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Old 01-24-2011, 10:20 AM
 
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is it that bad to say you're from cambridge? is it not cool enough to live in cambridge? i dont get it.
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Old 01-24-2011, 12:03 PM
 
Location: Charlton, MA
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I live in Central Mass & my mom tells everyone I live in Boston. People are just strange.
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Old 01-24-2011, 04:41 PM
 
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Its all relative. If your out on the West Coast, everyone from New England has some sort of kinship with Boston. In a lot of places, its the metro areas that count. Someone from White Plains will say they are from NYC. Someone from Long Beach will say they are from LA. That happens everywhere. It all depends where they are and who they are talking to.

But Boston in unique in one way. It is one of the rare cities that didnt incorporate much of the towns around it. Charlestown is actually older than Boston, but was incorporated into Boston. Yet, it keeps its own name. Its never 'Charlestown, Boston'. Its jsut Charlestown. Conversely, towns like Brookline and Cambridge were never incorporated, but have long histories tied to Boston and for all intents and purposes are part of the city.

It always used to confuse me when I read that Boston's population is 600K - smaller than cities like Austin, Columbus and Indianapolis. And much smaller than other cities like San Antonio.I'd visit these cities and get underwhelmed. But those cities have geographic boundries that cover much of the metro areas. Austin is Austin. Once your outside, you are really outside the city. Once you are outside Boston, you are in metro-Boston, Somerville, Cambridge, Brookline, Newton, which are hardly any different than Boston itself.
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Old 01-24-2011, 11:09 PM
 
Location: Quincy, Mass. (near Boston)
2,912 posts, read 5,127,008 times
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I find it surprising that Cantabridgians would say they're from Boston unless travelling outside of the metro area.

I'd think they like the distinction of not being lumped in with Boston; supposedly, Cambridge confers some type of status (zip code 02138, I think), hipness and superiority that not all of boston can lend. By just casually mentioning. "I'm from Cambridge," automatically impresses some, whereas if one says he lives in Boston, one may wonder if it's JP, Dorchester, Southie, Beacon Hill, Allston, etc.?

Just my thought...

BTW, although most of Cambridge is expensive to live in, parts of Cambridge are gritty and not that impressive. People think Cambridge = Harvard Sq., Porter Square, Brattle St., etc., but it's a city of almost 100k (?) -- thus many housing projects, some muggings, etc.
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Old 01-24-2011, 11:19 PM
 
Location: Lowell, MA
6,926 posts, read 6,532,016 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bostonguy1960 View Post
I find it surprising that Cantabridgians would say they're from Boston unless travelling outside of the metro area.

I'd think they like the distinction of not being lumped in with Boston; supposedly, Cambridge confers some type of status (zip code 02138, I think), hipness and superiority that not all of boston can lend. By just casually mentioning. "I'm from Cambridge," automatically impresses some, whereas if one says he lives in Boston, one may wonder if it's JP, Dorchester, Southie, Beacon Hill, Allston, etc.?

Just my thought...

BTW, although most of Cambridge is expensive to live in, parts of Cambridge are gritty and not that impressive. People think Cambridge = Harvard Sq., Porter Square, Brattle St., etc., but it's a city of almost 100k (?) -- thus many housing projects, some muggings, etc.
Great minds think alike. I don't understand either why someone from Cambridge would say they're from Boston. I live 30 miles NW of Boston, but I don't consider myself a Bostonian. I love the city and all it has to offer. But I love where I live and would never say I live in Boston!
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Old 01-25-2011, 08:51 AM
 
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Because they are right next to each other and if you are talking to someone not from the area its just easier that way. Its basically part of the Boston metro area. Its not like it's much different.
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Old 01-25-2011, 09:08 AM
 
7,235 posts, read 7,003,130 times
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I do not know anyone in Cambridge who would tell anyone in/from the Boston metro area that they are from Boston. So no, people in Cambridge aren't "always" doing this.

When I travel, I always say I'm from Boston, as it's generally more easily identified. A few months ago I was in France and struck up a conversation with a Parisian, only to find out he had lived a block over from me when he was a student at Harvard. That said, I've met some Americans who thought Harvard was in Boston, not Cambridge, so I still go for the easy "Boston" answer when asked in passing.
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Old 01-25-2011, 03:36 PM
 
1,201 posts, read 2,654,274 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnson12 View Post
is it that bad to say you're from cambridge? is it not cool enough to live in cambridge? i dont get it.
They don't.
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Old 01-25-2011, 03:39 PM
miu
 
Location: MA/NH
17,759 posts, read 40,019,201 times
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It depends where I am and who I am talking to. But if I am having a discussion of where I live with people who are not from New England or the US, I will tell them that I am from Boston rather than from Newton. And that's because I don't expect every out of towner to know where Newton (or Cambridge) is, but I feel that they would definitely know where Boston is located. And Newton and Cambridge are considered to be in the Boston Metro area.

It's like someone from Queens or the Bronx saying that they are from New York City. Or someone who lives in Fort Worth, TX saying that they are from Dallas. It just depends on how geographically savvy the person you are talking to is with your locale. You're just telling the the most well known major city or landmark that they can relate to.
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Old 01-25-2011, 03:56 PM
 
80 posts, read 264,201 times
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Why do people from Brookline always say they're from Boston ? Why do people from Dedham always say they're from Boston ? Why do poeple from Canton always say they're from Boston ? Why do peoplw from Milton always say they're from Boston ?
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