материк?

[upthera44.livejournal.com]

Is there a slang word материк that means something like 'the big city' or to the capital?

In a recent film, Комбинат надежда, which takes place in the industrial town Norilsk, they keep saying something like "На материку улетаешь?" which I assume means, "Are you leaving for the big city?" What is this word? Is it slang? In 12 years of speaking Russian I haven't heard it...

Comments

[zoa-mel-gustar.livejournal.com]

As far as I understand, Norilsk in that phrase is assocated with island, surrounded with empty, uncivilised lands instead of the sea.
But I guess it's better to wait for response from someone leaving in that area to be sure.

[orrine.livejournal.com]

Yep, материк is used in those kinds of places to refer to populated part of the country that is far away.

[aksioma-tg.livejournal.com]

Yep, you're right