Los Angeles: does it sound strange to the ear? (Anaheim: metro area, county)

[edsg25]

For those of you in the Southland, is it a lot less than often that you hear the word "Los Angeles"?

I mean, LA is LA. Not just in your metro area. But nationally. Globally. So I am wondering here: how infrequently do you hear the word "Los Angeles"....are there reasons why some people would actually use "Los Angeles" (if so, in what context)?

I realize, to a certain degree, any city can be called by a different name than its own. In the Chicago area, we rarely hear someone talk about Chicago; Chicago is referred to as "The City". That's true in a lot of places, using "The City" that way). But LA adds that other layer, the idea that the clipped form (LA) is the prevalent one over the full form (Los Angeles) And may I (kiddingly) suggest you are never going to hear "El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río Porciúncula".

So "Los Angeles"....is it a word?

[Vic Romano]

No. It's two words.

[V8 Vega]

I have found out on forums like this people use abbreviations that they think are so common everybody knows what they mean but often people dont know. So instead of LA in national forums i spell out Los Angeles.

[saibot]

Sometimes the written abbreviation LA means Los Angeles and sometimes it means Louisiana. So unless the context makes it very clear, I write out Los Angeles.

I would also say at a guess that locals actually say Los Angeles and LA about equally. I would not say the full name "Los Angeles" is infrequent in any way.

[VLWH]

Originally Posted by vic romano

no. It's two words.

lol.

[Angelino19]

Originally Posted by edsg25

For those of you in the Southland, is it a lot less than often that you hear the word "Los Angeles"?

I mean, LA is LA. Not just in your metro area. But nationally. Globally. So I am wondering here: how infrequently do you hear the word "Los Angeles"....are there reasons why some people would actually use "Los Angeles" (if so, in what context)?

I realize, to a certain degree, any city can be called by a different name than its own. In the Chicago area, we rarely hear someone talk about Chicago; Chicago is referred to as "The City". That's true in a lot of places, using "The City" that way). But LA adds that other layer, the idea that the clipped form (LA) is the prevalent one over the full form (Los Angeles) And may I (kiddingly) suggest you are never going to hear "El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río Porciúncula".

So "Los Angeles"....is it a word?

I never gave it much thought but I probably use LA more often than Los Angeles except when I travel outside of LA, then I use Los Angeles. Citizens of the city are referred to as Angelinos (Also spelled Angelenos).

Spanish speakers, and there's quite a few in "LA," only use Los Angeles when speaking of the city. Los Angeles is also referred to as The City of Angels. Our Catholic Cathedral is Our Lady Of Angeles, and the iconic Angels Flight, the worlds shortest railway, is located in the heart of the downtown LA. In sports there's the Los Angeles Angels. And the mountain high peaks of Angeles National Forest are visible from anywhere in the city.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by Angelino19

I never gave it much thought but I probably use LA more often than Los Angeles except when I travel outside of LA, then I use Los Angeles. Citizens of the city are referred to as Angelinos (Also spelled Angelenos).

Spanish speakers, and there's quite a few in "LA," only use Los Angeles when speaking of the city. Los Angeles is also referred to as The City of Angels. Our Catholic Cathedral is Our Lady Of Angeles, and the iconic Angels Flight, the worlds shortest railway, is located in the heart of the downtown LA. In sports there's the Los Angeles Angels. And the mountain high peaks of Angeles National Forest are visible from anywhere in the city.

The Los Angeles Angels ... that actually play in Anaheim in Orange County .

[Angelino19]

Originally Posted by jm1982

The Los Angeles Angels ... that actually play in Anaheim in Orange County .

For LA sports fans it's easier to root for the Los Angeles Angels than Anahiem or California Angels. Before the name change you would never expect to see billboard ads touting the Angels, now you see their billboards throughout LA County, even the San Fernando Valley.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Originally Posted by edsg25

For those of you in the Southland, is it a lot less than often that you hear the word "Los Angeles"?

I mean, LA is LA. Not just in your metro area. But nationally. Globally. So I am wondering here: how infrequently do you hear the word "Los Angeles"....are there reasons why some people would actually use "Los Angeles" (if so, in what context)?

I always say "Los Angeles", because "L.A." sounds like "LA", which is the abbreviation for Louisiana.

[TheseGoTo11]

I don't know if it's the soft g in the middle of it all, but I say "Los Angeles" about once for every 100 times I say "LA". And even though they're more syllables, almost never call Santa Monica "SM", or Santa Barbara "SB".

Closest comparison is people saying Vegas instead of its full name, but even then "Las Vegas" doesn't sound as awkward as saying "Los Angeles".