# Why Do They Call It "THE" Ohio State University **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 25, 2001, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145 "2001-11-25T13:04:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![upbhavan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/94ad74/32.png) [@upbhavan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/upbhavan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2001, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/1 "2001-11-25T13:04:02Z")
Whenever I hear an Ohio State University alum speak about their alma mater, they always refer to it as “The Ohio State University”. Is there a reason behind this? Is this some secret buckeye tradition, that the rest of the world has been left out of? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2001, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/2 "2001-11-25T13:22:06Z")
Why is it “The Bronx”? (actually I know why 😉 ). But I’ve never heard (Can’t recall hearing) Ohio State used w/ the “the”. ---
**Author:** ![TBone2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@TBone2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBone2)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2001, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/3 "2001-11-25T13:46:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by upbhavan \* > \*\*Whenever I hear an Ohio State University alum speak about their alma mater, they always refer to it as “The Ohio State University”. Is there a reason behind this? Is this some secret buckeye tradition, that the rest of the world has been left out of? \*\* Maybe 'cause there’s only “the” one? Or maybe to distinguish OSU from Ohio University, that bunch of hedonists down in Athens? BTW, welcome to the Straight Dope! ---
**Author:** ![Moon-Watcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/49beb7/32.png) [@Moon-Watcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moon-Watcher)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2001, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/4 "2001-11-25T16:13:43Z")
Because they think they’re better than us. But they’re not…oh no…they’re not… ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2001, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/5 "2001-11-25T17:31:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TBone2 \* > **Maybe 'cause there’s only “the” one?** Actually there are [thirteen](http://www.regents.state.oh.us/visit_campuses.htm) state universities in Ohio, if you are referring to four-year public colleges and universities. I agree with **Triton** , it’s simply arrogance. In the same way, [The University of Texas](http://www.utexas.edu/welcome/) likes to include and capitalize the article. For this reason, many Aggies(A&M) mock UT by calling it TU, for “The University”. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2001, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/6 "2001-11-25T18:43:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dqa \* > \*\*In the same way, [The University of Texas](http://www.utexas.edu/welcome/) likes to include and capitalize the article. For this reason, many Aggies(A&M) mock UT by calling it TU, for “The University”. \*\* Of course, my university (UVA) refers to itself as “The University”. Us arrogant? Nah… ---
**Author:** ![PhiloVance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@PhiloVance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhiloVance)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2001, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/7 "2001-11-25T18:46:17Z")
Out here in CA we have 20 or 23 or whatever **state** universities and another bunch that don’t have the dreaded word **state** in them. Those are the University of California at \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ and there are 6 or 7 or so of them. The state ones felt shamed a few years ago and decided to call them all **UNIVERSITIES** so as to reclaim their pride, so to speak. 😉 I’ve attended, graduated and worked at them, and they’re still ivory towers. Haven’t a clue as to what’s really going on in the world. So I think it’s only a matter of arrogance, as if anyone else cares. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2001, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/8 "2001-11-25T19:39:40Z")
Actually the University of California, which has 9 campuses, calls 8 of the 9 University of California, City Name. The exception is the University of California at Berkeley. But people there sometimes just refer to the school as UC. You never see UCB. The headquarters of the University of California system used to be in Berkeley, but it is now in Oakland. UCLA hates to be referred to by any name other than its initials. UC Santa Barbara prefers its initials: UCSB. But most of the other schools are usually referred to by the city name “Davis”, “Irvine”, “Santa Cruz”, “Riverside” As for the OP, I believe that Ohio State and Ohio U are in a bit of a spat over trademarks. That may explain why “The” is becoming prominent. It’s a branding issue. The OSU band spells out “Ohio” and not “OSU”. Of course, it’s hard to dot anything in OSU. ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/9 "2001-11-25T19:54:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > **As for the OP, I believe that Ohio State and Ohio U are in a bit of a spat over trademarks. That may explain why “The” is becoming prominent. It’s a branding issue.** Maybe. But I believe the [trademark dispute](http://www.ohiou.edu/news/months/mar98/171.html) has only become an issue in the past decade. I know that TOSU was emphasizing the article in the mid-80s, and probably for years before that. ---
