Every locale has its peculiarities. Customs wherever we live seem normal, customs of other places all seem odd or peculiar. It all seems so human, right?
When we encounter some mannerisms of a different place, our first reaction is often minor shock and amusement. But after a time, it usually becomes normalized, and we live and accept.
Los Angeles is what?
One property of the Los Angeles area is to put the definite article THE in front of highway numbers. For example, Interstate 405 is referred to as “The 405“, Interstate 205 is called “The 205,” etc. This is different than elsewhere, and most all elsewheres.
In the San Francisco area, major interstate highways include 80, 880, 580, 101, 280, etc. Never will anyone ever put the definite article THE in front of the number to refer to the highway. When giving directions, one would say, “Take 880 north..,” etc., never “Take the 800 north.” Never!
When named highways are referred to by their names, the definite article is used. Such as these San Francisco Bay Area names: The Eastshore Freeway, The Nimitz, The Bayshore, etc. These names rarely show up on highway signs.
Even the confluence of many highways in the approach to the San Francisco Bay Bridge is affectionately known as The Maze.
In the New York City area, resident know the roads by their names, not by number. So as grammar dictates, the definite article is used.
Los Angeles, why?
So can someone tell me why do Los Angelans (is that the right reference?*) use the definite article “The” when referring to highways?
Ideas
A quick search finds several posts on this topic, all come down to the same concept: since names came first (and the definite article was of course used), when numbers were introduced it was “easier” to continue using the definite article. This seems strangely unsatisfying an answer.*
* What the Name?
A quick search reveals that there are (at least) seven common names used for Los Angeles residents: Angelenos, Angelinos, Los Angelenos, Los Angelans, Los Angeleans, Left Coasters, L-Aliens.
It Gets Worse, And, Like It Or Not, You Learn Something New Everyday
There are eighty-eight cities in Los Angeles county. Good grief. And that is only the incorporated areas. Plus there are fifty-three unincorporated areas. Maybe that’s as much as I wanted to learn today.
Do you know why Los Angelans refer to interstate highways with the “The“? Send a comment here.
Photos by the author.
The post Hey Los Angeles, What’s With the “The”? appeared first in Smile If You Dare.