What wrong with "San Fran" and "Cali" anyway? (San Francisco: buy, live)

[muffincake]

I have lived all over the country. Every other city and state I have lived in, people embraced various nicknames. But then I move here and everyone wants to chastise the use "Cali" and "San Fran." It's so pretentious and douchey. What's the deal?

[SandyCo]

If you want to immediately be known as a newcomer or nonresident, please continue to use "Cali" and "San Fran". The locals never use these terms, and to us they sound "pretentious and douchey".

In all honesty, there's nothing wrong with either one of those nicknames, but for me it's like fingernails on a chalkboard. I realize my response isn't logical; it's more of a visceral reaction.

[ohhwanderlust]

I really don't understand why self-proclaimed 'real' San Franciscans get their knickers in a knot over it. Somehow I doubt they objectively actually care. I think it's just the trendy elitist thing to hate on those abbreviations. Probably makes them feel 'legit SF' in comparison.

[NewbiePoster]

San Fran is preferable to the detested "Frisco". I don't have a problem with it. "Cali"? I've only run into it on the internet. But most of my friends are from here originally, so they don't use that name. It's newcomers who do that.

[muffincake]

Originally Posted by NewbiePoster

San Fran is preferable to the detested "Frisco". I don't have a problem with it. "Cali"? I've only run into it on the internet. But most of my friends are from here originally, so they don't use that name. It's newcomers who do that.

I've never said "Cali" out loud, I don't think, but it is much faster and easier to type, especially in text messages and tweets with character limits. I have said San Fran though. The rhyming is fun.

Also, at four syllables, both the names San Francisco and California are pretty long. Abbreviating long words is a normal thing to do.

[LoriBee62]

There's nothing wrong with it. Using it just lets folks know that you are new to the area.

As for folks getting their panties in a knot over it, you would get that in every big city, if you perpetually called it by a term no one used. If I tried to call Portland "Port-town", locals would laugh. Call St. Louis "Louie" or New York "Yorkie". You'd get the exact same reaction from the locals. So I don't buy the "elitist" nonsense.

[NewbiePoster]

Originally Posted by muffincake

I've never said "Cali" out loud, I don't think, but it is much faster and easier to type, especially in text messages and tweets with character limits. I have said San Fran though. The rhyming is fun.

Also, at four syllables, both the names San Francisco and California are pretty long. Abbreviating long words is a normal thing to do.

I can definitely see that for texting and other internet uses. I use "SF" and "San Fran" myself, when typing. Am tempted to use "Cali" online, but haven't given in to the urge, yet, lol

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by SandyCo

If you want to immediately be known as a newcomer or nonresident, please continue to use "Cali" and "San Fran". The locals never use these terms, and to us they sound "pretentious and douchey".

In all honesty, there's nothing wrong with either one of those nicknames, but for me it's like fingernails on a chalkboard. I realize my response isn't logical; it's more of a visceral reaction.

^^^This^^^

[nightlysparrow]

It's one thing to use the old Postal Service abbreviations verbally for states, like Boston "Mass" or Jackson "Miss," (states with equally long names), but even before 1963 when the 2-letter USPS titles came into use and they were using mostly 4-letter titles, California was "Calif," not "Cali."

https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/po...reviations.pdf

[modernist1]

Calif is cooler that CA.
Re San Fran - it's innocuous (but sounds young), Cali sounds like Stockton or Fresno. 'Frisco', unless you're a biker (I'll cut you a bit of slack), is a burg in Texas.