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"EMPIRE" "STATE" BUILDING

3/8/2022

2 Comments

 
When people refer to New York by its nickname, everybody invariably calls it the EMPIRE state, with emphasis on the first word. This is a very normal way to refer to places: we all also say OCEAN state for Rhode Island and PEACH state for Georgia, for instance. However, something really interesting happens when people use the phrase in the name of the famous art deco building on 34th street. If you're from New York, you're much more likely to refer to it as the Empire STATE building, and if you're not, you'll say the EMPIRE state building. This is particularly unusual because, when the word building typically comes after a compound, then the emphasis goes on what would be normally emphasized in the compound (like in New York LIFE insurance building or LEHMAN brothers building). The most plausible explanation for this is that when people from outside the state refer to the building, they think of it in the context of being in the Empire State, while people from New York learn the phrase as a unit and thus say it in a way which enables quicker, easier pronunciation. They don't think about it in relation to the rest of the state; it's just a part of their daily lives. Next time you see your New York friends, ask them about this and see what they think!
2 Comments
Building link
5/26/2022 06:45:03 am

Yes, I agree. Things look different to New York locals than they do to those who have only seen the building in 3D models or from photos. It's just different perspectives on the same building.

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Teresa (MEW) link
5/30/2022 08:33:43 am

Enjoy the final red-carpet experience with the Express Pass, which permits the guests to skip the lines on your way to the Main and Top Decks. Venture up the Empire State Building's mast in a Glass Elevator as you come closer to our newly-remodelled 102nd Floor Observation Deck. Spotlighting 360-degree views through floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the 102nd Floor provides you the opportunity to experience incomparable comprehensive views of New York City and beyond. Reservations are needed. All tickets are non-refundable. Please keep in mind, with this ticket pass all guests will skip the immediate displays leading up to the 86th and 102nd floors.

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    Hello! I'm Adam Aleksic, a senior studying government and linguistics at Harvard University, where I co-founded the Harvard Undergraduate Linguistics Society. In addition to etymology, I also really enjoy trivia, politics, vexillology, geography, board games, conlanging, art history, and law. 
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