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I don't care about the poll...I agree that "on" is generally the common way to say it and I said myself that I usually say "on"...but I maintain that "in" is not incorrect since Long Island usually refers specifically to Nassau and Suffolk counties, not the geographic landmass itself.
If you're referring to the geographic land mass then technically Queens and Brooklyn are ON Long Island, too. The problem with IN is that Nassau and Suffolk share nothing specific as municipalities - they're land locked next to each other, not part of NYC, and in NY state. You're either in Suffolk or in Nassau county, you're never in LI.
I don't care about the poll...I agree that "on" is generally the common way to say it and I said myself that I usually say "on"...but I maintain that "in" is not incorrect since Long Island usually refers specifically to Nassau and Suffolk counties, not the geographic landmass itself.
Yeah - generally the common way being 100% LOL.
Like I said before, if someone said that they lived IN Long Island, it is a sign that they are either new to the Island or they never actually lived here at all. It just sounds very strange to long time residents.
I actually seen the highlighted on the general forum years ago. Someone was trash talking Long Island and said he lived IN the Island for many years before "escaping". I instantly knew he never lived here and was just trolling.
Like I said before, if someone said that they lived IN Long Island, it is a sign that they are either new to the Island or they never actually lived here at all. It just sounds very strange to long time residents.
I actually seen the highlighted on the general forum years ago. Someone was trash talking Long Island and said he lived IN the Island for many years before "escaping". I instantly knew he never lived here and was just trolling.
Yeah, if they say "IN Long Island", it's usually indicative of the fact that they don't know that LI is comprised of two counties and various towns, hamlets and cities, collectively referred to as "Long Island". They likely think LI is just one integral political jurisdiction. In-person, it's easier to figger[sic]-out who the fakers are, because they say Long Island" instead of "Lawn Guyland", or if in the metro area, they say "Long Island" instead of "The Island".
Why anyone would WANT to pretend to be from The Island, is another matter.... I guess it might be attractive if one were really from Jersey or Newburgh or Albany or some such place....
Because when you're referring to a proper place name, it's "in". When you're referring to an island, it's "on". You live in Manhattan....but Manhattan is both a proper place name, and the name of the island which Manhattan is on, so if you're referring to the isle of Manhattan generically (as opposed to the political jurisdiction) then it's "on". No one lives "in" an island, unless they've done a lot of digging .
The only boroughs of New York City that are islands are Manhattan and Staten Island.
Common usage within the city is:
I was born in Manhattan
I was born on Staten Island
I live in Manhattan
I live on Staten Island
It's raining in Manhattan
It's raining on Staten Island
The Dutch purchased "Manhattan Island". Obviously the same rules of grammar don't apply for both islands today. Is it because Manhattan is not commonly referred to as Manhattan Island, even though it is an island?
Last edited by beaglemaster; 04-27-2016 at 06:01 PM..
Yeah, if they say "IN Long Island", it's usually indicative of the fact that they don't know that LI is comprised of two counties and various towns, hamlets and cities, collectively referred to as "Long Island". They likely think LI is just one integral political jurisdiction. In-person, it's easier to figger[sic]-out who the fakers are, because they say Long Island" instead of "Lawn Guyland", or if in the metro area, they say "Long Island" instead of "The Island".
Why anyone would WANT to pretend to be from The Island, is another matter.... I guess it might be attractive if one were really from Jersey or Newburgh or Albany or some such place....
Sometimes on the general forums you will see a troll pretend to be from somewhere so he can knock it more effectively. Pretty stupid I know.
Beaglemaster, I agree with about Staten Island and Manhattan being islands but Brooklyn and Queens are on Long Island, geographically at least. And you see Queens grouped with Nassau and Suffolk occasionally.
The Dutch purchased "Manhattan Island". Obviously the same rules of grammar don't apply for both islands today. Is it because Manhattan is not commonly referred to as Manhattan Island, even though it is an island?
Actually, the same rules DO apply today. Manhattan is both the name of the island of Manhattan, and the borough(political jurisdiction) of Manhattan. So if we're talking about the political jurisdiction/borough of Manhattan, we say in; if we're speaking about Manhattan Island, it would be proper to say "on".
I was born IN Manhattan.
I was born ON Manhattan Island.
Same with Staten Island: If we're talking about the political jurisdiction, we'd say "I grew up in Staten Island" But if we're talking about the geographical feature known as Staten Island, we'd say "I grew up ON Staten Island"- but since the word "island" is actually part of the official name of Staten Island, we could really get away with using either "on" or "in" interchangeably.
But for Long Island, "In" is never appropriate, since there is no political jurisdicton officially known as/named "Long Island". "I grew up IN Ronkonkoma, ON Long Island.
One could grow up IN Haiti, ON [the island of] Hispaniola. One could never say "I grew up IN Hispaniola". (And then they'd go to a library in Suffolk county Ny to have a Voo-Doo meeting... ) [You'll "get" that if you've been following that thread]
I agree about Staten Island and Manhattan being islands but Brooklyn and Queens are on Long Island, geographically at least. And you see Queens grouped with Nassau and Suffolk occasionally.
Yes, but Brooklyn and Queens aren't islands unto themselves like Manhattan and Staten Island.
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) [You'll "get" that if you've been following that thread]
