basel
basel — noun
1. The third-largest city in Switzerland, located in the northwest of the country o
The third-largest city in Switzerland, located in the northwest of the country on the Rhine River. It is a major centre for culture, education, and the pharmaceutical industry, and it shares borders with both France and Germany.
The Watanabe family moved to Basel when Mr. Watanabe got a job at a pharmaceutical company.
proper noun with no article: 'to Basel'
Dr. Okafor visited Basel last summer and took a boat trip along the Rhine River.
The train from Zürich to Basel takes less than two hours.
Sakura studied art history at the university in Basel for one semester.
Many international organisations hold their annual meetings in Basel.
文法句型
used as a proper noun; does not take an article
用法筆記
As a city name, Basel normally appears without 'the': 'She lives in Basel', not 'the Basel'. The phrase 'the city of Basel' is used in formal writing.
常見錯誤
2. A former administrative region in northwestern Switzerland that was divided into
A former administrative region in northwestern Switzerland that was divided into two half-cantons in 1833: Basel-Stadt (the city area) and Basel-Landschaft (the surrounding countryside).
The former canton of Basel was split into two half-cantons after a political dispute in 1833.
historical reference: 'the former canton of Basel'
Before the division, the canton of Basel covered a much larger area on both sides of the Rhine River.
Historians study the records of the canton of Basel to understand the political conflicts of the early nineteenth century.
文法句型
used as a proper noun
用法筆記
This sense is mainly used in historical or administrative contexts. In modern Swiss politics, the two successor half-cantons (Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft) are referred to separately. The phrase 'the canton of Basel' always signals a historical reference.