Why isn't Mississippi State just known as "Miss State"? (credit, schools)

[edsg25]

I was wondering why Mississippi State University isn't informally known as "Miss State"? Do people call it that in-state other than just writing with the abbreviation "Miss. State"?

It seems like other schools with the name "State" and a state name with multiple syllables clip the name to something shorter than "Mississippi State"........as in LSU, Penn State, and NC State.

Why doesn't Mississippi State do the same. What's wrong with being Miss State (I can't believe anyone would actually worry that it might sound like "mistake")???

"Miss State" would give the school more of an identity, rolling off the tongue the same way that "Penn State" does.

If the current shortened version of the school's name, MSU, doesn't work that well in so far as (IMHO...and with no slight in mind) most of the nation goes, MSU tends to mean Michigan State a lot more than it does Mississippi State (same thing with USC for Southern California instead of South Carolina).

Am I wrong, or wouldn't Miss State be the best name for the school and make for two easy, two syllable schools for the state: Ole Miss and Miss State.

[peppermint]

You have to understand, when you're in the SEC, only SEC schools matter. j/k. My husband and I graduated from MSU, and I never heard anyone call it anything but MSU or Mississippi State or State. I don't know of anyone in the SEC who would mistake Mississippi State for Michigan State, but it's a matter of perspective.

On a practical note, Miss State has too many "s" sounds in a row. It's more difficult to articulate than Penn State. Miss State sort of sounds like a snake on pot. Nice thought though.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by peppermint

You have to understand, when you're in the SEC, only SEC schools matter. j/k. My husband and I graduated from MSU, and I never heard anyone call it anything but MSU or Mississippi State or State. I don't know of anyone in the SEC who would mistake Mississippi State for Michigan State, but it's a matter of perspective.

On a practical note, Miss State has too many "s" sounds in a row. It's more difficult to articulate than Penn State. Miss State sort of sounds like a snake on pot. Nice thought though.

Good point. Although out of SEC country, I think you'd find that most people do think of Michigan State when they hear "MSU"

I agree with you on the heavy "s" sound. So how about a compromise, something even more distinctive. Since Ole Miss uses a different form of "old" how about Mississippi State using a different form of "miss" and creating something akin to what Mizzou did for Missouri

How would this work, Mississippians:

MIZ STATE

This wouldn't make a bad trio: Ole Miss, Miz State, Southern Miss

[Delta Planter]

We'll stick with Mississippi State, but thanks for the offer.

[Winter_Sucks]

Miss State just doesn't sound good.

[peppermint]

I don't mind Miz State! hahaha. I did neglect to point out, however, that if you are saying Miss-iss-ipp-i, then you are saying it all wrong. Most natives say Miss-ippi. This is very, very easy to say and drips of southern goodness.

I do agree about MSU being Michigan State for most of the nation, but you will find members of the SEC to be very, well, SEC-minded. We would never think of MSU as being Michigan State, and we would never think of USC as being University of Southern California. Just wouldn't occur to us so changing the name will probably never happen. In fact, in Mississippi (anywhere in the whole state) if you say, "I'm routing for State" or "My child goes to State", everyone knows you mean Miss-ippi State.

Not sure this leopard will ever change its spots.

[nancy thereader]

It is just the phonetics maybe.

My neighbor's son told me that he was planning to go to college in the Yukon. I thought that was rather extreme until his mother told me that he was going to be attending
U. Conn.

[mwruckman]

Originally Posted by nancy thereader

It is just the phonetics maybe.

My neighbor's son told me that he was planning to go to college in the Yukon. I thought that was rather extreme until his mother told me that he was going to be attending
U. Conn.

The people at U. Conn don't help matters by have a Husky (sled dog) as their team mascot! Yeah Way to Go Yukon!

[mwruckman]

I'm a Penn Stater but you could find sweat shirts with the Penn State logo reversed to read State Penn. It helped knowing that a few miles north of State College Pa was the large Department of Corrections facillity at Rockview hence there was a state pen in Happy Valley at the base of Mt. Nittany. Prisoners at this place could take courses for college credit at PSU and some on work release or early prole were at the University Park campus getting their degrees.