USC

[Fred Shapiro]

On Sun, 10 Sep 2006, Charles Doyle wrote:

> I'd call "SC" for 'The University of Southern California' an LA'ism, and
> "USC" perhaps a Westernism.  When I moved from (that) USC to The
> University of Georgia in 1974, I discovered that "USC" now meant 'The
> University of South Carolina'--while The University of Southern
> California is known in the South (and elsewhere?--but not in
> California?) as "Southern Cal."

It is interesting that colleges sometimes are referred to in the sports
world differently from the way they are referred to in normal contexts.
Thus "Berkeley" is called "California" or "Cal" in the sports world.
"West Point" is called "Army" in the sports world.  "Annapolis" or "the
Naval Academy" is called "Navy" in the sports world.

Fred Shapiro


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