<BR>I saw it as "Oxon." & wondered if that's correct..... if so, does anyone know how it came about?

Oxoniensis in Latin = of Oxford

To be pedantic, Oxon. from Oxoniensis normally refers to degrees awarded by Oxford University, so MA (Oxon) means Master of Arts degree from Oxford University, and MA (Cantab) means Master of Arts degree from Cambridge University (Cantabrigiensis). Oxon for Oxfordshire comes from the Latin Oxonia. It's rather old-fashioned and rarely used. On address you normally write Oxfordshire in full, as recommended by the Post Office. Similarly Shropshire rather than Salop. Hants for Hampshire is still in common use, though.

<BR>great, thanks! I learn a lot from you pedantic people. Hants for Hampshire was another one that didn't make sense to me. Shoulda taken Latin.....

Julie, you probably already know this, but just in case, it's pronounced "Oxford-sure", not "Oxford-shy-er".

<BR> <BR>Actually I have always pronounced (and heard it pronounced) as <BR> <BR>Oxford-sheer <BR> <BR>Kavey <BR>(Brit)

<BR>Oxford-sheer is closer than Oxford-sure. <BR> <BR>Awx-fudd-shee-ah is even closer. '-) <BR> <BR>-Joel <BR>(Yank)

In my part of the US, our pronounciation of "sure" and "sheer" are pretty close together. Six of one...