Inspired by CaityCaity: What is "the city" to you?

[snoopy]

When I think of "big" cities, I think of major cities, based on population, industry, major airports. New York, Washington, LA, Chicago would be "big" American cities to me.

 

[ShuisFan584]

When someone mentions the city, I think of NYC since it's only about 20 minutes from me.

 

[AF Brenda]

When someone mentions the city, I think of NYC since it's only about 20 minutes from me.

That makes perfect sense to me. What doesn't make sense to me is the assumption that someone that lives 2000 miles away would also think of NYC when someone mentions "the city".

 

[Blondie]

What doesn't make sense to me is the assumption that someone that lives 2000 miles away would also think of NYC when someone mentions "the city".

I know I don't think of NYC everytime I hear the word "city."

If someone around here says they are going into the city, it means Washington, D.C.

While living in the suburbs of Philly, it meant Center City Philadelphia.

While living in rural Maine, it meant Portland.

I don't understand why some people, when they hear the term "city" think NYC automatically.

 

[AF Brenda]

I don't understand why some people, when they hear the term "city" think NYC automatically.

Outside of that area, I doubt that they really do.

 

[eeyoreno1]

Now living in MA, I think Boston (live about 7mi north of there).

But growing up in Poughkeepsie, NY, "the city" always meant NYC.

 

[SDAngel101]

When anyone says the city its like "What city? we live in a city" But it just depends on where i am.

 

[catsrule]

New York.....I learned this from Hes.

 

[supercarrie]

After spending 3 weeks on the East Coast this summer, with many New Yorkers, I now use "the city" to refer to NYC. People here look at me weird, and sometimes assume I am referring to LA.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

a story from my college days.

I went to school in Albany, NY -- a city in its own right. but most of my classmates were from NYC, Long Island or Westchester/Rockland. the ride board always had ads to go back to "the city" -- meaning NYC and environs. but my upstte colassmates thought we were all nuts.

BTW if I were to name the three biggest cities in the US, my thoughts would immediately go to NYC, Chicago and LA., in that order. and not just because I'm from the NYC area, or that I've never been to LA or Chicago. let's face it, although NYC doesn't have a monopoly on culture/diversity/international appeal, etc., it does seem to be one of the biggest(if not THE biggest) players. I like D.C, Boston and Philadelphia, but they are much smaller cities. I haven't been to very many other places, so I can't really comment on other cities.

 

[snoopy]

I named Washington to my list of big cities because a lot of decisions are made here in Washington. I think because the government is here, it has to be included in the top major cities not only of the country, but of the world.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

i'd probably include the District right after the 3 I mentioned, mainly because it's a political power base. but Snoopy, it is a much smaller city than the others I mentioned.

 

[snoopy]

Yes, its smaller in scope, but its still a major city. I agree though, as I said in my previous post, New York, LA and Chicago, are all considered major cities, in that order, with Washington, imo, coming in behind LA and before Chicago.

 

[AF Brenda]

DC is small in area, but boy, are the people packed in tight!!! The thing with DC is that it can't expand in size - city limits are determined by law, so it can't expand and annex the surrounding areas.

 

[snoopy]

Yeah, Brenda, I'm about to go experience the tightness in a few minutes, when I navigate myself around 495 to get home.

 

[AF Brenda]

Blech, the Beltway!!! Luckily, I rarely have to get on the 495.

 

[caitycaity]

i took the metro and avoided the beltway today thank god. i think i would name ny, la, and dc as the three "main" cities in the us -- i don't think you can leave dc off any list of the major us cities just b/c of the fact it is the capital of the free world.

 

[Galahad]

When we lived in DC (Suburban Maryland) there was this morning radio news guy that would start each report with “Greetings from the most Powerful City in the World”. Now technically, he might have been right. But it became a symbol for me of the enormous self-importance that the DC area has. This is a trait they share with NYC in many respects. And they seem to hold much of the rest of the country in contempt. In fact, if you don’t live in that I95 corridor, I think you give NY and Washington as little thought as possible.

Whether refer to going into your nearest city as going into “the city” or going “downtown” is probably a regional thing. I’ll bet that folks from San Francisco would be put off by the fact that we refer to Tampa as “The Bay Area”. I’d bet that to San Franciscans there is only ONE Bay Area.

 

[SPAGo 98]

just a thought - when i'm at school in mass, if someone said "the city" i would think Boston, but i have never referred to Boston as "the city." i always call it by name, as do most people i know up there. no one really calls Boston "the city" even though we're 5 minutes away.

 

[Jeff in BigD]

When I hear the term "the city" I automatically think L.A. or Dallas.