Regional Colloquilisms

[hlbtimes2]

I would like to point out that on one from the NW has added anything. We must not say anything weird here.

 

[trip]

Another IL one is "go with" as in "I'm going to the Jewel (grocery store chain), do you want to go with?"

My Grandmother lived in the Chicago area and also used the phrase " going to the Jewel". I also wondered why she used the word "the" before Jewel. You don't say it before Macy's , Penneys, Krogers, Safeway. Just makes you wonder.

My DH and I have been living in Waikiki the past 6 months - he's here on a work assignment. Anyway, here are some Hawaiian phrases I've heard.

Talk story - shoot the breeze
Chicken skin - goose bumps
Slippers - flip-flops, thongs
Also they have Interstate Highways that don't go to any other states.

 

[Fitswimmer]

In NJ, we go "down The Shore" in the summer. Everywhere else, people "go to the beach". There is only one Shore, it runs from Island Beach to Cape May.

NY is "The City" because to us there is only one.

We also use "jeet yet?" and the response is "No, djew?"

We also tend to put "d's" in for "Th" like "dat" for "that" or "dis" for "this"

We also use "S'up" as a general greeting. "Yo!, S'up?"

What is a "hoagie" in Philly is a "sub" to us

"youse" for you guys, or y'all

Wealsotalkreallyfastbecausewe'realwaystryingtogetontheroadquickbecausethereissomuchtrafficeverywhereeventhoughpeopletalkabouthownastyNJisthepopulationjustkeepsgettinghigherandhigherandwealllivecloserandclosertogether...

 

[Strawberry Lemonade]

Some ice cream shoppes have jimmies listed and some have sprinkles

Except the ones that have shots!

 

[sk8ingmom]

We have lots!

Outside - the part of America that is not Alaska. "She just moved here from Outside"

Cheechako - someone from Outside. "Did you see that cheechako wearing sandals in December?"

Sourdough - opposite of a cheechako. It varies, but many people consider you a sourdough after you have lived through an Alaskan winter.

Salmon Run - Time of year when no work is actually accomplished because everyone is out fishing (silver run, pink run, king run - it's like April through Sept.)

Moose Season - Time of year when no work is actually accomplished because everyone is out hunting (Sept - Nov.)

Breakup - The time of year when the snow and ice "breaks up" leaving slush, mud and massive puddles for about a month.

Breakup Boots - tall rubber boots necessary for actually walking anywhere during breakup, including parking lots and your driveway.

Bluetarp (all one word) - those big bright blue tarps from Wal-Mart used to cover just about everything: firewood, 4-wheelers, snow machines, moose carcass in you pick-up, etc.

Ducttape - used to secure said bluetarp - no sourdough would be caught dead without bluetarp and ducttape.

Idita-(insert word here) - We really like the Iditarod, so much do that "Idita" is a pre-fix. We have an "Iditapark" down the street. You can go on an "Iditaride" with a sled dog team.

Los Anchorage - Alaska's biggest city, home to about 1/2 the population.

The Bush - part of Alaska that is off the road system.

Uncle Ted - Senator Ted Stevens, patron saint of senate earmarks.

PDF Day - the day that Permanent Fund Dividends are deposited into checking accounts (about $1,000 for every person), it's like a statewide shopping spree.

 

[arminnie]

South Louisiana
Poboy-sub sandwich
unfortunate-ugly people
fonchok-concieted
texchien-somebody who acts better than everybody and is not from the area
going over-I'm going over Beth's house.
ya'll-you all
sugar-sweetie
There are about a zillion more.

How about "makin' groceries"?
I had someone ask me one time if we were going to "get down". This had nothing to do with partying - it meant are we going to get out of the car. I guess it was from the old days of getting down off the horse.

 

[disneymama73]

My Grandmother lived in the Chicago area and also used the phrase " going to the Jewel". I also wondered why she used the word "the" before Jewel. You don't say it before Macy's , Penneys, Krogers, Safeway. Just makes you wonder.

That is SOOOO true! We always say "I have to go to THE Jewel."