**Author:** ![Spiratu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@Spiratu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiratu)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2001, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/10 "2001-11-25T22:50:08Z")
I’m pretty sure that my tuition checks are made out to “The Pennsylvania State University.” My (unsubstantiated) guess is that it has something to do with being the state’s designated land-grant university. i.e., if you read it as, “The Pennsylvania (Ohio, Texas, etc.) Land-Grant University” it makes more sense, there only being one land-grant university in each state. And maybe it comes from back before there was a college in every town with more than 5000 people in it…Just my two cents. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2001, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/11 "2001-11-26T00:23:54Z")
You are correct about Penn State [http://www.psu.edu/ur/about/history/historyshort.html](http://www.psu.edu/ur/about/history/historyshort.html) Ohio State grabbed [http://www.osu.edu](http://www.osu.edu) before Oregon State and Oklahoma State also. ---
**Author:** ![upbhavan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/94ad74/32.png) [@upbhavan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/upbhavan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2001, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/12 "2001-11-26T00:46:01Z")
I understand about the historical factors, but more specifically I speak of how the alumni go out of their way to say THE Ohio State University. For instance, I saw Eddie George (former Ohio State Running Back) on MTV giving a tour of his home. He points to his Heisman Trophy saying “I won this at The Ohio State University”. I have never heard a Penn State Alum referring to it as “The Penn State”, or almost any other school for that matter. However, OSU’s biggest rival The University of Michigan students do it to get under OSU’s skin. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2001, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/13 "2001-11-26T01:40:17Z")
Have you ever had _the_ chicken pox? What about _the_ clap? _The_ flu? _The_ plague? All of those sound okay, right? Now consider: Have you ever had _the_ malaria? How about _the_ tetanus? _The_ diptheria? What about _the_ meningitis or _the_ tuberculosis? That last group doesn’t sound quite right with “the” in front of the object, so It’s got to be one of those goofy grammar things. It also bugs me when buildings put names on their façade such as “The Carelton” or “The Bastille” (you’d think just “Carelton” would be sufficient, and people would automatically put “the” in front when talking about it), but restaurants don’t do it (“The Wendy’s” or “The Pizza Hut”). Just had to get that off my chest. ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2001, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/14 "2001-11-26T01:43:22Z")
I think its nothing but arrogance. Whenever I see former OSU players give there introductions on Monday night football, they always emphasize the word “the” to the point of sounding ridiculous. Of course, I went to Michigan so I’m a little biased.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2001, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/15 "2001-11-26T02:36:55Z")
I really think it’s just a matter of style. The newest arena in Los Angeles is called Staples Center. No “the” in front of it and the LA Times almost destroyed itself over this issue. (Which is a long story unrelated to this issue). Toronto has SkyDome, not The SkyDome. ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2001, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/16 "2001-11-26T03:39:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spiratu \* > **My (unsubstantiated) guess is that it has something to do with being the state’s designated land-grant university. i.e., if you read it as, “The Pennsylvania (Ohio, Texas, etc.) Land-Grant University” it makes more sense, there only being one land-grant university in each state.** There may be something to this. Seems to apply as regards Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Texas is another story, for A&M is the land grant school, not UT. Also, many states have more than one land grant school, but this seems to be due to the addition of a number of traditionally black colleges. I don’t think that’s the case for MIT and UMass, go figure. [Land grant institutions](http://www.nasulgc.org/About_Nasulgc/members_land_grant.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2001, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/17 "2001-11-26T03:48:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ultrafilter \* > \*\*Of course, my university (UVA) refers to itself as “The University”. Us arrogant? Nah… \*\* Arrogant? I don’t know, maybe. Pretentious? Definitely! Don’t let anyone there catch you referring to “The Grounds” :rolleyes: as “campus.” You folks sure do take that seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2001, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/18 "2001-11-26T05:04:52Z")
I went to Ohio State and, except in official announcements, nobody there ever referred to it as _The_ Ohio State University. Incidentally, I can remember as far back as 1970, and even then in official announcements it was often referred to as _The_ Ohio State University. ---
**Author:** ![PhiloVance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@PhiloVance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhiloVance)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2001, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/19 "2001-11-26T05:34:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > \*\*UCLA hates to be referred to by any name other than its initials. > > \*\* UCLA also hates to be beaten by SC, but it happens. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2001, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145/20 "2001-11-26T06:12:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PhiloVance \* > \*\* > UCLA also hates to be beaten by SC, but it happens. 😃 \*\* Oh, shut up. I was almost over that. But we’ll get you in basketball, and the other 30 sports. We Bruins have a lot of chips on our shoulders. We call the UC campus in the East Bay “UC Berkeley”, NEVER the “University of California”. Hey, I too went to the University of California, specifically the Los Angeles campus. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-call-it-the-ohio-state-university/95145.md?page=2)