I guess it is okay to say "the OC" now... (Orange: school, live in)

[bowneline]

I grew up in Orange County and we would commonly call the it "OC."

No one ever said "the OC," and doing so would not make sense. It is just not the way it is done. No one says they live in "the LA," "the SF" or "the NYC." If you were telling someone that Disneyland was in Orange County, you would say "Disneyland is in Orange County," not "Disneyland is in the Orange County." Then, why would saying "Disneyland is in the OC," make any sense? It just doesn't.

Anyways, as you all know, there was that TV show a number of years ago called "The OC." At the time, I was going to school up in Northern California. I was a little taken aback when people up there started calling Orange County, "the OC." They would ask me whether I was going back to "the OC" for the holiday break, or whether I was moving back to "the OC" after school was done. I found this mildly annoying, but tolerated it because most of these people knew little about OC other then the TV show.

But, I also noticed that back in OC, once I moved back, that some people were also using the phrase "the OC." I remember by new boss calling it "the OC," even though he had lived in the county for years (but grew up in New Jersey). I even read an article in the New York Times that referred to our beloved county as "the OC." I remember also seeing an article in the LA Times that referred to Orange County as "the OC." This caught me off guard, but this was LA after all.

I figured, however, that once the show ended and was forgotten, then people would move on from using that phrase. But, it has stuck, much to my shagrin. In the past couple of years, I've even seen writers in the Orange County Register using the phrase (not all the time, though). Thankfully, the OC Weekly, is the one publication that faithfully seems to stick to saying "OC," rather then "the OC."

Things came to a head the other day when my co-worker, who grew up in Orange County, used the phrase "the OC," several times in a conversation. I asked her about it and she said that it seems like most people say "the OC" now, so she just must have subconciously switched over.

So, the show has been gone and forgotten for years, but I guess the phrase is here to stay. I'm sticking to "OC," though.

[Charles]

People from new york and chicago and other foriegners all it "the OC".

[Scott5280]

And here is where it pretty much started..a true classic indeed.

The O.C. best music moment #43 - Welcome to the O.C., *****! - YouTube

[Fontucky]

It's never ok to say it.

[bowneline]

Originally Posted by Charles

People from new york and chicago and other foriegners all it "the OC".

I agree. When the show first came out, and the years afterwords, hearing someone say "the OC," was an easy signal that the person didn't grow up in OC.

But, then when you see it in the OC Register, and start to hear people who grew up in the area saying it, then you have to begin to wonder.

You will never hear me say it, however, that is for sure.

[DewDropInn]

Originally Posted by bowneline

But, then when you see it in the OC Register, and start to hear people who grew up in the area saying it, then you have to begin to wonder.

The old timers don't say it. The old timers don't even think it. Yech, just the thought is bringing on a rash.

[Ol' Wanderer]

Originally Posted by DewDropInn

The old timers don't say it. The old timers don't even think it. Yech, just the thought is bringing on a rash.

Agree.

In addition, a handful of people using a word do not make it right.

[LexusNexus]

Hard to listen to someone say "like" before every other word too, but such is the way many people talk today. I consider "the OC" to be a similar practice. It's just how people talk now. I don't like it either.

"I'm like so like tired, but I'm like so over that guy in the OC, OMG!"

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by A_Lexus

Hard to listen to someone say "like" before every other word too, but such is the way many people talk today.

That one is so irritating to me, I politely ask them to drop the like abuse. If they continue with it, I disengage.

[radiojunkie2006]

The use of "Cali" always frosts me! Though I'll use "Frisco" to frost the San Franciscans!