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This thread made me think about something disturbing...
Considering how most people choose to refer to each respective pair of counties on Long Island - Brooklyn & Queens strictly as boroughs of NYC, and Nassau & Suffolk as "Long Island" - wouldn't it be more "grammatically" accurate to say that we live in Long Island rather than on Long Island?
I've always said on, but if "Long Island" in the commonly accepted colloquial sense only refers to it's two easternmost counties, aren't we referring to a region rather than a landmass? I think all the city people and out-of-towners who say in may have been right all along!
"in" = within a commonly accepted, arbitrary/man-made boundry
"on" = within a commonly understood, geological feature
It will be *on* Long Island until that day the debate about Brooklyn & Queens ends...when it is "commonly accepted" (even among Brooklynites and Queensians) where the boundry of Long Island is; thereafter it will be *in* Long Island.
"in" = within a commonly accepted, arbitrary/man-made boundry
"on" = within a commonly understood, geological feature
It will be *on* Long Island until that day the debate about Brooklyn & Queens ends...when it is "commonly accepted" (even among Brooklynites and Queensians) where the boundry of Long Island is; thereafter it will be *in* Long Island.
I say on and will always say on -- regardless of how wrong or right it is! I also do recognize that Brooklyn and Queens are on Long Island, although I can't think of any situation that's come up in casual conversation where I've had to refer to them that way
However, I think if you say "Long Island" but only mean Nassau & Suffolk, then technically the proper terminology might be in... since that would fit the first definition you gave more closely.
I'm not really sure about that, though. Maybe one of the English teachers on here can help me out?
What people will actually say/think is a whole other matter entirely, LOL... I know the debate will never end, I'm just trying to add more fuel to the fire!
I say on and will always say on -- regardless of how wrong or right it is! I also do recognize that Brooklyn and Queens are on Long Island, although I can't think of any situation that's come up in casual conversation where I've had to refer to them that way
However, I think if you say "Long Island" but only mean Nassau & Suffolk, then technically the proper terminology might be in... since that would fit the first definition you gave more closely.
I'm not really sure about that, though. Maybe one of the English teachers on here can help me out?
What people will actually say/think is a whole other matter entirely, LOL... I know the debate will never end, I'm just trying to add more fuel to the fire!
I lit a fire IN the firepit IN my backyard where I live IN Stony Brook IN the Town of Brookhaven IN Suffolk County ON Long Island IN the State of NY IN the United States ON the continent of North America IN the northern hemisphere ON the planet Earth IN the Milky Way Galaxy IN the Universe.
That could be because Jones Beach is on Jones Island, huh?
There goes another potential complexity...
Are Long Island's barrier islands also on Long Island, or are they in Long Island? Or are they just in Nassau/Suffolk counties but not on/in Long Island at all?!
Are Long Island's barrier islands also on Long Island, or are they in Long Island? Or are they just in Nassau/Suffolk counties but not on/in Long Island at all?!
TOBAY is on the barrier island but in Massapequa, which is on Long Island, I think
Are Long Island's barrier islands also on Long Island, or are they in Long Island? Or are they just in Nassau/Suffolk counties but not on/in Long Island at all?!
And, then there are Shelter Island, Plum Island and Fishers Island, all part of Suffolk County but not on Long Island.
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