# New York, New York. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 17, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-new-york/546975 "2010-07-17T00:35:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-new-york/546975/161 "2010-07-31T02:33:23Z")
Okay, seriously, do you have to take a partisan dump on _every_ thread? It would be a little less annoying if your posts weren’t quite so moronic. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-new-york/546975/162 "2010-07-31T04:28:25Z")
> [@bullrun](#): > > New York City was originally called “New York…Dude (shake of a head)..New York…” because everyone who mentioned the city felt so sorry for the inhabitants because they lived in such a liberal quagmire. Over time…“dude” was left out…it seemed to Californish. [moderating] This is GQ, **bullrun**. Save that kind of remark for the political debates or the Pit. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-new-york/546975/163 "2010-07-31T04:34:16Z")
As to “the City,” it does vary. When I lived near San Jose, California, saying “I’m going into town” meant you were going to San Jose, but saying “I’m going to the City” meant you were going to San Francisco – even though San Jose is bigger. Why did I say “San Jose, California” in the previous sentence? Because there’s another San Jose with an airport, and when you fly both to California and Mexico semi-regularly, it pays to be precise. Where I live now, there are certain cities we always qualify. I live pretty close to the Montana/Wyoming border. Both states have Sheridans, so you always say which one you’re talking about. There’s a Joliet down the road from us, but it’s pronounced differently than the big Joliet with the prison (Illinois’ is Joe-lee-et, and Montana’s is Jaw-lee-et). That means we don’t have to qualify it. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Skinley\_Von\_Clipper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@Baron\_Skinley\_Von\_Clipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Skinley_Von_Clipper)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-new-york/546975/164 "2010-08-01T14:09:00Z")
Update! I just heard an Australian on TV saying he comes from Western Australia, Australia. Umm… I think know where Western Australia is, isn’t it a state in the west of Australia? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-new-york/546975/165 "2010-08-01T15:55:08Z")
> [@Baron\_Skinley\_Von\_Clipper](#): > > Update! > > I just heard an Australian on TV saying he comes from Western Australia, Australia. > > Umm… I think know where Western Australia is, isn’t it a state in the west of Australia? Yes, with Perth its capital and largest city. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-new-york/546975/166 "2010-08-01T16:38:42Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > As I said before, to Americans, “Los Angeles, California,” in full has the feel of a proper name. We don’t necessarily think we’re explaining something to someone, just giving its full name. Sometimes we say “Obama” by itself, but sometimes we’ll use his full name, Barack Obama, just because it feels appropriate to. Or “U.K.” or “U.S.” as opposed to “United Kingdom” or “United States.” If someone says the full name, do you think “What, do you think I’m stupid?” > > That feeling carries over to “London, England,” or “Bogota, Colombia,” We don’t necessarily think the listener is stupid. We just sometimes feel it appropriate to use what sounds to our ears as a place’s full name. > > To American ears, it’s never wrong to specify. I’m also American, and I don’t agree with any of the above. At all. I also don’t know any Americans who exhibit behavior described above, and have never known any. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Skinley\_Von\_Clipper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@Baron\_Skinley\_Von\_Clipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Skinley_Von_Clipper)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-new-york/546975/167 "2010-08-01T18:20:30Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > > [@Baron\_Skinley\_Von\_Clipper](#): > > > > Update! > > > > I just heard an Australian on TV saying he comes from Western Australia, Australia. > > > > Umm… I think know where Western Australia is, isn’t it a state in the west of Australia? > > Yes, with Perth its capital and largest city. But did the guy really need to point out that western Australia is in Australia? I would have thought that anyone who is intelligent enough to breathe would know that. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-new-york/546975/168 "2010-08-01T19:10:41Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > I’m also American, and I don’t agree with any of the above. At all. I also don’t know any Americans who exhibit behavior described above, and have never known any. None of the Americans you know ever use the “city, state,” format? Really? In my experience every American does it sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-new-york/546975/169 "2010-08-01T19:48:57Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > None of the Americans you know ever use the “city, state,” format? Really? In my experience every American does it sometimes. Only when it’s required for clarification. Such as, “Vancouver, WA,” or is a not necessarily well-known city where not everyone knows where it is, such as “Mandeville, LA.” Even the people I know from Texas don’t do that when referring to big cities in their state. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-new-york/546975.md?page=8)