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Some NYers do it, while some others don't. Funnily enough, the folks doing it live in the 'city' of New York Themselves. Where did this trend start or where and what era this this come from ? Is it the skyscrapers, then comes the question, not all large cities have an abundunce of skyscrapers ? But at the same time again, centers with big populations are cities in definition, Brooklyn and Queens are the largest boroughs in that matter.. When someone says 'I am going to the city' and I respond 'which city are you going too'
I refer to Manhattan as 'Manhattan'.. There is only one... and you ?
i grew up saying that in bronxville. all my family and friends in queens and staten island always called manhattan the city as well. it looked the part w/ the skyscrapers over the warehouses in the bronx and brooklyn.
of you watch tv shows like the 'king of queens', they call manhattan the city as well
I grew up in Manhattan, and my family and I always called it the city. My family in eastern Long Island always say "I am going to the city" - and we automatically know they mean Manhattan.
I am not sure where it originated, but if I had to guess I would say because New York City has always attracted people, and Manhattan is the Siren, the allure of the five boroughs. The important jobs are in the borough, and is it thought that most want to live there (when indeed there are some people who would rather not).
I have also thought about the fact that Americans are lazy in their speech, particularly those in the North East. Given the amount of people that have always commuted into the city (Manhattan), it could have come into everyday speech by commuters who wanted a shorter way to say they were going into Manhattan.
Lastly, you have those people that believe the term "the city" is only inclusive of everything in between Battery Park City and 96th, and that everything above 96th does not deserve the title.
When people refer to the city, they are primarily referring to the Midtown/Downtown CBDs. I never used the terminology, makes no sense. If I am in Midtown, well, I'm in Midtown.
the majority of the tourists attractions are located in Manhattan.
the majority of the jobs are in Manhattan. (finance, hospitality, retail, media, etc)
several entertainment venues are located in Manhattan.
the majority of the NYC's landmarks are in Manhattan.
it is the area where the majority of tv shows and movies shoot their scenes in.
Manhattan = Columbia University to Battery Park. It does not include Harlem, Wash Heights and Inwood. Those areas are outer Manhattan.
I think THE CITY stems from the fact that so many people have to go into Manhattan for their jobs, shopping, entertainment, even from New Jersey, Long Island or Connecticut.
In London THE CITY refers to the financial hub, so not so dissimilar from Manhattan.
When I lived in Jersey City I called Manhattan "the City" and the burbs "Brooklyn, Queens" etc. But now I am in Manhattan and usually refer to "downtown" (like Petula Clark) or "over to" if I am talking about the UWS.
So no need for the term "the City" anymore. ALthough I have friends in Rego park and Riverdale who frequently use the term to mean downtown Manhattan...to work or play.
Do you have a lot of time on your hands or something?
(I do mean this in jest, okay?)
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