Re: USAGE: Internetese deviancy - the definite article

Staving Gary Shannon:

>I still haven't figured out how the British decide to
>DROP "the" in so many odd places like "going to
>hospital" instead of "going to THE hospital."  Does
>anybody know what the rule is for when to drop "the"
>in order to speak proper British?  For example, does
>one say "I'm going to the city", or "I'm going to
>city"?
>
>Somehow, "going to university" makes "university"
>sound like a verb to me.  "I'm going to university and
>then I'm going to sing, and if you don't watch out I'm
>going to hospital you right in the face."
Usually, when "the" is dropped, it refers to an institution.

Pete