What's the difference?

[Lanesra]

What's the difference between saying The University of Oxford and Oxford University?
Is one way British English whilst the other is American English?

[ClareA]

Most people just say 'Oxford University', Lanesra. 'The University of Oxford' would sound a bit unnecessarily pretentious. There's also Oxford Brookes University, a former polytechnic, about which some people are unjustifiably snobbish.
The (London) Times journalist Sathnam Sanghera wrote yesterday about being the first of his family to go to university, and one of his sisters asking 'Where's Oxbridge?'.

[ttfn]

As George Bernard Shaw said - 2 nations divided by a common language ☺
It is correct to say Oxford University

[ClareA]

Hello, ttfn!

[ttfn]

Hi Clare, the white sheep in my family is Oxon ☺

[ClareA]

Aha - the rest of them Cambridge, then, or have I misunderstood?

[ttfn]

I wasn't trying to put you off, sorry

[ClareA]

Not at all, ttfn - just been giggling at the thread about rearranging spice jars on the shelf in the supermarket. Juvenile, but appealed. Might try it to liven up next shopping trip...

[ttfn]

Nowt wrong with a youthful soh Clare, I should know! I am off to bed now, so sleep well.

[Lanesra]

I know people just say the 'Oxford University' but isn't its official name 'The University of Oxford'?

[ClareA]

G'night, ttfn, sleep well yourself.

Lanesra, why all the agonising? Most people say Oxford University. You'll sound a bit strange saying The University of Oxford.

[ABerrant]

Nothing to do with British or American English.

University of Oxford is the proper title but is informally called Oxford University...
http://www.ox.ac.uk

...as is the case with Cambridge...
http://www.cam.ac.uk

[ttfn]

http://www.ox.ac.uk/a...te_courses/index.html
Night both ☺

[Lanesra]

Clare I just wanted to know. I am not intending on saying it in a conversation I just wanted to know if there is an official name and whether the was a difference.

Thanks ABerrant