# Where do you stay? Where do you live? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 18, 2016, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930 "2016-10-18T09:10:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/1 "2016-10-18T09:10:25Z")
Anyone notice people don’t seem to “live” anywhere any more? I more often hear people say where they “stay” and ask other people where they “stay.” While language constantly changes and evolves, I wonder whether this is an important indicator as to people’s connection to their neighborhood and other people. After all, wouldn’t you care more about where you live than just a place you stay? ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/2 "2016-10-18T09:17:20Z")
This must be a regional thing. Other than tourists, I’ve never heard anyone use this expression. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/3 "2016-10-18T09:30:57Z")
‘Stay’ was standard in Scotland when I lived there (Edinburgh), and quite noticeable as the rest of the UK says ‘where do you live’ IME. ---
**Author:** ![Hayden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/91b2a8/32.png) [@Hayden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hayden)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/4 "2016-10-18T09:51:54Z")
I’ve never heard anyone use that expression. Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/5 "2016-10-18T09:58:13Z")
> [@Hayden](#): > > I’ve never heard anyone use that expression. In my experience this is the default phrasing among African Americans. mmm ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/6 "2016-10-18T10:01:42Z")
Globalization could be having a small impact. In some languages, the word for “stay” and “live” (with the meaning of “reside” - not “live” as in “she has cancer, will she live?”) is the same. So when non-native speakers learn English as a second language, they have a greater tendency to say “stay,” probably because they think of “live” more in its alive/dead context. Just my WAG, from having lots of conversations with non-native English speakers. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/7 "2016-10-18T10:38:26Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > In my experience this is the default phrasing among African Americans. > mmm +1 Can’t say I’ve really heard it much from non blacks. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/8 "2016-10-18T12:11:42Z")
I hear ‘where do you stay’ asked of people without a settled location. Young people who haven’t set down roots, or people who visit locations such as wintering down south. Maybe it’s got broader use than that and I haven’t noticed. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/9 "2016-10-18T12:17:36Z")
I’ve only heard it here in this thread and the other recent one here: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19705549&postcount=67](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19705549&postcount=67) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/10 "2016-10-18T12:19:58Z")
> [@Hayden](#): > > I’ve never heard anyone use that expression. Nor have I. > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > In my experience this is the default phrasing among African Americans. > mmm Not in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/11 "2016-10-18T13:38:40Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > +1 > > Can’t say I’ve really heard it much from non blacks. I’ve never heard anyone other than a black person use the term and it’s always what appears to be poorer folks that say it. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/12 "2016-10-18T13:42:50Z")
I’ve never heard it before but now that I’m aware of it, I bet that I’ll hear it all the time. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/13 "2016-10-18T13:48:32Z")
I’ve never heard the expression. If somebody asked me “Where do you stay”, I’d think they were asking me for a hotel recommendation in a place that I travel to. Or what kinds of travel lodgings I prefer. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/14 "2016-10-18T14:21:15Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > In my experience this is the default phrasing among African Americans. > mmm I agree. I’ve heard this expression in the South among African Americans for 40+ years. Usually phrased as, “Where you stay?” ---
**Author:** ![Oddball\_92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b3f665/32.png) [@Oddball\_92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oddball_92)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/15 "2016-10-18T18:19:46Z")
I agree it is from blacks mostly. I have heard that expression for years. I have heard whites use it as well but mostly in sort of a mocking sense. Sort of like saying “up in”. “We stay up in here.” And before someone gets their panties in a wad… There is no disrespect meant in my comment. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/16 "2016-10-18T22:22:41Z")
Definitely a regionalism. Common in (at least some parts of) Africa. My wife lived in South Africa for two years and has worked and traveled in East Africa and other parts, and it’s the phrasing she uses there, and that others tend to use. In fact, she uses it when talking to anyone from another country, and I’ve heard it from people in parts of Asia as well. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/17 "2016-10-18T22:37:48Z")
I stay at a hotel. I live in my house. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/18 "2016-10-18T22:49:17Z")
Stay in a state of crazy. Live in my body. Physical place is where I am at when you ask. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/19 "2016-10-18T23:00:09Z")
No matter where you go; there you are. - Buckeroo Bonzai, Sage for the Ages. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930/20 "2016-10-19T01:07:44Z")
I usually refrain from saying I live in Pittsburgh. NO ONE lives in Pittsburgh; they merely exist. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-stay-where-do-you-live/768930.md?page=2)