Why do people say "THE Bronx?"

[raccoon]

They don't say "the Brooklyn" or "the Manhattan."

[Dr. Shepper]

1. Oh I know this one.

I used to live there so looked it up once upon a time.

It’s named after the Broncks’ River which was named after the immigrant who settled there.

https://ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com/2022/09/23/the-story-of-how-the-bronx-got-its-name/

[Scrivener7]

2. So it was like, "Let's go up to the Bronck's house."

That became "Let's go up to the Bronck's."

Edited: I was thinking it was two brothers, but that was Yonkers. (Jonkheers)

[KarenS]

3. along those lines,,,,

I used to say "The Ukraine" before the war there,,, it sounded so strange to me when the newscasters/reporters just said "Ukraine" but now I've switched,,,,

[LastDemocratInSC]

4. "Ukraine" is an old Slavic word for "frontier" or "borderland".

So saying "The Ukraine" makes sense as a description of the area.

[GreenWave]

5. Now they should delete the "The" from Ohio State University.

Particularly after my Misery Tigers mauled them in the Cotton Bowl.

[hlthe2b]

6. They lost credibiity with their trademarking of the word "THE"

Good gawd... how damned stupid. (and yeah, I know this will strike to the heart of OSU alumni--but there is a reason it is OSU and not TOSU... Are they REALLY that afraid of being confused with Oklahoma State? )

The Ohio State University has successfully trademarked the word “the.” In a June 21 notice, the US Patent and Trademark Office granted the 152-year old research institution exclusive use of the article for college merchandise such as t-shirts, baseball caps, hats, and other team sports swag.Jun 24, 2022

[malthaussen]

9. That's astonishing.

"Penn State" has always been, officially, "The Pennsylvania State University," and I rather expect there are other universities which use the article. Somebody should appeal that ruling: not only is it astonishing, it's ridiculous.

But hey, when Warner Brothers tried to get the Marx Brothers to change the name of "A Night in Casablanca" because it would conflict with their film "Casablanca," Groucho replied that Warner should drop the word "Brothers" because the Marxes used it first.

-- Mal

[blm]

7. They don't. They say Da Bronx.

😏

[Emile]

11. Congratulations 22 years!

[mitch96]

8. And then there is "the 5" and "the 101" in California...

[intrepidity]

13. Those are short for "the 5/101 freeway"

How else would we say it?

[mitch96]

14. On the east coast we don't call it "the 95" it's just I -95.... different strokes I guess.

The Mitch...
m

[intrepidity]

15. I wonder if the "I" makes the difference?

If I were to refer to the 5 as "I-5" it would sound correct to drop the "the".

Otherwise, saying "take 5 to get here" is ambiguous. But "take I-5 to get here" is ok.

Not sure why we westcoasters don't use the "I" regularly, but when we do, we (often?) drop the "the".

[Emile]

10. I live in the Indiana.

[pnwmom]

12. Same reason OSU is The Ohio State University. nt