Alice in 'the' wonderland?

[Tedwonny]

I have always thought that by adding the definite article 'the', it sounds much better and grammatically speaking, the story revolves around a particular wonderland, right? Why then is it Alice in wonderland?

A daft question but I'd love to hear your sharing. thanks

 

[Gillnetter]

I have always thought that by adding the definite article 'the', it sounds much better and grammatically speaking, the story revolves around a particular wonderland, right? Why then is it Alice in wonderland?

A daft question but I'd love to hear your sharing. thanks

So...you would have it to be, "Alice in the Wonderland"? Does this sound correct to you, "Alice in the Germany"? I suggest that you review how articles are used in English.

 

[Tedwonny]

Of course Alice in the Germany is not correct. Germany is a proper noun.
wonderland noun - definition in British English Dictionary & Thesaurus - Cambridge Dictionary Online
Wonderland, even if one has not checked a dictionary, seems more like a common noun and 'the' may be appropriate if we are referring to a particular one.

 

[Barb_D]

It is a proper noun.

 

[Gillnetter]

Of course Alice in the Germany is not correct. Germany is a proper noun.
wonderland noun - definition in British English Dictionary & Thesaurus - Cambridge Dictionary Online
Wonderland, even if one has not checked a dictionary, seems more like a common noun and 'the' may be appropriate if we are referring to a particular one.

You are confusing a wonderland (anyplace that is wonderful) with Wonderland, a specific place in the story Alice in Wonderland. This Wonderland is as specific as Germany is and is a proper noun. The wonderland that Alice visited was called Wonderland. The author could have used another name, say, "Alice in Greenland". You wouldn't rename this, "Alice in the Greenland", would you?

 

[Tdol]

I think Gillnetter's logic is right, but I suppose that Lewis Carroll could have used the article if he wanted to, though it strikes me as better without it.

 

[BobK]

I wonder whether the generic term 'wonderland' even existed before Lewis Carroll coined it for a particular place (of course, when I say 'place' it didn't actually exist; it was in a fictional work, and even within that fictional work it was dreamed.)

b