e27002 wrote:
On 15 June, 08:29, Roland Perry wrote:
In message
, at
15:52:46 on Fri, 14 Jun 2013, e27002
remarked:

Spend some time in London; you will become accustomed to the
vernacular.

For locals it always used to be "going up to town" for the West End etc.

Correct Roland.

This is getting really silly. For example, what do you suggest Boris should
have said when he was quoted as aiming to make "London the 'greatest city
on earth'".

Or look at this book's title:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Johnsons-Lif.../dp/0007418930

How would you re-write this blurb for his book: "London is special. For
centuries, it has been amongst the greatest cities of the world. But a city
is nothing without its people. This sparkling new history of London, told
through a relay-race of great Londoners shows in one, personality-packed
book that the ingenuity, diversity, creativity and enterprise of London are
second to none."

Surely you wouldn't pedantically complain that the City of London is only a
small place with few residents, and therefore London isn't one of the
world's great cities?