# CA residents - Do you ever refer to the state you live in as "Cali"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 8, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648 "2012-07-08T23:29:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/21 "2012-07-09T04:02:50Z")
Oh hell No. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/22 "2012-07-09T04:03:55Z")
Not anymore than San Franciscans call it “Frisco”. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/23 "2012-07-09T04:34:00Z")
Sacramentan. I had never heard the term until I moved to the East Coast, where “Cali” seems like the norm. I strikes me as absurd and vaguely insulting- as if I had decided for my own personal reasons to call New York City “Robert.” Don’t try to pin this on use, SoCal. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/24 "2012-07-09T05:03:38Z")
Non-Californian here wondering why people _don’t_ use it. It’s quick, it’s clean, it’s intuitive…what’s not to like? ---
**Author:** ![the\_apples\_fell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@the\_apples\_fell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_apples_fell)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/25 "2012-07-09T05:05:56Z")
I don’t live there, but I know three people from there and they all do refer to it as “Cali” in casual conversation. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/26 "2012-07-09T05:40:44Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > Non-Californian here wondering why people _don’t_ use it. It’s quick, it’s clean, it’s intuitive…what’s not to like? We prefer to use the full name for effect. **California.** “Cali-”, from the Spanish for “hot.” “-fornia”, from the Latin _fornicari_, from which we get “fornication.” Therefore, California means “Place of Hot Sex” or “Land Where People Fuck In Hot Tubs.” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![tesseract](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@tesseract](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tesseract)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/27 "2012-07-09T05:53:48Z")
> [@the\_apples\_fell](#): > > I don’t live there, but I know three people from there and they all do refer to it as “Cali” in casual conversation. I grew up in NorCal, live in SoCal, and I have never heard anyone who lives here use this. I’ve only heard it in songs. I would be interested to know the demographic details of these three people. Age? Race? Profession? What are they into? Who are these mythical people who would use this most annoying term? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/28 "2012-07-09T06:16:31Z")
Going back to “Cali”? I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/29 "2012-07-09T07:05:59Z")
That would be a “NO!” Personally, when I see “Cali”, I think of the city in Columbia named that. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/30 "2012-07-09T07:19:44Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Going back to “Cali”? I don’t think so. On the contrary–every December I try to go back for the [Feria de la Caña](http://www.colombia.travel/es/turista-internacional/actividad/historia-y-tradicion/ferias-y-fiestas/diciembre/feria-de-cali). IOW, whenever I hear “Cali” I just assume it refers to the city in Colombia. (“_Es pues cuestion de pan de bono_…”) ---
**Author:** ![the\_apples\_fell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@the\_apples\_fell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_apples_fell)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/31 "2012-07-09T07:57:32Z")
> [@tesseract](#): > > I grew up in NorCal, live in SoCal, and I have never heard anyone who lives here use this. I’ve only heard it in songs. I would be interested to know the demographic details of these three people. Age? Race? Profession? What are they into? Who are these mythical people who would use this most annoying term? They range from 18 to 21, are college students. They’re pretty much the relaxed, partying types. I wonder if they say it jokingly though. I’ll have to ask them if the term is ever used over there. I wonder if it’s something more likely to be heard amongst teenagers than an adult demographic. Besides, I live on the east coast, and who knows if these people I know have always called it that, or they do because a lot of us here do it. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/32 "2012-07-09T09:33:19Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > **Cali-for-nye-AY** , motherfucker. 🙂 > > Never Cali. Sometime SoCal. I only know of this from one line of one song by the Beach Boys, referring to one region of a larger mythical place where everybody goes surfing. How long has this alleged “Cali” usage been around? Is it relatively recent? I’m wondering if it’s inspired by our recent governor who pronounced it “Kal-Leeee-fornya” ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/33 "2012-07-09T15:24:30Z")
Nope, never. It’s always California. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/34 "2012-07-09T16:13:38Z")
Not a res, but a native once referred to her childhood in “Cali”. I stupidly asked her if she used to live in Colombia, SA. Now when I want to say California, I have to say/sing it like Anthony Kiedis does… ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/35 "2012-07-09T17:00:53Z")
> [@the\_apples\_fell](#): > > They range from 18 to 21, are college students. They’re pretty much the relaxed, partying types. I wonder if they say it jokingly though. I’ll have to ask them if the term is ever used over there. > > I wonder if it’s something more likely to be heard amongst teenagers than an adult demographic. Besides, I live on the east coast, and who knows if these people I know have always called it that, or they do because a lot of us here do it. I first heard the term in two fairly popular or well known rap songs from the early 1990s, both called “Going Back To Cali”, by LL Cool J and the Notorious B.I.G. And come to think of it, both of those guys were from NYC. Huh. And here I thought it was a long standing standard slang thing. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/36 "2012-07-09T17:08:49Z")
Not from there, but have a lot of friends who are, and they’ve never used it. Now that I know how annoying the residents find it though, I’ll be sure to use it within earshot of anyone insisting on referring to my home as “Back East.” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/37 "2012-07-09T17:16:08Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > I think in general people from an area don’t refer to it in an abbreviated form. > > In Massachusetts I never hear natives refer to it as Mass. or MA. but people from out of town frequently do. > > I do generally say MA when typing because I’m lazy though. Huh? Never heard of the Mass Pike? Boston, Mass? As for the OP: NEVER. We generally call it Paradise. > [@selinus](#): > > It’s a NorCal thing. A pretentious NorCal thing at that. Be careful, or we’ll shut off the spigot. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/38 "2012-07-09T17:23:03Z")
Very rarely. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/39 "2012-07-09T17:26:37Z")
Grew up in SoCal, lived there until just a couple of years ago, only used Cali ironically. Now that I live on the East coast I hear it all the time. It doesn’t bother me, but it’s strange. I would like to blame [Biggie](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjrgi_L1wyo)for popularizing it, but [LL Cool J](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdizL4on-Rc)also had a song about it several years earlier…either way, they were both from NYC. Edit: I took way too long picking links, robardin’s post #35 wasn’t there when I started to write this. ---
**Author:** ![florez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@florez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/florez)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648/40 "2012-07-09T17:28:12Z")
I am from Southern California and I remember people in my community, which is the Mexican community, refer to California as “Califas”, and even send letters with Califas on the address for California, but never “Cali”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-residents-do-you-ever-refer-to-the-state-you-live-in-as-cali/627648.md?page=3)