Some Informal Neighborhood and Street Names in Manhattan: From Alphabet City to The Dead End

Abstract

AbstractAn annotated glossary of thirty-five informal, often slang-like historical placenames of socially symbolic neighborhoods and streets in Manhattan is given. The list is limited to the more enduring names of probable New York origin and to similar names that took on highly specialized meanings in Manhattan. The glossary is preceded by a short essay which discusses the social uses and gratifications of informal placenames in city life.