'The prom' or 'Prom'?

[Oeditpus Rex]

Poll question: 'The prom' or 'Prom'?

I never heard "I'm going to Prom" until maybe five years ago, and I figured high schools had stopped teaching definite articles. :shrug:

[Bicoastal]

1. What are we, British?

Next thing, we'll all be catching "flu" at "prom," requiring us to check into "hospital" for a spell.

People who talk like that can all go to the Hell!

[Oeditpus Rex]

6. I dunno...

Seems like Mer'kins are all over road when it comes to definite articles. We go to school and work, but to the store and the hospital. We have the flu, but a cold. Why not a cancer or the herpes?

And I still haven't figured out people who drive truck for a living. If they get fired, do they get a job painting house?

:shrug:

[Left Is Write]

10. The fence needs fixed.

Just thought I'd toss that in there.

:D

[Oeditpus Rex]

11. This discussion is on definite articles

Get with program or go to the bed.

[Left Is Write]

13. I think you need to go to bar.

[Oeditpus Rex]

14. Y'know, if we keep this up

eventually we're gonna sound like we're from either Yorkshire or a Tarzan movie. :D

[Critters2]

2. Always heard "going to Prom".

What I find interesting is that some places I've lived have "post-prom". Others have "after-prom". But never "the prom".

[Left Is Write]

3. Prom.

When my boyfriend invited me to my senior prom 23 years ago, he left a note on our doorknob that read, "Cathy, how does Prom sound?"

:)

[Oeditpus Rex]

7. And you replied

"Like an abbreviated version of 'promenade'."

:D

[Left Is Write]

8. I would have if I'd thought of it.

;)

[Nicole]

4. I went to the prom. n/t

[AlCzervik]

5. i wore a hideous dress to the prom, i looked like a parade float.

the "Eat me" float from Animal house looked better than i did.

[reyd reid reed]

9. Hey...

what do I know? I never went, with or without the article and cap.

:shrug:

[Oeditpus Rex]

12. Neither did I

I figured this thread might help me determine the reason.

[reyd reid reed]

15. I didn't go because

I was a geeky doofus. No one asked me. Didn't have anything to do with whether or not it was Prom or the prom.

[Oeditpus Rex]

16. I got asked

A chick in the first-year drafting class where I was TA asked me. She failed to reckon, though, that (a.) I was but a sophomore and thus without legal authorization to operate a motor vehicle, which was (b.) quite necessary as she lived in North County, and (c.) I wasn't "into her."

So, I concentrated on grammar. You know the rest. :silly:

[LibDemAlways]

17. When I was in high school back in 1970 you had

to have a date. (It was understood that the date would be of the opposite gender.)
I wasn't asked. I didn't go.

Today many kids in my area get together in groups to go to the Prom - no official "date" necessary. They pool their money on a stretch limo to and from and have a great time. Much better and more inclusive.

[Orsino]

18. Prom is not a collective noun. You can't buy a cup of it.

The prom--and it's not capitalized, either.

I think I did once tell a date, "You give good prom."

[bigwillq]

19. The Prom (nt)

[LostinVA]

20. It sounds weird to me, too

[smirkymonkey]

21. Remember the movie "Pretty in Pink"?

"What about Prom, Blaine?!"

Drove me insane. I though maybe it was a midwestern term, like pop instead of soda. :hide:

[skygazer]

22. American English is a silly language

And since everyone speaks it differently, there's no hope of ever figuring it out.

That said, I was all set to go to THE prom. My "date" was a good friend of mine and since we were stoners and slackers, we thought it would be a hoot to go to the prom.

However, someone else was having a kick-ass party that night so we elected to go there instead. It was a good one - several people got arrested, one guy narrowly missed being hit by a train and vast amounts of drugs and alcohol were consumed.

Ah, youth!