Regional Differences

[Michelle67]

oh yeah what is up with calling sneakers - tennis shoes.

I dunno, but we do it. Although we pronounce it "tennie shoes", and usually just shorten that to "tennies". And almost nobody means actual tennis shoes...they are almost always cross-trainers, runners, or hikers.

Why sneakers, anyhow? Who ya sneakin up on over there?

Fortunately my kids are "bi-lingual." They know what to do whether I say "go grab your tennies" or my husband says "get your sneakers." LOL

 

[KristaTX]

oh yeah what is up with calling sneakers - tennis shoes.

I dunno, but we do it. Although we pronounce it "tennie shoes", and usually just shorten that to "tennies". And almost nobody means actual tennis shoes...they are almost always cross-trainers, runners, or hikers.

Why sneakers, anyhow? Who ya sneakin up on over there?

We do, too, only it comes out more like "tenna shoes", and we don't typically shorten it to tennies/tennas. I rarely if ever hear anyone here call them "sneakers".

I don't know why this was etched in my memory, but I remember when I was in first grade and heard my best friend's sister (who had spent her younger years in Boston) call them "sneakers". But since I'd never heard the term, it sounded to me like she was saying "Snickers" (which I was obviously familiar with!). I could not figure out what a candy bar had to do with anything .

Really I don't like any of those terms for that type of shoe. "Sneakers" sounds like something only a child or a really old person would say. And tennis shoes isn't what they usually are. There's just not a good term I can think of besides "athletic shoes", which is just too long .

 

[Becky2005]

We do, too, only it comes out more like "tenna shoes", and we don't typically shorten it to tennies/tennas. I rarely if ever hear anyone here call them "sneakers".

Yep...it's basically "tenna shoes" (or gym shoes has been known to work). Although if we say go get your shoes 9 times out of 10 we are meaning their tenna shoes. It's almost like it's a blended word instead of two "tennashoes"

You should have seen the first time I actually had to write it out. I had NO IDEA how to spell "tenna shoes" and that is when I found out it was really "tennis shoes" which then baffled me completely. I still find it odd.

 

[KristaTX]

I read this whole thread yesterday, and I'm sure it was mentioned and I just overlooked it. It's come up many times. Surely Handbag Lady brought it up here. . .

Anyway, I never knew there was such a difference in what people in various parts of the country call their purse/handbag/pocketbook/bag. It's always been "purse" to me. But I've learned that to some people, "purse" sounds old-timey or just means a coin purse. And before I had DIS friends in Massachusetts, I always thought people were talking about their checkbook when they talked about their pocketbook. That seems to be mostly a Massachusetts/New England thing.

I also never knew that basements were so common. I've learned that from the DIS and from HGTV shows. A basement here is VERY rare because of the soil and ground water. It's a shame since Texas and Oklahoma have a lot of tornadoes.

 

[spacemountainmom]

Totally OT - I grew up in WB. That would be a long commute to Plymouth.

Totally OT DH and I grew up in WB too! Are you a Bear or a Dolphin?

 

[Imzadi]

One thing I've noticed is the concept of the "next town." People say "just go the next town" as if every town was no more than 10 minutes from the next one. There are lots of places in the U.S. where the next town is 30 minutes or an hour away.

This happened when I was doing a seminar in rural Ohio. I had Googled and knew there was a 24 hr Walmart around. So I asked for directions, in case I needed to get something. The gal said, "Oh, it's just down this road on the left."

It turned out to be 20 minutes "down that road." That was a normal, quick drive to them.

That reminds me-I thought everywhere you went around the country most people were Catholic like they are here.
I've always felt kind of weird for not being catholic since the majority of people I know are.
Well, I don't feel weird now, but in school when I wasn't making communion, or confirmation, was happily eating meat on Fridays, didn't give up anything for Lent, etc..
I am Protestant and had no clue that that is more common than Catholicism in other parts.
Almost every single person I knew growing up was Irish, Italian or both. So the Catholic thing makes sense. I was the only non Catholic Italian I knew, until I met my husband.

