From Boston?

[Suffolk 83]

File this under... dog-days-of-summer-useless-bs..... A personal pet peeve of mine is claiming status as a Bostonian. Where's the cutoff? Do you say, 'I'm from west of Boston' when traveling or just say 'Boston'? What do you say and where's the cutoff?

 

[palindrome]

I share that same pet peeve. I hate when people from pembroke or weston say they are from Boston. I know that probably rediculous, but it just bugs me for some reason.

 

[Lrfox]

I voted "within muni's that border the city" because it's the closest option to "urbanized metro area." I don't see why someone from Somerville can't claim to be from Boston when traveling (but my opinion doesn't really count). It bothers me when friends from my hometown tell people we're from Boston when traveling. We're 40 minutes out of the city, I just can't see how that constitutes being from Boston.

I usually tell people that I'm from South Eastern Massachusetts, and if they ask where, I saw near Fall River or New Bedford (which many people, even in New England, hell, even in Massachusetts don't know exist) and if they don't get that, I give in and say not far from "Cape Cod" which almost everyone knows.

I could identify with Providence if I needed to (closer to me than Boston at 25 minutes away), but being across state lines, saying I'm from "S.E. Mass... not far from Providence" can really throw them for a loop.

I hate that everyone from Eastern Mass says they're from Boston because anytime you go out of state, and you say, "I'm from Massachusetts," you almost inevitably get, "Oh, so you're from Boston?" Going to college in Maine, I swear to God everyone assumed I was from Boston because I had Mass. plates and told people I was from Mass. It happens everywhere.

 

[statler]

If I'm talking to someone who is not familiar with Massachusetts I'll usually say I'm from 'a little north of Boston' or just outside of Boston. It kills me to do it, but it was a pet peeve of mine growing up in the city. Sometimes I'll say I'm from 'the Boston area', but that's a little sketchy.
My wife, who grew up in Malden will always say "Malden" and only reference Boston if given puzzled looks or pressed further. I'll only admit to living in Malden if I'm talking to someone from Mass or asked where exactly I live. Then I mumble.

 

[bosdevelopment]

I share that same pet peeve. I hate when people from pembroke or weston say they are from Boston. I know that probably rediculous, but it just bugs me for some reason.

You can take the Pike from weston and be in copley square in 8 minutes. What about Newton? Chestnut Hill? Those are "in" Boston in my eyes.

 

[statler]

I don't see no "Weston" on this map.

 

[aquaman]

The answer depends on where you are or who you are speaking to when answering the question.

If you're at a cocktail party in the South End and speaking to someone who lives in the region, then you should answer with the precise location ("West Roxbury," "Acton" or "Beverly"). Same cocktail party, but with an out of town guest from Chicago, I think it's fair to answer, "Weston, which is about 8 miles west of downtown."

Same question, but asked when you're on vacation in Florida, I think anyone who lives within 25 miles of the city can answer "the Boston area" or even just "Boston". No one outside the area knows the geography and it's a toss-away kind of question, anyhow. Speaking to a Massachusetts native in Florida, and you've both established you've got ties to the region, you should answer with the exact location ("Dedham").

Cripes, get over your hang-ups already.

 

[Corey]

I agree with Aquaman. And I wish I could say I am from Boston. Maybe someday.