# In 49 of 50 states one thing, in the 50th something else??? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 8, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653 "2014-07-08T17:38:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/101 "2014-07-09T18:19:55Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > I would say that in most states with an SEC football team, “USC” or “SC” is first thought of as the University of South Carolina. Not sure I agree. In Georgia, we’re more likely to razz them about not being the real USC. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/102 "2014-07-09T19:23:02Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > . Even though people remember United Flight 93, I basically hear others reference NYC and DC - but not Pennsylvania - related to 9-11. That’s because Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania due to the intervention of the crew and passengers. Its original destination had been San Francisco (for maximum fuel), and the terrorists’ target was in Washington, DC (the Capitol Building or the White House). I just visited the Flight 93 Memorial three days ago, and was deeply moved. But it was not ever an “attack on Pennsylvania”. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/103 "2014-07-09T19:28:56Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > This is true only in that some New Yorkers who spread out to other parts of the country will still - bizarrely - refer to “the City” in conversation and assume everyone knows they mean New York. Meanwhile, of course, the people they’re talking to think they’re referring to the closest local city. I’ve encountered this a number of times and it never ceases to amaze me. OK, but I have only ever met one person who said “I was in The City last week” and not be a New York Metro origin type individual referring to being in Manhattan. It was someone from and in San Jose, CA referring to SF. I understand that 48-ish states would not say “the City” to mean NYC, but I’d also say it’s abnormal for them to use the phrase to refer to ANY city. I’ve specifically asked Midwesterners in Indy, Missouri, Wisconsin and Illinois how they’d refer to Chicago. The only answer? “Um… Chicago?” ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/104 "2014-07-09T19:51:56Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > I believe the term “hoagie” is only used in Pennsylvania. Everyone else calls it a sub or submarine sandwich. In my neck of the woods, a hoagie is the type of bread you make a sub sandwich with. And po-boys are completely different. Hoagies are soft. Po-boys use a light, crusty, almost stale bread that flakes off and makes a mess when you eat it, but boy is it tasty. I am supremely disappointed whenever I get a so-called “po-boy” that is dense and/or soft. Might as well go to Subway. > [@Giles](#): > > On the subject of counties, Virginia is the only state to have more than one independent city, i.e., a city which is not part of a county (or counties). Virginia has 38 of them. (Maryland, Missouri and Nevada have one each.) I was about to retort, “But St. Louis!”, and then I read closer. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/105 "2014-07-09T19:55:04Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > OK, but I have only ever met one person who said “I was in The City last week” and not be a New York Metro origin type individual referring to being in Manhattan. It was someone from and in San Jose, CA referring to SF. > > I understand that 48-ish states would not say “the City” to mean NYC, but I’d also say it’s abnormal for them to use the phrase to refer to ANY city. I’ve specifically asked Midwesterners in Indy, Missouri, Wisconsin and Illinois how they’d refer to Chicago. The only answer? “Um… Chicago?” As I said in an earlier post, in Oklahoma, “The City” refers to Oklahoma City. Regardless of whatever other town might be closer. Been that way for years here. I don’t expect anyone outside of OK to know that, but I wonder how many other states have something similar? ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/106 "2014-07-09T20:54:31Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > OK, but I have only ever met one person who said “I was in The City last week” and not be a New York Metro origin type individual referring to being in Manhattan. It was someone from and in San Jose, CA referring to SF. > > I understand that 48-ish states would not say “the City” to mean NYC, but I’d also say it’s abnormal for them to use the phrase to refer to ANY city. I’ve specifically asked Midwesterners in Indy, Missouri, Wisconsin and Illinois how they’d refer to Chicago. The only answer? “Um… Chicago?” Maybe if you ask people point-blank like that they would be confused by the question, but I’d bet you that if a couple in the Chicago metropolitan weekend was asked what they were doing this upcoming weekend and they said “We’re heading into the city for some fun,” there would be little doubt they were talking about Chicago. And no one would ask them what time their plane landed at JFK. (Of course, confusion would crop up the further outside Chicago you got, though that’s true of New York as well.) ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/107 "2014-07-09T21:05:57Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > May I ask what that means exactly? A city that is not part of a county? I mean, what ramifications, legal aspects, etc, are there to such an arrangement? And how does it happen and why? I don’t think we ever got an answer to these questions about independent cities in Virginia, did we? I went to college in one of them so I can answer in generalities. My city was surrounded by three counties and completely independent of all three. However, some of these cities are very small and contained entirely within a single county. These will sometimes (often?) function as the county seat and share many functions of government and local services. I’m not even sure why they are independent cities in the first place, that’s where we need a local to explain. There also appears to be a gaggle of independent cities clustered in the Hampton Roads region, some of which border only other independent cities. I’m pretty sure these are mostly, if not solely, autonomous, too. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/108 "2014-07-09T21:16:27Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > But it was not ever an “attack on Pennsylvania”. Don’t act so certain. I have it on good authority that Osama bin Laden secretly hated the Amish. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/109 "2014-07-09T21:23:39Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > 49 States have at least one straight line border. Hawaii is the exception. > > Prostitution illegal in 49 States, legal in some parts of Nevada. I thought this was one of those facts “everybody knows is true but is, in fact, false.” I had heard that prostitution was legal in Rhode Island, primarily because there were no statutes against it. I just read, however, that it was made illegal in 2009. So up until 2009, it was legal in Rhode Island. J. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/110 "2014-07-09T21:29:14Z")
Sets up a Hawaiian straight line about Don Ho ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/111 "2014-07-09T21:50:35Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Geographically speaking, the Pentagon is in Arlington County but the building itself is considered part of DC. Just ask the Postal Service. Sorry but people are wrong then. It’s not part of DC. DC is a federally defined special area that is not under the jurisdiction of any other state. The pentagon is not part of that, as far as I’m aware? Unless it is some sort of exclave? Please correct me if I’m mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/112 "2014-07-09T22:15:32Z")
In Oregon, OSU is not Ohio State. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/113 "2014-07-09T22:57:50Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > I understand that 48-ish states would not say “the City” to mean NYC, but I’d also say it’s abnormal for them to use the phrase to refer to ANY city. I’ve specifically asked Midwesterners in Indy, Missouri, Wisconsin and Illinois how they’d refer to Chicago. The only answer? “Um… Chicago?” I’m now imagining you driving up to a hitch-hiker a few miles outside of Chicago. “Need a lift?” “Yeah! Where ya headed?” “The city.” How do you figure he replies? _“Well, could you stop in Chicago along the way?”_ ---
**Author:** ![Celidin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Celidin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celidin)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/114 "2014-07-10T01:30:47Z")
In North Jersey, “The City” means Manhattan. In South Jersey, “The City” means Philadelphia. Most Jersey folk will say some variation of “I’m going to the city for dinner” (or whatever), and based on where you are it’s known. The only people who get confused are those in Mercer County (Trenton area) where it can kind of go either way since NY and Philly are almost equidistant. Hmm… I wonder if NJ is the only state where “the City” virtually always refers to a city in another state… ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/115 "2014-07-10T01:58:48Z")
Pretty much everywhere I’ve ever lived “I’m going to the city” means “I’m not from around here. Please make fun of me.” “I’m going into town” is acceptable, but only if you’re out in the country. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/116 "2014-07-10T02:31:06Z")
I have never seen or heard 9/11 referred to as anything other than “9/11” or perhaps “9/11 attacks” or Sept. 11 attacks. I don’t know anyone who qualifies or expands it in such a way as “9/11 attacks on (insert specific place in the U.S.)” ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/117 "2014-07-10T02:47:57Z")
I am pretty sure it is a New Mexico thing. “The truck went off the road and landed up in the ditch.” Any where else it would have ENDED up in the ditch. Also anywhere else a mess is a flat topped plateau. In New Mexico it is pretty much any area of natural desert. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/118 "2014-07-10T02:50:44Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > I am pretty sure it is a New Mexico thing. “The truck went off the road and landed up in the ditch.” Any where else it would have ENDED up in the ditch. > > Also anywhere else a mess is a flat topped plateau. In New Mexico it is pretty much any area of natural desert. That’s funny because in India “We landed up at Pinky’s house after we left the nightclub” is a very common usage. It always sounds strange to me. ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/119 "2014-07-10T04:13:42Z")
In 49 states children play “duck, duck, goose.” Children in Minnesota play “duck, duck, grey duck.” ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653/120 "2014-07-10T04:22:50Z")
In the other 49 states, if there are several people in a row waiting for something, they say they are “in line.” But in New York (or more specifically, the NYC/Long Island area) you would be waiting “on line.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-49-of-50-states-one-thing-in-the-50th-something-else/692653.md?page=7)