The Dominican

[Tamborista]

so whos actually bothered - we need a poll

Where is NALS when we actually need a poll?

t'

 

[dulce]

I heard he's in the Dominican.

 

[NALs]

Who knew???:laugh:

My Dominican husband refers to the entire country as Santo Domingo. I learned that years ago. When he says so-and-so is from Santo Domingo, I know to ask "What city?" because 9 times out of 10 it's not the capital.

Can anyone tell me the year the country changed names from Santo Domingo to Republica Dominicana? I know the city of Santo Domingo was called Ciudad Trujillo for decades, so I'm thinking the country at that time was Santo Domingo???

AE

The "country" officially changed its name from the Colony of Santo Domingo on the 5th of December, 1821; and adopted the name the Dominican Republic on the 27th of February, 1844. Between those years things were, shall we say, a little iffy.

Even the Haitians refer to the DR as Saint Domingue, at least I've heard it a few times. And in Puerto Rico, Santo Domingo is used interchangeably with the official name. The same is true with Cubans.

This desire to call the country by its actual name seems to be limited to English speakers, because Spanish/Italian/French speaking peoples refer to the country as Santo Domingo. In Italy they even sell the country as Santo Domingo. The next you you're there, keep an eye on the travel agencies and you'll notice it. Also, I've seen old books/articles written by Americans that visited the country in the late 19th century / early 20th century refer to the country as Santo Domingo (sometimes even as San Domingo). I even have the book written by Samuel Hazard in the late 1800s as a report in favor of US annexation of the country, and the title is none other than (sic) "Santo Domingo Past and Present, With a Glance at Hayti." So, this constant desire for English speakers to call the country by its name could be of recent origin.

It's quite easy to see the connection between the now informal name of the country with the formal one, once you translate everything to English.

Example:

Name of Colony: Saint Dominic

Name of Residents/Natives: Dominicans

Name of Republic: The Dominican Republic

The Spanish speaking side has been referred to as Santo Domingo (and its inhabitants as Dominicans) for over 500 years, don't think it will be changing any time soon.

It also goes without saying that for the most part, only people outside the country would say 'I'm going to Santo Domingo' or 'in Santo Domingo...,' and is automatically understood that it means the Dominican Republic. Whenever the capital city is referred to, it goes as 'in the capital...' or 'in Santo Domingo, capital...' or even 'in the city of Santo Domingo...' though this last option is hardly used.

 

[bob saunders]

I as a Dominican I don't care if you call the country DR, The Dominican, The Republic, Dominican Republic, Quisqueya or Santo Domingo. And all the Dominican that I know don't care either.

Only a Gringo would care about something as meaningless as this We Dominican have to many problems to think or argue about something this trivial. So, call it whatever you want to call it as long as it is understandable that you mean The Dominican Republic.

I know The Dominican sound incomplete and awkward in English, but that doesn't mean the end of the world like some posters wants to make it look.

Exactly!
There are plenty of Anal retentive people, and their stick up their AZZ about people saying " The Dominican " proves it. Communication is about understanding what someone means (semantics) If you can't figure out by the context in which one uses " The Dominican " then you have bigger issues to deal with.

 

[Bronxboy]

When I'm going to the DR, I say I'm going to Santo Domingo, that if I'm talking with my family and Dominican friends. All my Dominican friends say the same thing when they are going to the DR. If I'm talking with someone from another country I say I'm going to my country, if he doesn't know where I'm from, I'll tell s/he the Dominican Republic.

If I'm talking to a Dominican that doesn't know me well and I tell that person that I'm going to Santo Domingo, s/he automatically is going to ask me what part of Santo Domingo I'm from, which I'm going to answer Santiago.

When a Dominican in the USA says that s/he is going to Santo Domingo, they don't Mean La Capital.






As per the Article 9 of the Dominican Republic Constitution, the name of the island is the Island of Santo Domingo.

When I and any other Dominican outside of the DR say that we are going to Santo Domingo, we mean we are going to the Dominican side of the island. Dominican are very proud of their place of birth no matter where in the DR they were bored. I will never say I'm from "La Capital".


I as a Dominican I don't care if you call the country DR, The Dominican, The Republic, Dominican Republic, Quisqueya or Santo Domingo. And all the Dominican that I know don't care either.

Only a Gringo would care about something as meaningless as this We Dominican have to many problems to think or argue about something this trivial. So, call it whatever you want to call it as long as it is understandable that you mean The Dominican Republic.

I know The Dominican sound incomplete and awkward in English, but that doesn't mean the end of the world like some posters wants to make it look.

Thanks for the insight.

 

[AnnaC]

I as a Dominican I don't care if you call the country DR, The Dominican, The Republic, Dominican Republic, Quisqueya or Santo Domingo. And all the Dominican that I know don't care either.

Only a Gringo would care about something as meaningless as this We Dominican have to many problems to think or argue about something this trivial. So, call it whatever you want to call it as long as it is understandable that you mean The Dominican Republic.

I know The Dominican sound incomplete and awkward in English, but that doesn't mean the end of the world like some posters wants to make it look.

Thank you
I've been waiting a long long time to hear a Dominican's opinion