up-state/down-state

[Michael Newman]

Downstate Medical Center is in Brooklyn for what it's worth.


http://www.downstate.edu/

For me, NYC and LI constitute Downstate NY. The term's not used all that much, but it still is there ready and available.


Michael Newman
Associate Professor of Linguistics
Queens College/CUNY
michael.newman at qc.cuny.edu



On May 18, 2011, at 1:07 PM, victor steinbok wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       victor steinbok <aardvark66 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: up-state/down-state
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I second that, although it's not just "the" major city. Both Burlington
> (major city) and Montpelier (capital and a major insurance center, perhaps
> third after Hartford and SF) are up north (or, at least, more north than
> south). So are Barre and Middlebury. In fact, there are no major population
> centers /at all/ below Rutland, which is almost exactly in the middle. But
> this may make Rutland "downstate"--nothing "below" it.
>
> I am not convinced that NY is as simple as it sounds--or, as simple as
> Illinois (and, like I said earlier, I don't recall anyone ever referring to
> "upstate" Illinois, although I only lived in Chicago for two years and in
> Wisconsin another three). As for NY, I was told by NY (not NYC, but perhaps
> suburban) residents that Westchester Co. is /definitely/ not downstate--it's
> just Westchester. Nor is NYC or Long Island. On the other hand, Syracuse,
> Utica and Plattsburg are definitely upstate. Not sure about Albany,
> Schenectady and Poughkeepsie--I thought Binghamton and Poughkeepsie were
> downstate, but I could be wrong, but, I pretty sure, Rochester was included
> in "upstate". I'm just reporting what I was told--no real opinion on the
> matter.
>
> VS-)
>
> On Wed, May 18, 2011 at 12:34 PM, Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu>wrote:
>
>>
>> Isn't the major city in Vermont very much in the north?
>>
>> Fred Shapiro
>>
>>
>
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