this post was submitted on 15 Dec 2023
542 points (97.0% liked)

xkcd

8632 readers
1 users here now

A community for a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago (4 children)

It just occurred to me that there are no states named East Statename.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago

English settlers arrived in the east. So wherever they were when they named an area, that was the original, and as they spread west, north or south, they had to add those directions to keep them distinct.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago

Serious answer: we started at the eastern seaboard and expanded west. "East Statename" implies eastern expansion.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

That's because the expansion of the US across the continent was westward.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

I know. It just seemed funny that the other three directions are represented.

If/when Puerto Rico becomes the 51st state, it should take the name East Puerto Rico, just to be fair.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Are there any 'West _____' states? I know there are north and south

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Country roads take me home to the place I belong

spoilerWest Virginia

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

Huh, I always thought it was just called "Virginia". TIL there are two Virginias Regards A Swede

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Which, funny enough, actually refers to >!the western region of the state of Virginia, not the state of West Virginia!<