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If you have spent a majority of your childhood there yes. I'm from Columbia, SC but live in Charlotte, NC.
I was born in SC. Went to elementary school there, middle school, high school, college. My family and friends are there so I wouldn't think about saying NC is my home state. My dad is from New Jersey. He moved down to SC when he was 19 years old and has been here for 31 years and still claims to be a northerner to this day.
I think you are a native of the place in which you were born but if someone asks where you are from you can say the most recent place. But I really I don't think it matters all that much. So I am from Illinois but I now live in Oregon. I don't think it matters either way how long a time I lived in either one of those places.
A lot of it has to do with how one is raised despite the location. I was born in Ohio but my mother and I relocated to Texas when I was a baby. However, I have been back to Ohio plenty of times to visit and the overwhelming majority of my extended family still resides there. I was never raised "Texan" and don't consider myself to be from here as it is not where my ultimate roots are. I've never felt particularly connected to it in a cultural sense and I don't have a Texas accent. I usually say I am from Ohio but grew up in Texas.
The Californian will claim he is an Oregonian, but the native Oregonian will beg to differ. He's a Californian if he was born in California. Just another in-comer from California
No I don't think you have to be born there to be from there. Where your from is where you remember your life beginning. Where you grew up, went to school. Where your family has remained. Just being born in a place and leaving before you have any memories or backround there. I can't really define that as where a person is from. To each thier own though on the subject. People will all define where they are form in thier own way.
I know in my case I was born in Ireland and lived there into early childhood. My growing up years and my brothers and sisters were in Massachusetts. My family has lived in Mass for many year. I say I'm a native of Ireland, but Im from Massachusetts in this country.
I will say I have met a number of people in the USA especially in the West. That have told me things like I'm from Montana or Minnesota, but I left when I was a few months old. Yet they are now 60 but have lived in California or Arizona all thier lifes. Figure it out I can't. Thats thier definition of where there from. They were born in a state they have absolutely no backround or attachment to. They have no memory of the place. Yet they feel they are from Minnesota or Montana. I don't look at it that way but they do. So I just say ok.
I think you are a native of the place in which you were born but if someone asks where you are from you can say the most recent place.
It depends. I have lived in New Mexico for half my life, but I sure wouldn't feel right saying, "I'm from New Mexico." and most New Mexicans would disagree with me if I did.
Unless you grew up here, you are not 'from' here. Some New Mexicans would say unless your grandparents (or great grandparents) are from here, you are not truly from here. You have to have 'roots'.
There is a saying that speaks to the multi-generational roots phenomenon, Just because a cat has kittens in the oven, doesn't make them biscuits.
It depends. I have lived in New Mexico for half my life, but I sure wouldn't feel right saying, "I'm from New Mexico." and most New Mexicans would disagree with me if I did.
Unless you grew up here, you are not 'from' here. Some New Mexicans would say unless your grandparents (or great grandparents) are from here, you are not truly from here. You have to have 'roots'.
There is a saying that speaks to the multi-generational roots phenomenon, Just because a cat has kittens in the oven, doesn't make them biscuits.
So if you were born in America but your parents in England, you're English and not American? I would argue you are both.
What I was talking about referred to cities or regions with a specific cultural identity, not the United States of America, which in addition to being a citizenship granting entity, is also comprised of multiple cultures and subcultures.
In my opinion, it's where you most identify with, as long as you actually have lived there long enough to have a real life in that location. You can't help where you're born, and in most cases raised, but you can certainly decide for yourself where you live once you leave your parents. Why claim to be from a place you don't associate at all with?
This is something I always think about, because I was born in a rust belt city I absolutely can not stand. The people, the weather, the social structure, the architecture, the landscape, all of it rubbed me the wrong way. I honestly feel as though the stork dropped me in the wrong place by accident, my mind was always in California, and I took frequent trips to visit family. As soon as I was able, at the age of 17, I moved out here, and have been here for several years now. All of my friends are here, I have a job, and a complete life here. I feel as though I've lived here all my life, I have the same state of mind, enjoy the same activities, and feel 100% at home, and I've felt that all along. When I am in CA, I'm the guy that used to live on the East Coast. When I'm anywhere else, I'm from California (unless I meet someone from my city of origin). My only reason for ever going back to my hometown is to visit my immediate family, that is the only tie I have to that place.
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