Downtown - what does it mean

[poppysdad]

I’m always reading in the news about something happened downtown or people are going downtown, occasionally I read a reference to uptown but I’m not aware these are British expressions and I’m not entirely sure what/where they mean. The only logic I can come up with as it’s meaning a town centre so what/where does the term mean. 

[Woof999]

The terms can be ambiguous.

 

Downtown used by someone that doesn't also use "uptown" or "midtown" would typically mean town centre (I think).

 

Uptown, midtown and downtown might well mean north, central or south, such as in Manhattan.

[DaLa]

You would have to ask Billy Joel what 'up town' is , as it doesn't feature in English terminology (at least where I come from).   Down town is in reference to travelling into the Town or City centre of wherever you live.

[proton]

Pet Clark knew

 

 

[Captain Monday]

Downtown is a general Americanism for city center. In Australia I hear CBD for central business district we might be thinking you are talking about an extract of the cannabis plant. Then in UK you have "High Street" shops. Downtown LA is a specific area in the vast city though there are others with large concentrations of tall buildings and infrastructure.  

 

Downtown Upton Midtown has specific meaning in cities like NY. Very confusing. 

[bkk6060]

Downtown like in LA, usually refers to government, business, financial hubs or headquarters.   But I guess downtown Pattaya is Treetown and Soi Buakhao where drunks and hookers hang out.

[lopburi3]

Downtown - central business district - working class living

Uptown - upscale living areas - the right side of the tracks

Edited February 9, 2023 by lopburi3

[KhunLA]

1 minute ago, lopburi3 said:

Downtown - central business district

Uptown - upscale living areas - the right side of the tracks

That's about, but subjective, as some 'cities' have multiple 'downtowns', and really depends who and why they are going downtown.  Size of the 'city' makes a big difference also.  In which case, most locals will use neighborhoods / district names.

 

"I need to go downtown and take care of some business" ...

... probably the 'business' district(s).

 

'We going downtown to for late lunch or dinner' ... 

... probably not the business district.

 

Could be generic, for those living in suburbia ...

... "I'm going into the city ... heading downtown today"

 

Annoying when folks ask ... "coming to Bangkok (Krung Thep #1), and need recommendation for accommodations 'downtown' " ... can you get any more vague.

[richard_smith237]

In cities with numerous nodes of business, areas entertainment and districts the term 'downtown' is not really appropriate...    i.e. in Bangkok depending on your perspective down town could be Siam, Asoke, Saladeng, Sathorn....   too many different ‘nodes’ which is why no-one says ‘downtown’ in Bangkok because there is no definitive ‘downtown’ centre. 

[Celsius]

Downtown in North America is pretty easy to define. Europe maybe not so much.

 

I always get a laff when a tourist on BTS asks me to go to Downtown Bangkok. 

[lopburi3]

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

That's about, but subjective, as some 'cities' have multiple 'downtowns', and really depends who and why they are going downtown.  Size of the 'city' makes a big difference also.  In which case, most locals will use neighborhoods / district names.

 

"I need to go downtown and take care of some business" ...

... probably the 'business' district(s).

 

'We going downtown to for late lunch or dinner' ... 

... probably not the business district.

 

Could be generic, for those living in suburbia ...

... "I'm going into the city ... heading downtown today"

 

Annoying when folks ask ... "coming to Bangkok (Krung Thep #1), and need recommendation for accommodations 'downtown' " ... can you get any more vague.

The problem is Bangkok - there never was a downtown.  It was various areas separated by jungle until relatively recently.  

[dingdongrb]

Let's not forget Motown...... ☺️

 

 

[yeahbutif]

5 hours ago, DaLa said:

You would have to ask Billy Joel what 'up town' is , as it doesn't feature in English terminology (at least where I come from).   Down town is in reference to travelling into the Town or City centre of wherever you live.

Was that him who said ....uptown top deleted..  something like that 

[Muhendis]

Add to this downtown discussion that we say things like,

Question "Where are you going?"

Answer "Down the road shopping"

Up and Down are often used.

[lopburi3]

19 minutes ago, Muhendis said:

Add to this downtown discussion that we say things like,

Question "Where are you going?"

Answer "Down the road shopping"

Up and Down are often used.

But here in Thailand it is always upcountry when traveling - never heard downcountry.

[Freddy42OZ]

20 hours ago, DaLa said:

You would have to ask Billy Joel what 'up town' is , as it doesn't feature in English terminology (at least where I come from).   Down town is in reference to travelling into the Town or City centre of wherever you live.

In the context of the song 'uptown' means the wealthy part of town where people like my family lived. 

Downtown in the song mean't where the working classes were living.   

He was saying he's a blue collar working class 'downtown boy', whereas she's a rich white girl 'uptown girl'

 

[Freddy42OZ]

18 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

In cities with numerous nodes of business, areas entertainment and districts the term 'downtown' is not really appropriate...    i.e. in Bangkok depending on your perspective down town could be Siam, Asoke, Saladeng, Sathorn....   too many different ‘nodes’ which is why no-one says ‘downtown’ in Bangkok because there is no definitive ‘downtown’ centre. 

If I'm going into town (Phrom Phong or Asoke typically, although even going to Ekkamai or Thonglor) then I'll say I'm going 'into town'.  Where I live in Udom Suk is not 'in town'  

[kingstonkid]

Downtown was developed because people used to travel down towards the waterfront. Toronto Canada downtown is Yonge and south of bloor 

 

Montreal is the old city again near the water.

 

When people moved they moved up to higher ground or area.

 

There really is no downtown in Bangkok hence they use city center but then again that doesn't seem to fit either

Edited February 10, 2023 by kingstonkid

[DJ54]

Motown

[NoshowJones]

Listen to the lyrics and there's your answer.

[mrwebb8825]

This makes it clear as mud: ????

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown      It's basically geographical.

 

Why do most non-americans think NYC was the first city ever built in America? Not even close by more than 150 years.