The omission of the definite article "the" before certain places like "hospital" is a linguistic difference between British English and American English. In British English, it is common to use the word "hospital" without the definite article when referring to being admitted to or staying at a hospital. This construction is often known as the "zero article."
For example, a British person might say:
- "He's in hospital." (meaning he's admitted to a hospital or staying there for medical treatment)
On the other hand, in American English, it is more common to use the definite article "the" before "hospital" when referring to someone being in the hospital:
- "He's in the hospital."
Both forms are grammatically correct within their respective dialects, but the omission of "the" in British English is simply a linguistic convention that has evolved over time. The use of the zero article with certain places like "school," "college," and "university" is also more prevalent in British English.
It's important to note that these linguistic variations are a natural part of how languages evolve and develop differently in different regions. Neither form is inherently right or wrong; they are just different ways of expressing the same idea based on regional conventions.