Neptune (Poseidon), Pluto (Hades) and Charon (same in Greek) are Roman, so are Vesta (Roughly Hestia) and Ceres (Demeter). The one planet which is Greek is Uranus (Roman Caelus).

Pluto is actually a Latinization of Plouton (a later Greek name for Hades) like how Uranus is for Ouranos. The Roman equivalent of Hades/Plouton is Dis Pater.

[Bill Phil]

You mean Roman. Mars is Roman (Greek Ares), Venus (Greek Aphrodite) Mercury (Hermes (you should get that these are all Greek)) and Jupiter (Zeus), are Roman, Saturn (Cronus) Neptune (Poseidon), Pluto (Hades) and Charon (same in Greek) are Roman, so are Vesta (Roughly Hestia) and Ceres (Demeter). The one planet which is Greek is Uranus (Roman Caelus).

Vanamonde you incomplete ninja you!

Uranus is also Roman right? Apollo is the same in both...

[RainDreamer]

"The Earth" is better for sentimental reasons. There maybe other planet like Earth out there, but this one we are on is The Earth, the one and only, the origin of human kind.

But if people prefer correctness over sentimentality, that is fine too.