"The City" (Los Angeles, San Diego: transplants, homeless, rich)

[LunaticVillage]

Yes, people in the Bay refer to San Francisco as "The City" and many others refer to Oakland as "The Town". You can look at the old school Golden State Warriors logo and it shows a simply drawn rendition of the Golden Gate bridge saying "The City". Calling Oakland "The Town" is limited to ghetto circles from what I've experienced.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by smashystyle

Imagine this conversation: "Where are you from? San Francisco. Where in San Francisco? San Jose."

It actually does happen. Quite a bit.

Speaking of San Jose, I was in Perth last year with my cousin from San Jose traveling to our aunt's funeral and we both told people who asked that we were from San Francisco--totally out of habit. And then if they said which part we'd say Oakland or San Jose and the person who asked the question didn't find it odd at all. It's weird here in the US to do that but it makes sense when you travel abroad.

[Folks3000]

Originally Posted by smashystyle

But people from the Bay Area really don't say they're from San Francisco when they're not from the city. Maybe it's different from how people in Chicago talk about themselves. Part of the reason that SF is different in this respect is that San Francisco proper only has about 10% of the metro's population. That's pretty small compared to most other cities (Boston and DC are somewhat similar, but even there a higher percentage of people live in Boston or DC-proper). Then, because you really have three core cities in the metro, more confusion ensues if you refer to the whole region as San Francisco. Imagine this conversation: "Where are you from? San Francisco. Where in San Francisco? San Jose."

A girl on my floor said just that haha.. I asked her where she was from. She said by San Francisco. I asked where, she said "the burbs." I told her I knew the area well and she then said San Jose. It isn't as crazy as it sounds. I mean Salt Lake City and Atlanta have tiny percentages of population too. Not many people from outside CA know the complex metro situation of SF.

[eureka1]

People clear up here in almost-Oregon have referred to SF as The City as long as I can remember.

[CousinMaynard]

Yes growing up in the east bay "the city" was among the names we gave to san francisco

other names we called it were:

Frisco
San Fran-Crisco
San Fransissy
Boystown

Now that i realised its just some product designed for people from someplace else to consume, i just call it someplace i dont go to.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by mini_cute

My husband's sister-in-law who lives in So Cal keeps referring to So Cal as "California". Like when she visits, she keeps saying, "Back in California" instead of "Back in So Cal". Her son had to keep correcting her that SF is part of California.

Wherever did he come up with that idea?

[Link N. Parker]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

I didn't know people in the Philadelphia area referred to Philadelphia proper as 'The City'. As far as I knew it was only Manhattan and San Francisco by their respective regions. At least in a manner that has been pretty consistently on a regional basis.

San Francisco has been referred to as 'The City' since the Gold Rush. Originally it was 'The City' for the entire West as it was the only real urban environment for over 1000 miles in any direction.

Today it's mainly a Northern California phenomenon and extends into Northern Nevada and Southern Oregon. At least that's my experience.

In the Chicago area, Chicago is also referred to as "The City".

[MichiVegas]

I have never heard anyone refer to Philly as "The City", and I used to live nearby.

Never heard if for Chicago either, and I actually lived in Chicago for two years.

I hear it all the time for NYC and SF.

[Folks3000]

Originally Posted by Link N. Parker

In the Chicago area, Chicago is also referred to as "The City".

The difference though is that nobody outside of immediate suburbs of Chicago calls it that. Nobody in Madison or Milwaukee says they are going to the city and mean Chicago. But similarly and larger sized cities in northern California all call San Francisco "The City." You'll find people in Stockton, Sacramento, San Jose, Gilroy, Eureka (apparently), etc who do. I've also never seen media in Chicago use it as a proper noun. I think in those respects Manhattan and SF are the only ones with that setup.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

I didn't know people in the Philadelphia area referred to Philadelphia proper as 'The City'. As far as I knew it was only Manhattan and San Francisco by their respective regions. At least in a manner that has been pretty consistently on a regional basis.

I grew up in Philadelphia & suburbs and we definitely did refer to Philly as "The City".