 

[Chicago526]

My Grandmother lived in the Chicago area and also used the phrase " going to the Jewel". I also wondered why she used the word "the" before Jewel. You don't say it before Macy's , Penneys, Krogers, Safeway. Just makes you wonder.

Heck, I'm from the Chicago area and I have no idea where it comes from, either!

 

[Ms Marigny]

Neutral ground= median
Streetcar= trolley

 

[nuke]

I always say "Do you want to come with?" And my husband replies,"Where? to the land of the hanging participle?"

 

[plgrn]

Alabama

"tote" instead of carry. "I'm tired of toting this bag around"

And yes, every soft drink truly is Coke. What kind of Coke do you want? Dr. Pepper? Sprite? Mt. Dew? This drives DH who is from New Jersey absolutely crazy!

 

[plgrn]

On behalf of DH

New Jersey

"Pregnant for" instead of "pregnant with"...."when I was pregnant for Johnny, I got terrible morning sickness."

Who else does this? I always say "pregnant with" when refering to others of course.

He also refers to a pizza as a "pie"...."I was so hungry I ate 5 pieces of pie with sausage topping" To me, pie is something you eat for dessert!

"Avenue" is always shortened to "ave."... "yeah, just make a right down there on 9th ave"

 

[amy4bruce]

I've only lived in Pittsburgh for about 10 years, but I've collected quite a few regionalisms.

For example, we don't say, "to be." "That needs fixed" is common.

Here, it's yinz (for you guys). In fact, someone who talks like that is a "yinzer." (This includes, alas, my daughter, who told us that the driveway was "slippy." I turned to DW and said, "You're raising a yinzer!")

A popular bumper sticker says N@, which translates as "'an 'at" or "and that." A video parlor uses the name "Games 'an 'at." You can figure out what it means, along with "warsh up."

Our late mayor, Bob O'Conner, had a campaign going - "Redd up, Pittsburgh!" which means "clean up."

And so on. But remember, for anything to truly be a "Burgh thing, it must have french fries on it.

 

[Redbudlover]

I just have no idea what y'all are talkin bout.... LOL! I have been in TX 12 years now, but boy the IL regionalisms sure made me nostalgic. I am still teased about the "pop" and "go with" phrases. Here in TX we're all fixin to go over yonder...

 

[Redbudlover]

We have a real good one here in Austin! State highway 1 is called Mopac. It is one of the two major north/south conduits through the city and "no where" will you see a sign saying mopac. It is rather called loop 1. So for anyone who is new to town or passing through or visiting, when they are told to take mopac anywhere they are in major trouble. It is just a nickname - but even the traffic guys use it!

 

[allie&mattsmom]

In southern IL it's soda. I had never heard of pop until I lived in KS for a while! QUOTE]

In Central Illinois it's soda too! I can't really think of any others but I can think a couple of good ones from Tennessee. That's where a lot of my family is. My uncle was just here last week and I was teasing him about this one:

"I carried her over to the grocery store". Meaning he drove her to the grocery store. My comeback was "Didn't she get awful heavy?"

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

In the Cincinnati area, when we didn't hear you or don't understand, we say

"Please?" (rather than "huh," "excuse me," or "pardon"..)

I use that when out of town and people look at me and say Please, what???

 

[2bemarried]

I use the term "around my elbow to get to my thumb" meaning..going out of your way to get somewhere. as in: Traffic was so busy yesterday that I had to go around my elbow to get to my thumb.

 

[Chicago526]

In southern IL it's soda. I had never heard of pop until I lived in KS for a while! QUOTE]

In Central Illinois it's soda too! I can't really think of any others but I can think a couple of good ones from Tennessee. That's where a lot of my family is. My uncle was just here last week and I was teasing him about this one:

Actually, I'm finding "soda" is becoming more common in the Chicago area too, I think "pop" might be losing ground!

 

[Beth76]

I'm pretty sure this is centered in and around the St. Louis area only. We call white trash people "Hoosiers". It has nothing to do with Indiana (at least I don't think so ) and I'm not even sure what a real hoosier is.