I grew up in a predominately Jewish community, Crown Heights Brooklyn. I actually thought that if you were white, you had to be Jewish! The first NON jewish white person I found out about was John Kennedy. I asked my Mom why did they say he was Roman Catholic? He's JEWISH, right? (note: I was SIX) It was right then when my Mom told me that Jewish was a religion, not a race.

I grew up around mostly first generation immigrants, Italians, Caribbeans, Russians, Chinese etc. Everyone was FROM someplace.

Interesting, I grew up in an area similar to what JVL1018 described, predominately Irish or Italian Catholics. I thought most of the world was made up of Catholics.

I was surprised when I read someone on the DIS said that Catholics aren't considered Christians. I would say that is a surprise to Catholics. But, I digress and am getting into fuzzy territory.

Anyway, the FIRST Jewish person I had ever met was in high school. It was my English teacher. These were the days way before being politically correct and the word God was still used in school.

She introduced herself on the first day and told us she was telling us she was Jewish, so that we could understand what being Jewish was and what the Holocaust was about, so we wouldn't be come bigots and think what Hitler and prejudiced people said & thought about the Jews being inferior was right.

She showed us that Jewish people were just as "normal" looking as Christians. Not all Jewish people are Hasidic or Orthodox. That we wouldn't know she was Jewish if she hadn't told us.

She explained how she lost family during the Holocaust and how it affected her family. She explained about how her family celebrates Chanukah, so that it wasn't just a tradition we learned in social studies.

Like Rose & Jack in the Titanic, she did a wonderful job of making the Holocaust real and personal, way beyond some history lesson we learned about some other people and time, like learning about the Trojan War.

 

[Imzadi]

I've always wondered something since the movie 9 to 5, and it could be a regional difference. Typical full-time office work hours here (Texas) are 8-5 (8 hours with a 1 hour lunch break). Do people really just typically work 9-5 in New York or other parts of the country? Do you work through lunch?

9 - 5 are banker's hours, but I know very few people who work that schedule. Most people I know are 7:00 - 3:30 or something like that.

I've always thought it was odd when I go East and everything is on tv so early, yet they seem to have dinner hour, etc. so late.

I wonder if those of you with really early business hours have lots of dealings with the East coast for work? We get into work at 9am and have to wait 3 hours before we can even call the West coast. The earlier you guys start your business, the better for us on the East coast.

Must be nice to be home by 5:00. My Dh leaves at 6:15 a.m. and doesn't get home til 6:30-7:00 p.m. most nights. We will not eat anything out of a microwave or crockpot. I do almost all my meals on top of the stove.


(and I give cash at weddings )

Note to self: Get invited over to snapppyd's for dinner.

Invite snapppyd to my wedding.

 

[cornflake]

Your post made me smile. Two things: first the cab issue. At one place I worked years ago we had an NYC transplant who came in and was disgruntled as all get-out that we couldn't provide her with courier service to get a letter to Seattle the same day. When I explained that we didn't offer that service, she rolled her eyes at me and said "Then just call a cab, and have them do it. It's done. All the time." (unspoken "you stupid girl, you.") Maybe so, in NY...but then again the city I live in doesn't even have any cabs! I could call one from the next city over, but boy is it gonna cost ya!

Then there's the "right on red" thing. My husband is from NY (Long Island, not NYC) and he is constantly sitting at red lights with his right turn signal on while the people behind him burst a blood vessel because he won't GO! I always have to say something to him, and then he'll say "Oh, can I take a right on red here?" and look all around the intersection for a sign. I don't know how many times I've told him that it is legal to turn right on red in the entire state of Washington unless a sign says you can't. Those are usually located at five-lane intersections or intersections with limited visibility. He's been here 16 years...I'm thinking he's never going to "get it."

