Regional Phrases, funny expressions and Idioms

[tvguy]

People in Southern California put the word "the" in front of freeway numbers. "The 5", "the 405" etc. People in Northern California would say "Interstate 5", "interstate 405"....."Highway 50"

 

[WDWEPCOT]

My father born and raised down east Maine had all the sayings of the boat captain Quint in Jaws - most I can’t print here - that man had tons of them - what he didn’t have my mother who also was born and raised in Maine had - my next door mother was from Tennessee so I got all the Southern sayings from her - my kids got all of it from me a mix of eastern southern and Midwest ! My kids keep saying they are going to write a book on all these sayings ! I’m always throwing one at them for something
One of my most favorite
If everybody was jumping buck *** naked off the roof does that mean you need to be doing it?
His elevator doesn’t stop at every floor
He’s one Crayola short of a full box
His tools are not in the shed
He couldn’t find his way with a map
He doesn’t have enough sense to come in out of the rain
My most said one - can we just get through this?? For the love of God can we just get through this? Keep it up just try me we’ll see how this goes ! You’ll be grounded for life! I will haunt you in your afterlife!

 

[NotUrsula]

People in Southern California put the word "the" in front of freeway numbers. "The 5", "the 405" etc. People in Northern California would say "Interstate 5", "interstate 405"....."Highway 50"

Yeah, that one is pretty unusual. I can remember as a child watching LA-set cop shows on TV, and wondering why on earth they did that.

A similar thing is done by Chicago folks, only much more complicated. The State of Illinois has an interesting habit of bestowing honorary names on stretches of Interstate Highway; usually the names of prominant politicians. Though they name sections all over the state, it seems to be only in Chicago that the locals take it seriously. In the days before GPS, tuning in to the local traffic report to hear what traffic conditions were when you arrived in Chicagoland was well-nigh useless if you were not local. The traffic reporters all used (and they still use, IME) the honorary names only, so you would hear all about conditions on Veterans, the Edens, the Eisenhower, the Tri-State, the Dan Ryan, etc., but you'd have no clue which highways those actually were, because those names were not on standard maps.

 

[SirDuff]

Yeah, that one is pretty unusual. I can remember as a child watching LA-set cop shows on TV, and wondering why on earth they did that.

Which way is unusual? Using the "the" or not? I tend to use the "the" (i.e. take the I95 when in Florida) but not sure if that is weird or normal in the US. At home, I'd say "take the 401" not "take Highway 401" (as an example).

 

[NotUrsula]

Which way is unusual? Using the "the" or not? I tend to use the "the" (i.e. take the I95 when in Florida) but not sure if that is weird or normal in the US. At home, I'd say "take the 401" not "take Highway 401" (as an example).

Putting "the" in front of an Interstate highway designation is unusual in the US. In most areas of the US main roads are referred to either as "Interstate [number]" or "I-[number]" (Federal Interstate System highways only), or Hwy {number], without any definite article (other state or Federal highways). As I noted, many roads do have honorary or memorial names as well, but those are seldom part of the Interstate Highway System; they are more likely to be State-funded highways.

In your example, very few people who live anywhere near it would ever say "the I95". It would be normal to simply say I95.

The only common exceptions that I know of are the designated National Scenic Byways, such as The Blue Ridge Parkway, or The Great River Road. Pretty much everyone throws in "The" when referring to those.

 

[snowwite]

My father born and raised down east Maine had all the sayings of the boat captain Quint in Jaws - most I can’t print here - that man had tons of them - what he didn’t have my mother who also was born and raised in Maine had - my next door mother was from Tennessee so I got all the Southern sayings from her - my kids got all of it from me a mix of eastern southern and Midwest ! My kids keep saying they are going to write a book on all these sayings ! I’m always throwing one at them for something
One of my most favorite
If everybody was jumping buck *** naked off the roof does that mean you need to be doing it?
His elevator doesn’t stop at every floor
He’s one Crayola short of a full box
His tools are not in the shed
He couldn’t find his way with a map
He doesn’t have enough sense to come in out of the rain
My most said one - can we just get through this?? For the love of God can we just get through this? Keep it up just try me we’ll see how this goes ! You’ll be grounded for life! I will haunt you in your afterlife!

My dad definitely said some of those as well!
He is a few bricks shy of a load
Do you need me to give you something to cry about?

 

[WDWEPCOT]

OMG if I had a dollar for every time I heard that I’ll give you something to cry about I could retire a very rich person

 

[SirDuff]

Putting "the" in front of an Interstate highway designation is unusual in the US. In most areas of the US main roads are referred to either as "Interstate [number]" or "I-[number]" (Federal Interstate System highways only), or Hwy {number], without any definite article (other state or Federal highways). As I noted, many roads do have honorary or memorial names as well, but those are seldom part of the Interstate Highway System; they are more likely to be State-funded highways.

In your example, very few people who live anywhere near it would ever say "the I95". It would be normal to simply say I95.

