Upstate/downstate

[Peter A. McGraw]

I searched the archives for "upstate" in the subject line and found only
today's discussion.

Until I heard about Chicago and upstate/downstate Illinois, I had heard
"upstate" only in connection with NY.  So there's always a first time, but
I've never heard the term used in connection with any western state, and I
assume it's an eastern usage--i.e., east of the Mississippi.  To my
knowledge California's great divide is between Northern CA and Southern CA.
To judge by NY and IL, the "upstate/downstate" opposition seems to involve
a given state's single dominant metropolitan area and the rest of the
state.  Since California has one major metropolitan area for each of its
two halves, it seems unlikely that there would be a suitable context for
"upstate" or "downstate."

I don't know enough about Idaho to say whether the terms are or or not
used, but the only word I've ever heard for any specific part of the state
is "the panhandle" (i.e., the narrow part that barely keeps Washington and
Montana from bumping into each other).

Peter Mc.

--On Wednesday, March 3, 2004 2:26 PM -0500 Barnhart
<barnhart at HIGHLANDS.COM> wrote:

> Yes, do consult the archives.  I remember responding to this issue some
> time ago.  I would be interested in how these terms are used in states
> with considerably greater n/s orientation as apposed to e/w--e.g.
> California, Idaho, Alabama, Florida, etc.   What do Canadians do--up
> province?
>
> Regards,
> David Barnhart
>
> barnhart at highlands.com



*****************************************************************
Peter A. McGraw       Linfield College        McMinnville, Oregon
******************* pmcgraw at linfield.edu ************************