London pride : But I wonder...

Hi,

There's really no clear reason, it's just convention. To some degree you might think it's related to the size and importance of the river, but not in all cases.

A similar case is Canada's Great Lakes, eg Lake Ontario is not called Ontario Lake.

I get a bit speechless sometimes, too, when I think about these things.

Best wishes, Clive

HMFindlayWhy it's called River Thames instead of Thames River? Anyone would like to explain? Actually som

Hello HM

It's more usual to say the River Thames.

The English seem to refer to most (all?) native rivers as "the River X". Oddly, though, they don't apply the same rule to rivers overseas, and in some cases say "the X River", etc.

MrP

MrPedantic
Hello HM

It's more usual to say the River Thames.

The English <British> seem to refer to most (all?) native rivers as "the River X". Oddly, though, they don't apply the same rule to rivers overseas, and in some cases say "the X River", etc.

MrP

HMFindlayWhy it's called River Thames instead of Thames River? Anyone would like to explain? Actually som

That makes sense. In "the River Thames", "the River" acts almost as an honorific; in "the Thames river", "Thames" acts as an adjective.

MrP

MrPedanticThat makes sense. In "the River Thames", "the River" acts almost as an honorific; in "the Thames river", "Thames" acts as an adjective.

MrP

Indeed so.