For an interesting discussion on the common American usage of "the Fourth of July" vs. "July Fourth" vs. "Independence Day", see this Language Log post and this perhaps less reputable random blog posting. This references both cultural issues and the linguistic concept of ordinal numbers. Enjoy!
On an unrelated note, I found this article on Slate.com that deals with catchphrases - like "Make it work," "My bad," and "Not so much" - and how they cycle through the modern lexicon. It considers pop culture influences and developing technology as different factors that affect the longevity of phrases in English, and also contains some lighthearted commentary on what phrases have overstayed their welcome. Not really scientific or technical, but still worth the read.
--Alison
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