Q: "Where are you from?" A: Is your answer usually general or specific?
 

i say Tennessee. Everyone, everywhere, with few exceptions, will respond by saying 'Jack Daniels.' So even if they don't know exactly where I'm from, they have an idea.
i think it would be insulting to say 'america' or the US, as it's typically obvious if your in europe or other similarly mainstream places. Somewhere out of the way I would still say TN, and then be ready to explain further.

I just say Seattle. It's where I am and where I'm from and I haven't met a person yet that doesn't have some sort of an idea where that is. I don't like to say Washington since they'll usually think DC

I say "New York". Invariably they describe The City and how much they love (or at least are in awe of) it... And then I have to explain where Albany is and how it's not at all like The City.

Some people just don't get it.

"But, see, it's much quieter... it's like a small town... sort of..." "I love Times Square!" "Uhm........ yeah. It's nice."

(This was all so much easier when I lived in Chicago...)

It doesn't matter whether I say "Reno" or "Nevada" in many instances - people will generally assume that I am either in or near Las Vegas, despite the fact that Reno is 400 miles away.

Mike

To someone from outside North America, I say "San Francisco"--almost everyone knows where that is or has some idea. To North Americans, I say either "San Jose" or "Silicon Valley". To people from San Jose, I say "Willow Glen" (a neighborhood in San Jose).

I say Los Angeles.

I used to live in Albany and could have written the above answer - my experience was identical. (Now easy: "Los Angeles")

The farther away from home I am, the more general the answer. Elsewhere in the Valley, it's my small home town. Elsewhere in California it becomes Fresno. Elsewhere in the US, it is Central California. Overseas it is either California or San Francisco - almost everyone has some idea where SF is. Although it is equidistant, I NEVER say LA. ;)

JR

Well I'm in Northern Wisconsin, and people in other countries don't know Wisconsin from Wyoming or Canada for that matter (why should they LOL). So if they want to know where in the US I am from, I tell them 4 hours north of Chicago, and it usually helps.

I think some people can not fathom how large the US truly is. I have a friend in Ireland, who I've shown on a MAP where I live, ask if I'm OK after hurricanes struck more than once :confused: Finally I told her "Imagine Wisconsin is Ireland, and Italy is where the hurricanes are", and I think she finally got it.@:-)

If I'm still in North America, I just say "Pittsburgh" - the nearest big city. I'f I'm overseas, it's usually "America, Pittsburgh".

Usually I say "none of your business" and say this or the equivalent in several languages. However, if it's a decent looking lady and there's some potential there, then I'll tell her I am from some place I am not. Usually I won't talk to strange men. Why the hell would some guy want to know where I am from?

M8

Like some other posters, it depends on how far from home I am. If it's at the supermarket, it's "on the north side of Winnecunnet Pond." In the local area, "Norton." In the northeast U.S., "a small town south of Boston." Elsewhere, usually "the Boston area," unless it's in another country and the person is probably not familiar with different accents in English. In that case, it's "the United States."

Sometimes these answers lead to requests for more information. If the person is pleasant enough and I'm in the mood for conversation, fine.

I usually say "kind of near Seattle" since nobody knows where Wenatchee is. I told that to my cab driver in Dallas today and he said "Isn't Seattle up there by Detroit?" Yeah, kind of. I also never say Washington for the same reason, they always think DC.

I say Chicago. Unless they've lived in the area, the name of my suburb is meaningless.