And another I just thought of: school zones. A friend of mine freaked out on me once in OKC because I drove through a school zone without slowing down to 20 mph. At like 10 at night. Apparently---at least at the time---their school zone speed limits are in effect 24/7/365. Around here they are not. They are either marked with specific times, say "while children are present" (which is generally translated to during school hours), or often these days have a sign that says "when flashing" and are equipped with lights that flash during school hours, or during transitional times when kids are leaving/arriving. A lot of them are also equipped with speed sensors and cameras, so if you blow it you're going to get a nice surprise in the mail.

I dunno from the school zone thing but the right on red ...

I get honked at too - in the U.S., in Canada... it usually takes me a sec all 'why're they honk.. ohhh...'

I'll also glare at cars that try it here. First, you look startled, then you check the license plate, as it's nearly always a Jersoid, then you glare. We're walking here, quit it!

I feel your former snippy coworker too. The lack of cabs is irksome other places - as is the lack of delivery.

Smarties in Canada are like M&Ms – what American’s call Smarties are called “rockets” in Canada

Smarties are not like m&ms! Bite your tongue! Smarties have flavour.

 

[herdtoDisney]

Oh & I might have to grab my pocket book & go to the package store before Sunday since they are closed here in CT on Sundays. I can buy beer only in the grocery store but it is more expensive & also not sold on Sundays or after 9 (or 8 in some stores). And I might have to wear my sneakers to run in there before they close.

.

?!

And the grocery stores have to cover it up with tarps after 9 (or 8) and it MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE STORE BY 9 as the announcement on the loudspeaker says. So don't grab your beer at 8:50 and try to run through the deli line

I think 'package' store is a regional term also. Seems like in other places (from what I've seen in traveling to NC and FL), they are liquor stores or ABC (whatever that is) stores. It is so weird that they are open late and on Sundays in those places. It just seems odd somehow. And those drive-thru package stores like NH has-that is just a bizarre oxymoron

 

[Magpie]

I only notice this because I teach reading...

Around here we pronounce "DRUM" as "JRUM". Try teaching the D-R blend, when D's sound like J's!

Also "TREE" sounds like "CHREE". Which, according to the American textbooks I use, isn't how our southern neighbours pronounce things.

I never realized we had an accent until I started tutoring kids.

 

[tink_lover]

Totally OT DH and I grew up in WB too! Are you a Bear or a Dolphin?

How funny! I'm a Pioneer, but grew up a couple blocks from (what I still call) Mariner.

 

[JVL1018]

I so agree!!!

It was a big deal for 30 seconds when the NY people didn't know what it was. Once it was over, well it was OVER!! That's the beauty of an earthquake. When it's over it's over.

What many call regional differences I find to be socioeconomic differences. For all the "cover your plate" stuff coming out of the NE - it is really more of of NJ thing. The "upper crust" in NY, CN, and even NJ are appalled at the thought of "charging" for a wedding.

Umm, this middle class NJ girl does not think about covering a plate as a wedding guest, nor does anyone I know. I've actually never heard of that until here on the Dis.
Not that people don't give generously, but it is not tied to how much they paid p/p for their wedding. I wouldn't even know how much people pay per plate for their reception.
My standard wedding gift is $300 now and that is if they spend $100 or $500 per person.

 

[drag n' fly]

We call it pop you call it soda.
We call it the bill you call it the cheque.
Last but not least...Jersey girls don't pump gas

 

[spacemountainmom]

How funny! I'm a Pioneer, but grew up a couple blocks from (what I still call) Mariner.

I think I am supposed to hate you then...........

 

[KristaTX]

I only notice this because I teach reading...

Around here we pronounce "DRUM" as "JRUM". Try teaching the D-R blend, when D's sound like J's!

Also "TREE" sounds like "CHREE". Which, according to the American textbooks I use, isn't how our southern neighbours pronounce things.

I never realized we had an accent until I started tutoring kids.

