How should I describe where I stayed in England?

Question

When I was younger, I lived in England for 3 months over the summer. Now, frequently when I mention this to English people they ask where I stayed. I say West Smithfield, London. Is that proper? Would most English people know Smithfield or am I not describing the correct region? Based on reactions I've received people seemed to identify it well, but I'm never good at really telling if they think I'm nuts or something... The English are hard to read!

Answer 1

Londoners, and also the English as a whole, think only of the famous old meat market if you mention Smithfield.

To be honest, I've lived in London for 32 years and have never heard of any area called" West Smithfield".

I presume you are referring to an area just to the west of the meat market? That would actually be Clerkenwell (pronunced "Clarkenwell") , and everyone from London would know that.

Answer 2

Well, most of the English only think of the meat market when we talk about Smithfield. You'd probably be more properly understood saying Clerkenwell inside London or Farringdon or Moorgate area outside.

Answer 3

If you were from Sheffield you would be speaking in a Yorkshire accent, which people don't understand anyway.

Some factoids about Sheffield you might want to casually mention in conversation:

* north of London
* south of Scotland
* very industrial, until Margaret Thatcher came about, and then it became very unemployed
* George Orwell said "Sheffield, I suppose, could justly claim to be called the ugliest town in the Old World"
* they have the Sheffield Shield, some cricket trophey
* some university students wanted to boycott 'Eminem'
* where 'The Full Monty' was set.
* it got nuked in the film "Threads"

oh...buggger, you were talking about Smithfield. Nevermind. Just weave these factoids into your story.

Answer 4

Most wouldn't know. West Smithfield is accurate, but you could add that it's just north of St. Paul's, then impress them by saying people used to be executed there.