# So what exactly is a "Bruce?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 21, 1999, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905 "1999-11-21T03:04:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 1999, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/1 "1999-11-21T03:04:00Z")
As in “Robert the Bruce.” I’ve seen his name written with and without “the.” I understand “Richard the Lion-hearted.” That epigram, truthful or not, is meaningful. But what’s a Bruce? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 1999, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/2 "1999-11-21T03:12:00Z")
Robert was the chief of the Bruce clan as well as being king. Therefore, he was not just one of the Bruces, he was THE Bruce. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 1999, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/3 "1999-11-21T15:49:00Z")
That’s apt to cause a bit of confusion. Mind if we call you “Bruce” to keep it clear? * * * Uke ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 1999, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/4 "1999-11-21T17:58:00Z")
A parallel is when Hamlet introduces himself as “Hamlet the Dane”. He’s not explaining to everyone there (they’re all Danish themselves, anyway) what they already know – he’s saying “Hamlet, the real King of Denmark”, only in a way that Claudius can’t _prove_ that’s what he meant. * * * John W. Kennedy “Compact is becoming contract; man only earns and pays.” – Charles Williams ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 1999, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/5 "1999-11-21T20:15:00Z")
Never mind these accurate historical references - a ‘Bruce’ is a person of Australian origin! I saw this on a Monty Python sketch, so that easily outranks any previous meaning… * * * In the bathtub of history, the truth is harder to hold than the soap… (Pratchett) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 1999, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/6 "1999-11-21T20:27:00Z")
Exxxxxxxcellent… – Uke, who cannot be accused of being a Python nerd as long as no one recognizes he’s quoting Python ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 1999, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/7 "1999-11-21T20:31:00Z")
Uke - aren’t you the Bruce in charge of the sheep dip? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 1999, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/8 "1999-11-22T02:56:00Z")
Let’s all sing! "Immanuel Kant was a real pissant . . . " your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![Minxsmom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Minxsmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minxsmom)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 1999, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/9 "1999-11-22T05:24:00Z")
## …Who was very rarely stable… Scientists say 1 out of every 4 people is crazy. Check three friends. If they are OK, you’re it. =^…^= ---
**Author:** ![mr\_john](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@mr\_john](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_john)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 1999, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/10 "1999-11-22T11:57:00Z")
'ellO,Bruce (brs), Stanley Melbourne. First Viscount Bruce of Melbourne 1883-1967. Australian politician who was prime minister (1923-1929) and a delegate (1933-1936) to the League ofNations. 'ellO,Bruce (brs), Sir David. 1855-1931. Australian physician and bacteriologist known for his description (1887) of the bacterium that causes undulant fever, or brucellosis. Aye,Bruce Scottish royal family, descended from an 11th-cent. Norman duke, Robert de Brus, who aided WILLIAM I in his conquest of England. In the struggle following the death of MARGARET MAID OF NORWAY, the Bruces claimed succession to the Scottish throne. Robert the Bruce was a claimant in 1290, rivaled by John de BALIOL. His grandson was the famous Robert the Bruce, ROBERT I of Scotland. Edward Bruce, brother of Robert I, was crowned king of Ireland in 1316. The young son of Robert I succeeded him as DAVID II. He was succeeded by his nephew, ROBERT II, the first STUART king. Look out fer them fosters they make you do weird things. …you can put it in a bottle ,you can 'old it in your 'and. * * * “Pardon me while I have a strange interlude.”-Marx ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 1999, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/11 "1999-11-23T05:26:00Z")
In much the same way as the King of Norway is referred to as “old Norway” in that play. ---
**Author:** ![S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/S)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 1999, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/12 "1999-11-24T06:00:00Z")
Macbeth? * * * “Heaven sends us good meat, but the devil sends us cooks” David Garrick (1717-1779) ---
**Author:** ![SqrlCub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SqrlCub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SqrlCub)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 1999, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/13 "1999-11-24T06:22:00Z")
Bruce was the really cute priest I e-dated. Thank you for asking. HUGS! Sqrl * * * Gasoline: As an accompaniement to cereal it made a refreshing change. Glen Baxter ---
**Author:** ![heretic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/46a35a/32.png) [@heretic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heretic)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 1999, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-bruce/4905/14 "1999-11-23T21:56:00Z")
Certain Irish poseurs who fancy themselves as their clan leaders or somesuch style themselves “The O’Donnell”, “The O’Grady”, and suchlike. The government and other bodies don’t have much time for this sort of carry-on, and The O’Grady, if rumour has it, receives letters addressed to Mr. Theo Grady. ben