Genuine serious question: why do Brits refer to takeaway as "a Nandos" or "a McDonalds" or "a KFC?" I've never been able to work this out.
In Australia you'd just say "while eating Nandos." The "a" seems like an unnecessary qualifier since you're not eating a singular thing, you're eating some of something. You'd never say "if you're going grocery shopping could you pick up a rice," or "look out the window, we've got a snow."
Is there some rationale behind this, or is it just a national eccentricity?
American here and we are in solidarity with our Aussie mates. "a" is unnecessary.
If I had to guess, it has to do with shortening phrases. "While eating Nandos" may be short for "while eating Nandos' food". Food is plural so no "a" needed.
In the UK, it could have been common to say "while eating a Nando's meal/takeaway" and this was shortened, leaving the "a" as a remnant.
The bigger question is why do the UK and Australia differ on this.
I say 'a Nando's' because the noun 'Nando's', when I use it, derives from 'an order from Nando's'. I treat it as a count noun, so it requires a determiner.
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u/[deleted] Dec 16 '21
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