Quotations about Towns and Cities
Using Quotations in a Speech or Text about Towns and Cities
As well as keeping your audience engaged, adding quotations to a speech or a text can significantly enhance its impact and effectiveness. Quotations are useful for explaining complex ideas concisely, much in the same way that analogies are used. Additionally, quotations from experts or celebrities can add credibility to your message.Here are some funny and poignant quotations about towns and cities. If your speech is serious, do not automatically avoid funny quotations as they can often be the most impactful, forcing your audience into the thinking about the hidden analogous message in your selected quotation.
- "Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious." (British actor Peter Ustinov)
- "When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth." (Irish dramatist George Bernard Shaw)
"Last week, I went to Philadelphia, but it was closed." W. C. Fields (American humorist, 1880-1946)
"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." Samuel Johnson (English lexicographer, 1709-84)
"God made the harbour, and that's all right, but *Satan*we all*the angels* made Sydney." Anon
"Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough! It isn't fit for humans now." John Betjeman (English poet, 1906-84)
"Venice is like eating an entire *box of chocolate liqueurs*pizza*scabby horse* in one go." Truman Capote (American writer, 1924-84)
"A big hard-boiled city with no more personality than a paper cup." Raymond Chandler (American writer, 1888-1959) of Los Angeles
"People don't talk in Paris; they just look lovely...and eat." Chips Channon (American-born British Conservative politician, 1897-1958)
In Los Angeles, everyone is a *star.*thief.*lunatic.* Denzel Washington (American actor, 1954-)
"New York is an exciting town where something is happening all the time, most unsolved." Johnny Carson (American broadcaster and comedian, 1925-2005)
San Francisco is 49 square miles surrounded by *reality.*desert.*shark-infested custard.* Paul Kantner (American rock musician, 1941-2016)
"Chicago is an October sort of city even in spring." Nelson Algren (American novelist, 1909-81)
"I'm leaving because the weather is too good. I hate London when it's not raining." Groucho Marx (American film comedian, 1890-1977)
Paris is always a good *idea.*stop-off point.*laugh.* Audrey Hepburn (British actress, 1929-1993)
"Las Vegas is the only place I know where money really talks. It says, 'Goodbye.'" Frank Sinatra (American singer and actor, 1915-98)
"The thing about Mumbai is you go five yards and all of human existence is revealed. It's an incredible cavalcade of life, and I love that." Julian Sands (English actor, 1958-)
"They say it's the 'City of Angels' but it wouldn't be Los Angeles without demons." J. Irvin Dally (occupation unknown, DOB unknown)
"In Boston, they ask, how much does he know? In New York, how much is he worth? In Philadelphia, who were his parents?" Mark Twain (American writer, 1835-1910)
"Seattle is for people who love *culture*money*religion* but refuse to sacrifice their wild nature to attain it." Kimberly Kinrade (American author, DOB unknown)
"Melbourne is the kind of town that really makes you consider the question 'Is there life after death?'" Bette Midler (American actress, 1945-)
"A city like London is sociable on a certain level, but there's definitely *an anonymity*a monster*violence* here." Sienna Miller (American-born British actress, 1981-)
Toronto is New York, as run by the *Swiss.*French.*British.* Peter Ustinov (British actor, 1921-2004)
"Berlin combines the culture of New York, the traffic system of Tokyo, the nature of Seattle, and the historical treasures of, well, Berlin." Hiroshi Motomura (Professor of Law, 1953-)
"In Atlanta, I'm a record maker. In L.A., I'm a TV producer. In New York, I'm a filmmaker. But in D.C., I'm a crackhead." Chris Rock (American comedian, 1965-)
"I passed through Glasgow on my way here and couldn't help noticing how different it was from Venice." Raymond Asquith (English lawyer, 1878-1916)
"One has no great hopes from Birmingham. I always say there is something direful in the sound." Jane Austen (English novelist, 1775-1817)
"In Manhattan, every flat surface is a potential stage and every inattentive waiter an unemployed, possibly unemployable, actor." Quentin Crisp (English writer, 1908-99)
This is Soho, where anything goes, just make sure it's not your *wallet.*sanity.*self-esteem.* Len Deighton (English writer, 1929-)
"They used to say that Cambridge was the first stopping place for the wind that swept down from the Urals: in the thirties that was as true of the politics as the weather." Stephen Fry (English comedian, actor, and writer, 1957-)
"The people of *Berlin*Hamburg*Glasgow* are doing very exciting things with their city at the moment. Basically they had this idea of just knocking it through." Stephen Fry (actor and author, 1957-)
"Liverpool, though not very delightful as a place of residence, is a most convenient and admirable point to get away from." Nathaniel Hawthorne (American novelist, 1804-64)
"New York, New York, so good they named it twice." Gerard Kenny (American singer-songwriter, 1947-)
"According to legend, *Telford*London*Milton Keynes* is so dull that the bypass was built before the town." Victor Lewis-Smith (British television producer, 1957-2022
"A car is useless in New York, essential everywhere else. The same with good manners." Mignon McLaughlin (American writer, 1913-83)
"Oh, to be back in Hollywood, wishing I was back in New York." Herman J. Mankiewicz (American screenwriter, 1897-1953) from a New York bar
The difference between Los Angeles and a yogurt is that yogurt *has real culture.*can be plain.*has no cheese.* Tom Taussik (occupation unknown, DOB unknown)
"Brighton looks like a town that is constantly helping the police with their enquiries." Keith Waterhouse (English writer, 1929-2009)
Thinking Template for a Speech or Text on Towns and Cities
Below are 3 funny themes and 3 serious themes related to towns and cities. These have been included to help you identify areas to explore.Funny Themes:
- Urban Oddities: The Funniest Town Traditions and Local Customs
- Share amusing anecdotes or stories about quirky local traditions, unusual festivals, or funny customs unique to specific towns or cities.
- City Slicker Slip-ups: Hilarious Urban Navigation Fails
- Explore humorous navigation mishaps in cities, discussing funny experiences with public transport, confusing street layouts, or amusing encounters with locals.
- Small Town Gossip Train: The Most Entertainingly Ridiculous Rumors
- Discuss comical rumors or gossip that circulate in small towns, highlighting the humorous side of close-knit community dynamics.
Serious Themes:
- Urban Development: Challenges, Innovations, and Sustainability
- Explore challenges faced by modern cities, including urban planning, sustainable development, and innovative solutions to housing, transportation, and environmental issues.
- Cultural Diversity in Cities: Integration, Identity, and Community Building
- Discuss the role of cultural diversity in shaping the social and cultural landscape of cities, exploring issues of integration, identity, and community engagement.
- Historical Evolution of Towns: Preservation, Change, and Modern Use
- Address the historical evolution of towns and cities, discussing the balance between preserving historical heritage and adapting for modern needs.
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