Do you call it "Cali"?

[ChopsJazz]

I was raised in California, the Bay Area, moved away for high school and college, and returned over 25 years ago. In all that time I've never called California anything but "California". In fact, I've never even met anyone who calls it anything but.

But these, and I'm assuming other, boards are littered whith references to "Cali" all the time.

So, I'm curious. Do you call it "Cali"?

 

[CDX_NSX]

I say California.

Cali?

Kelly who?

Yes. Kelly Hu.

 

[Autophile]

I call it California. So do all of my California friends.

I think the only people who call it "Cali" are:

1) rappers/people who makes "signs" with their fingers
2) those who don't live in California yet want other people to believe they do live in California.

 

[Joel]

I just call it "L.A." even though I don't live there and everyone pretty much knows where I'm talking about. :smile:

 

[queenlives]

i'm a native, too.

cali is to california what frisco is to san francisco

 

[robr]

I call it Cali about half the time, depends on who I'm talking to and if it's an informal conversaion. It's a lazy thing, why say 4-5 syllables when you only have to say 2.

 

[redshift]

I have a few friends that grew up, and currently reside, in Southern California (SoCal :wink. I've heard them call it "Cali" on many occasions. It is just part of the vernacular of us echo boomers.

 

[SoCalDude]

No Cali. Either California or if I want to be more specific, SoCal or NoCal.

 

[queenlives]

I have a few friends that grew up, and currently reside, in Southern California (SoCal :wink. I've heard them call it "Cali" on many occasions. It is just part of the vernacular of us echo boomers.

ECHO BOOMER?

man, i need a rotary dial phone

 

[Da Hapa]

I never call it "Cali" and I hate it when people do that.

I also don't call it "the OC" and hate that stupid term as well.

 

[zahntech]

I call it California. So do all of my California friends.

I think the only people who call it "Cali" are:

1) rappers/people who makes "signs" with their fingers
2) those who don't live in California yet want other people to believe they do live in California.

"Cali" is just a shortened version..that seems pretty obvious to me.

I use "Cali" when writing because it's shorter, and everybody knows what you mean, when speaking I use California..I guess I'm just lazy when typing.


Oh and I have no interest in living in California or making people think I do.:tongue:

 

[redshift]

ECHO BOOMER?

I guess I could have used the term GenY as well. Either way, I tend to think of echo boomers as people born between the late '70s up through the 90's. I'm a member of the former group ('79). With the popularity of rap/hip-hop, slang seems to be in much higher demand these days with the younger crowd. I certainly don't mind.

 

[Soichiro]

>>"Cali" is just a shortened version..that seems pretty obvious to me.

But not to others. I once had a client tell me to ship a master videotape (very important shipment) to "Cola SC". Then she left the facility.

It made perfect sense to her that Cola meant Columbia, South Carolina. But not to me. The package never got there.

Needless to say, SHE lost her job. Not me.

 

[flaminio]

Never "Cali". Sounds lame to me.

 

[ChopsJazz]

i'm a native, too.

cali is to california what frisco is to san francisco

Well said. :wink:

 

[Soichiro]

>>cali is to california what frisco is to san francisco

Not to me - I've been hearing people say Frisco for over 30 years. Cali is a newer phrase, and as such not as widespread.

 

[FuryNSX]

I don't dig it when anything in L.A. or O.C. is referred to as SoCal. Umm, if I remember right, San Diego is a little further south than either of those two.

 

[ChopsJazz]

>>cali is to california what frisco is to san francisco

Not to me - I've been hearing people say Frisco for over 30 years. Cali is a newer phrase, and as such not as widespread.

The reference to 'Frisco is not meant to regard how long it's been around, but rather to how a local San Franciscan feels when s/he hears it. It pains us greatly.

 

[Ponyboy]

I grew up in "Cali" (Santa Maria-Arroyo Grande-San Luis areas) and always called it that. I don't get the big deal. I even say SLO when referring to San Luis Obispo.

But I do cringe when people say "San LeWis" instead of "San Louis" or "LompocK" instead of "Lompoke." To SLO and Lompoc residents, those pronunciations invoke a mild but immediate rebuke. And rightly so.

 

[akira3d]

"I'm going back to Cali...I don't think so." --LL Cool J

Nope...never refer to it as "Cali". "SoCal" yes....

 

[Vega$ NSX]

I say Cali but I also call:
Las Vegas, Vegas
Washington, DC, DC
San Francisco, San Fran
New York, NY
Chigago, Chi town
Oklahoma City, OK city
Sacramento, Sac
Northern Virginia, Nova
North and South Cali, NorCal and SoCal

I think it's a lazy/travelling thing for me.

 

[mickeylex]

I call it home. :biggrin:

Related, but off topic - why do some people get upset/irked/etc if others call it Cali, Frisco, Sac, Sanjo, The Creek, Oaktown, whatever?
What's the big deal?

 

[Joel]

The reference to 'Frisco is not meant to regard how long it's been around, but rather to how a local San Franciscan feels when s/he hears it. It pains us greatly.

Sounds a lot like my NorCal friends. To me, S.F. is "Frisco." Always was and always will be.

I refuse to call it "The City" as they do. THAT sounds lame to me. :tongue:

Oh, and btw, the only "the" I'll ever put in front of is THE 5 freeway! Deal with it.

 

[scorp965]

I never call it "Cali" and I hate it when people do that.

I also don't call it "the OC" and hate that stupid term as well.

+1

I sometimes use 'SoCal', although only when typing.

 

[queenlives]

>>cali is to california what frisco is to san francisco

Not to me - I've been hearing people say Frisco for over 30 years. Cali is a newer phrase, and as such not as widespread.

understand. to long time / native northern californians, it's the same.