Anonymous wrote:Are there any small towns "right" outside of DC? There are plenty within commuting distance. Aldie, Purcellville, Leesburg (is that still small?), Fredicksburg, Spotsylvania, etc. I'm sure MD too, but i'm less familiar.

Why wouldn't you just say "I'm from Clifton, it's a suburb of DC" or similar?

Clifton is an incorporated town in its own right, which is sort of rare in NoVa. I could see someone making a distinction if they were indeed from Clifton.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where do you assume this person is from? What is the first town that comes to mind?

Winchester, VA, Poolesville, MD, Boyds, MD, Olney, MD, Darnestown, MD

All of these make sense to me, as does Clifton, Purcellville etc.

Scaggsville. Because that's where I'm from.

Depends on who I'm talking to.

I live in a small town about 1.5 hours from DC metro. If I'm in Virginia, I say the name of the town. If I'm in a different part of the US, I say I'm from Virginia. If asked what part, I say the central part.

If I'm traveling internationally, we say we're from the US. If pressed further, we say a small town outside of Washington DC (because that's a recognizable city to the global audience).

Manassas

AU Park.

Anonymous wrote:Where do you assume this person is from? What is the first town that comes to mind?

Winchester, VA, Poolesville, MD, Boyds, MD, Olney, MD, Darnestown, MD

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any small towns "right" outside of DC? There are plenty within commuting distance. Aldie, Purcellville, Leesburg (is that still small?), Fredicksburg, Spotsylvania, etc. I'm sure MD too, but i'm less familiar.

Why wouldn't you just say "I'm from Clifton, it's a suburb of DC" or similar?

Too many words.

Too many words for what? Do you speak in mini sound bytes?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leesburg? Frederick? I don't consider any of the close-in cities like Arlington or Takoma Park small towns, and I don't know anyone who would.

Arlington isn't a city. It's a county.

Alexandria is a city.

Neither are "towns."

I think you're being a bit pedantic here. Someone is having a conversation, not a geography quiz.

Mount Rainier

Probably more likely VA than MD, people in exurban maryland feel prouder to rep their state than a person from exurban VA like Leesburg does with being a Virginian

It depends where they are when they say to whom they are speaking.

If you’re in Europe talking to someone with no idea of the local geography, places like Dale City or leesburg can be described as “right outside” DC. If you’re in VA or MD, you have to be ina jurisdiction touching or almost to hang DC. Same with “small” - it’s all relative.

Anonymous wrote:Are there any small towns "right" outside of DC? There are plenty within commuting distance. Aldie, Purcellville, Leesburg (is that still small?), Fredicksburg, Spotsylvania, etc. I'm sure MD too, but i'm less familiar.

Why wouldn't you just say "I'm from Clifton, it's a suburb of DC" or similar?

Too many words.

Anonymous wrote:Leesburg? Frederick? I don't consider any of the close-in cities like Arlington or Takoma Park small towns, and I don't know anyone who would.

Arlington isn't a city. It's a county.

Alexandria is a city.

Neither are "towns."

Are there any small towns "right" outside of DC? There are plenty within commuting distance. Aldie, Purcellville, Leesburg (is that still small?), Fredicksburg, Spotsylvania, etc. I'm sure MD too, but i'm less familiar.

Why wouldn't you just say "I'm from Clifton, it's a suburb of DC" or similar?