This paper explains that Riis was a
crusader, while Liebling was a wit, but they both strike the same chord on the single
issue that defines New York-ness. The author relates that Liebling points out that the speech pattern known as "New Yorkese" is essentially the speech of the Irish in Cork in the early 19th century, which was when so many Irish emigrated. The paper reports that both men saw New York as a collection of microcosms of many differ types of groups of people who are very much aware of each other.