"I'm from Chicago" boundaries (Naperville, Schaumburg: neighborhood, living in, move to)

[s0nginmyheart]

What do you think the boundaries are for claiming you are "from" Chicago? City proper? Or should they be saying Chicagoland if they're from some far out suburb/exurb?

I don't see a huge problem if someone from Evanston, Lincolnwood, Park Ridge, Niles, Skokie etc. claim Chicago. But there have been some tv programs I've watched where people from Crystal Lake or Naperville say they are from Chicago. A bit of raised eyebrow there, but not being native to IL, I just wonder if it's even a big deal...

[Vlajos]

If you are talking to people not from the area, Chicago is fine. If not, say where you live.

[radiojunkie2006]

If you live in the city you say you're from Chicago; if you don't, say, "I'm from (insert suburb here), near Chicago. If you meet an ex-Chicagoan and he asks you what part of the city you're from you'd sound dumb to him if you said, "I'm from (insert suburb here)". Chicagoans like to know what neighborhood and sometimes Catholic parish you're from, that is if you're Catholic. I met a retiree on a cruise ship. I was wearing a Cub's shirt and he asked me if I was from Chicago and what parish I was from!

[css9450]

I want to move to Schaumburg just so I can travel near and far and claim I'm from Chicago.

[Chicago_Guy312]

I feel like there's a big disconnect between life in the suburbs and life in the city throughout the Chicago area. Enough of a difference to necessitate two different "claims."

When I meet people in other parts of the country who are from the suburbs they usually say "I'm from Chicago".

In one instance, I was at a conference in Michigan and asked someone where they were from. He relied "Chicago". I then asked what part of the city he lived in... He was from Downer's Grove. He had spent his whole life living in the suburbs, came into the city about twice a year, and had never ridden the CTA.

I'm sorry but I just don't see how he can claim he's from "Chicago" when he knows nothing about it. I feel like if you live in the outer burbs/exurbs and know nothing about the city then you should respond with "suburban Chicago."

But that's just me!

[ToriaT]

If I am out of state or in a foreign country I say I am from Chicago even though I live in the suburbs now. I was born in Oak Park on austin ave where one side of the street is chicago, the other side is Oak park so technically I was not born in chicago. If I am in the state of Illinois, I say the suburb I live it. People from outside the state are not going to have a frame of reference to know about Naperville or Lincolnwood or whatever, so its legitimate to say you are from chicago.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

If I am out of state or in a foreign country I say I am from Chicago even though I live in the suburbs now. I was born in Oak Park on austin ave where one side of the street is chicago, the other side is Oak park so technically I was not born in chicago. If I am in the state of Illinois, I say the suburb I live it. People from outside the state are not going to have a frame of reference to know about Naperville or Lincolnwood or whatever, so its legitimate to say you are from chicago.

I agree, if the out of stater asks for clarity, of course then you can be more specific.

[ForYourLungsOnly]

it depends who you're talking to. telling somebody from Orlando that you are from Tinley Park will not do much good. Just say you're from Chicago. Telling someone from Logan Square that you are from Tinley Park is probably a better idea than telling someone from Logan Square you are from Chicago when in fact you live in Tinley Park. It's just perspective

[cubssoxfan]

There have been threads discussing this....................(where's the yawn symbol?)

[Lorielicious]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

If I am out of state or in a foreign country I say I am from Chicago even though I live in the suburbs now. I was born in Oak Park on austin ave where one side of the street is chicago, the other side is Oak park so technically I was not born in chicago. If I am in the state of Illinois, I say the suburb I live it. People from outside the state are not going to have a frame of reference to know about Naperville or Lincolnwood or whatever, so its legitimate to say you are from chicago.

This is a stupid explanation that I hate when people make. If you're in Aberdeen, South Dakota, sure, then of course no one knows where Naperville is, but what's so hard about saying you're from "the Chicago area" or "near Chicago"? I mean, really, "near Chicago" tacks on one extra syllable fer Chrissakes, and is both clear to anyone, no matter what their familiarity with Chicagoland is, and moreover it is accurate.