Like any city, Sacramento has its own local jargon, and if you want to fit in as a local, it helps to know some of the lingo. Here is a glossary of terms you might here on your trip to California's capital.
What’s in a name?
Here are some nicknames for Sacramento
City of Trees Camellia City River City Sactown Sacratomato Big Tomato America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital
The City
Our Bay-side companion, San Francisco
The W-X (Something to avoid at rush hour)
Traffic-report jargon for a stretch of Interstate 80/Highway 50 running between W and X streets. Other rush-hour choke points: Capitol City Freeway, 80 Over the Top, the Causeway, the Marconi Curve, the Split.
The Claw
Not everything that sounds menacing is.
A mechanical device that scoops up leaves from city streets during the November to January “leaf season.”
Old Sac
Short for Old Sacramento, the historic district on the Sacramento River, adjacent to downtown.
Placer
Pronounced “plasser,” not “place-er.” A method of mining alluvial deposits in streambeds, traditionally with a gold pan. Nearby Placer County, the town of Placerville and many businesses are named for it.
The Sierra
Short for Sierra Nevada, the mountain range in our backyard. Locals know never to say “Sierras,” as “sierra” is the Spanish word for a chain of mountains and doesn’t need an “s.”
The Delta
Shorthand for the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a vast inland estuary laced with more than 1,000 miles of streams and sloughs.
Up The Hill
The way to Lake Tahoe. (“I’m going up the hill next weekend.")