I don't know where you are besides Canada. Do you mean people in your area of Canada do those pronunciations, or most Canadians? I've never noticed Canadians doing that, but if that's what you mean I will notice now! I've mostly only noticed that a lot of vowels in words are pronounced differently in the Canada than in most of the U.S., but I've never noticed the consonants.

 

[Imzadi]

Cornflake, just curious. Is that the lot outside the Holland Tunnel on West Broadway?

Me, too. I was surprised you figured out what to Google to look for that.

Yes, it was expensive, but my dh was willing to pay any amount of money just to get out of the traffic. My kids still tease him about his NYC road rage! He sounded a lot like the disputing taxi and bus drivers we witnessed!

Welcome to NY! Your DH acclimated well.

Someone once said to me when we were discussing a Kubrick movie that'd been filmed in London trying to pass as NY that we knew the stupid little unidentifiable sidestreet in question wasn't in NY because, though you obviously don't know every single side street in NYC, you kind of do somehow know every single side street in NYC. Know what I mean?

Yes, I know exactly what you mean. Part of it is the light. The sun hits us at a certain latitude that is different in CA or anywhere else. I learned that in art class. Plus, it's the city soot and the grit on walls & on the street. You can't fake that.

 

[disykat]

I only notice this because I teach reading...

Around here we pronounce "DRUM" as "JRUM". Try teaching the D-R blend, when D's sound like J's!

Also "TREE" sounds like "CHREE". Which, according to the American textbooks I use, isn't how our southern neighbours pronounce things.

I never realized we had an accent until I started tutoring kids.

I co-taught an adult ESL class with a gal from the East Coast. She'd say "shtreet" instead of street and they'd all imitate her. It drove me nuts! It did lead to interesting conversations about regional dialects, something that was quite meaningful in itself.

 

[Imzadi]

The regional difference between the midwest and living back east (I've lived in NYC area, upstate NY, MA, RI and DE, as well as doing lots of travel involving vistis to client homes in the southeast) has to do with food and hospitality. Back east, it was the norm when you visited someone to be offered a drink (not a cocktail, just a beverage) and often, food. And certainly, if there was any visiting over a meal time, you would be fed. Never a question.

Out here, "food is for family." Period. There have been numerous occasions when we have been INVITED over during a meal time and they will not only not even offer a glass of tap water, but they will actually pull out food for themselves and eat in front of us.

I learned that I had to send snacks with my dd if she was going over to a friend's house after school because the mother would provide snacks for her own child, but not guests. Same with being invited over for dinner -- it did not actually include FOOD.

One time early on before we know the rules, my dd was invited to a sleep-over beginning after school on Friday and continuing until 4pm on Saturday. When I went to pick her up, the mother complained to me that dd had been grumpy for the last couple of hours. I asked dd what was wrong and she said she was starving and hadn't eaten since lunchtime at school the day before. I was perplexed and made a comment about her not being picky and refusing to eat what Mrs. X had offered. Mrs. X laughed and said, "Oh, we didn't feed her. Food is for family only."

Before people jump on me, I'm not saying my experience is universal. But has certainly been nearly 100% universal FOR US when we are dealing with people native to this state to the point where when someone offers me food/bev, I ask where they are from and they are NEVER from here.

Are you living in some famine scourged area???
It sounds like Road Warrior, where people were fighting for all the gas that's left on the planet and keeping it for themselves.

Why in the world would someone not offer food to a child when they KNOW they haven't eaten? The mother should have at least called you to let you know your daughter hasn't eaten and they weren't feeding her. That was downright rude.

Yeah, what was your daughter supposed to do? Bring her own food?? I've heard of BYOB, but not BYOD (bring your own dinner, lol).

 

[tink_lover]

I think I am supposed to hate you then...........

Where is that tag fairy when I need her?

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Me, too. I was surprised you figured out what to Google to look for that.

Too many years of taking the bus to work.