Slang terms used in Portland (Beaverton, Hillsboro: apartment, live in, professionals)

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by Cliftonpdx

Probably, I was a teenager in the 90s and we always called it that. I don't know how we started calling it that, but it does have a ring to it.

I have never noticed transplants from Portland saying that, but then again, I didn't know anyone outside of my high school friends and college friends to use the term.

Yeah, I think it's a bit out of style especially in my Beaverton neighborhood where most of my neighbors are transplants from everywhere and have never lived in Portland and seem pretty uninterested in the city except the occasional dinner out or event. I think most people moving here are also uninterested in slang or Portland pronunciations of streets as many people plan on staying just a few years. Portland is very transient now.

[Cliftonpdx]

Originally Posted by Yankeemama

Yeah, I think it's a bit out of style especially in my Beaverton neighborhood where most of my neighbors are transplants from everywhere and have never lived in Portland and seem pretty uninterested in the city except the occasional dinner out or event. I think most people moving here are also uninterested in slang or Portland pronunciations of streets as many people plan on staying just a few years. Portland is very transient now.

Portland is like any other big city in this country, they are all pretty transient. At a number of points in my life, I felt like everyone new I met was from someplace else, but friends that I have living in several different cities in the US all say the same thing. A city has to be pretty isolated and dying not to be attracting transplants to it.

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by Cliftonpdx

Portland is like any other big city in this country, they are all pretty transient. At a number of points in my life, I felt like everyone new I met was from someplace else, but friends that I have living in several different cities in the US all say the same thing. A city has to be pretty isolated and dying not to be attracting transplants to it.

Yup, I grew up in SF and Portland was pretty much off the radar in the 70's and 80's and by the 90's when a few of my friends were thinking of moving up this way I had decided to move to NYC so it again wasn't an area that I had any knowledge of. I only became interested seven years ago when I read an article in the NYTimes about the "hip city". Portland is actually a medium sized city but the metro is growing and hopefully it will improve our infrastructure so our traffic doesn't wind up like Seattle. I digress.

Anyways, after living in Portland I say that most newish transplants I met are not that interested in slang in Portland that already exists but want to create their own Portlandisms. Just my observations.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by Yankeemama

Which is derogatory but hey, it's City Data so why worry about a little racial slurs.

I heard it originally in a social crowd that was predominantly Latino and who all lived on the west side. In that context, at least, it didn't come off as derogatory at all.

I don't really hear it often enough to get a sense of who's actually using the phrase, or the intent of people who do use it.

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by bler144

I heard it originally in a social crowd that was predominantly Latino and who all lived on the west side. In that context, at least, it didn't come off as derogatory at all.

I don't really hear it often enough to get a sense of who's actually using the phrase, or the intent of people who do use it.

What a racial or ethnic group says "amongst themselves" is entirely different from anonymous people on a public forum using racial slurs. Obviously, non- Aftican Americans using the n -word and African Americans using the word amongst themselves are two different things entirely.

[Cliftonpdx]

Originally Posted by Yankeemama

Yup, I grew up in SF and Portland was pretty much off the radar in the 70's and 80's and by the 90's when a few of my friends were thinking of moving up this way I had decided to move to NYC so it again wasn't an area that I had any knowledge of. I only became interested seven years ago when I read an article in the NYTimes about the "hip city". Portland is actually a medium sized city but the metro is growing and hopefully it will improve our infrastructure so our traffic doesn't wind up like Seattle. I digress.

Anyways, after living in Portland I say that most newish transplants I met are not that interested in slang in Portland that already exists but want to create their own Portlandisms. Just my observations.

That is funny you say that, I use to joke back in the early 2000s that the NY Times had to have an office in Portland because it seemed like they were writing a new article about how much they loved Portland each month.

I am sure you are right about the new transplants making up their own slang terms, I always cringe when I hear someone reference Portlandia and not referring to the statue.

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by Cliftonpdx

That is funny you say that, I use to joke back in the early 2000s that the NY Times had to have an office in Portland because it seemed like they were writing a new article about how much they loved Portland each month.

I am sure you are right about the new transplants making up their own slang terms, I always cringe when I hear someone reference Portlandia and not referring to the statue.

In honor of my native Portland friends, I don't refer to Portland as PDX and I try to use the neighborhood names that were used before the 90's. I cannot stand the new names transplants are giving my hometown, SF, so I try to not be a jerk in OR. NYers, especially Brooklynites, are very pissed at the new Brooklynisms.

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by Yankeemama

Which is derogatory but hey, it's City Data so why worry about a little racial slurs.

This thread is a discussion about slang terms used in Portland. "Hillsburrito" happens to be one.

Are you saying it should not be mentioned in a discussion about slang terms because it happens to offend your delicate sensibilities?

Censorship might make you feel better but it won't make the term go away.

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by karlsch

This thread is a discussion about slang terms used in Portland. "Hillsburrito" happens to be one.

Are you saying it should not be mentioned in a discussion about slang terms because it happens to offend your delicate sensibilities?

Censorship might make you feel better but it won't make the term go away.

Typical response. I am not surprised. Don't talk to me about my delicate sensibilities and don't read my posts. Easy. This area is becoming more diverse, thank God, and soon you will understand why insulting a heavily( for OR... Lol) Hispanic area by calling it a burrito is derogatory. Explaining these sorts of simple concepts to people who use racist terms is not worth my time. I don't need to discuss this publicly.

[Cliftonpdx]

Originally Posted by Yankeemama

In honor of my native Portland friends, I don't refer to Portland as PDX and I try to use the neighborhood names that were used before the 90's. I cannot stand the new names transplants are giving my hometown, SF, so I try to not be a jerk in OR. NYers, especially Brooklynites, are very pissed at the new Brooklynisms.

I often times refer to Portland as PDX, but usually more in the written form like hashtags and such when posting on Instagram or Facebook.