The only common exceptions that I know of are the designated National Scenic Byways, such as The Blue Ridge Parkway, or The Great River Road. Pretty much everyone throws in "The" when referring to those.

Yup, got the bit about honourary names, just wasn't totally sure which version of "I495" versus "the 495" you found more common.

 

[RedAngie]

People in Southern California put the word "the" in front of freeway numbers. "The 5", "the 405" etc. People in Northern California would say "Interstate 5", "interstate 405"....."Highway 50"

When I lived in LA I fell into that habit.

Take the 405 to the 101 to the 134 to the San Fernando exit. “The” was used not only for Interstate designated freeways, but for US and state highways too.

In the western Philadelphia suburbs, a highway is commonly called “The Blue Route.” This is Interstate 476. I think the official name is The Mid-County Expressway. When the highway was in the early planning stages, there were three variations designated by colors. The blue route won and the name stuck.

 

[snowwite]

OMG if I had a dollar for every time I heard that I’ll give you something to cry about I could retire a very rich person

Right?

 

[Moliphino]

Putting "the" in front of an Interstate highway designation is unusual in the US. In most areas of the US main roads are referred to either as "Interstate [number]" or "I-[number]" (Federal Interstate System highways only), or Hwy {number], without any definite article (other state or Federal highways). As I noted, many roads do have honorary or memorial names as well, but those are seldom part of the Interstate Highway System; they are more likely to be State-funded highways.

In your example, very few people who live anywhere near it would ever say "the I95". It would be normal to simply say I95.

The only common exceptions that I know of are the designated National Scenic Byways, such as The Blue Ridge Parkway, or The Great River Road. Pretty much everyone throws in "The" when referring to those.

I might leave off the I entirely. Take 91 to 84 to 81 to 77 to 95 to 4 (that's the route we'd take to Disney).

 

[RedAngie]

I might leave off the I entirely. Take 91 to 84 to 81 to 77 to 95 to 4 (that's the route we'd take to Disney).

Does 77 join 95 somewhere? I thought it ends in Columbia, SC. Then take 26 to 95.

 

[TCRAIG]

Does 77 join 95 somewhere? I thought it ends in Columbia, SC. Then take 26 to 95.

Yup - 77 to 26 to 95 to 4…

 

[RedAngie]

Yup - 77 to 26 to 95 to 4…

OK. My latest road atlas is from 2020. I thought perhaps I was unaware that SC extended 77 south to meet 95 near the Georgia border.

 

[Moliphino]

Does 77 join 95 somewhere? I thought it ends in Columbia, SC. Then take 26 to 95.

Yes, I missed 26. It's been a while! Last time we drove we just took 95 most of the way since it was covid times and we figured traffic wouldn't be as terrible.

 

[mjkacmom]

Putting "the" in front of an Interstate highway designation is unusual in the US. In most areas of the US main roads are referred to either as "Interstate [number]" or "I-[number]" (Federal Interstate System highways only), or Hwy {number], without any definite article (other state or Federal highways). As I noted, many roads do have honorary or memorial names as well, but those are seldom part of the Interstate Highway System; they are more likely to be State-funded highways.

In your example, very few people who live anywhere near it would ever say "the I95". It would be normal to simply say I95.

The only common exceptions that I know of are the designated National Scenic Byways, such as The Blue Ridge Parkway, or The Great River Road. Pretty much everyone throws in "The" when referring to those.

Here we do say the parkway (garden state parkway) and the turnpike (I95), plus other highways that have names vs, numbers, but those with numbers are just 80, 280, 78, 46, 17, 3….

 

[firefly_ris]

People in Southern California put the word "the" in front of freeway numbers. "The 5", "the 405" etc. People in Northern California would say "Interstate 5", "interstate 405"....."Highway 50"

They do this in Western New York as well. The 90. The 400. The 219. We did not call it The 95 in Maryland.

 

[ChrisFL]

apparently "shut the front door" is a regional thing? I first heard it several years ago and was like "Huh??". So it's a way for someone to not say "shut the" something else? still sounds weird to me

 

[NotUrsula]

When I lived in LA I fell into that habit.

Take the 405 to the 101 to the 134 to the San Fernando exit. “The” was used not only for Interstate designated freeways, but for US and state highways too.

In the western Philadelphia suburbs, a highway is commonly called “The Blue Route.” This is Interstate 476. I think the official name is The Mid-County Expressway. When the highway was in the early planning stages, there were three variations designated by colors. The blue route won and the name stuck.

Your post reminds me of something else about Californians and Interstate highways; they call them Freeways.

There are probably some other places in the US where this term is used, but I've never lived in one, and I can't think of any off the top of my hat. (I've lived in lots of places where "toll" is a very dirty word, though.)

 

[NotUrsula]

apparently "shut the front door" is a regional thing? I first heard it several years ago and was like "Huh??". So it's a way for someone to not say "shut the" something else? still sounds weird to me

I'm very confused by it. I don't hear it often, and I've never personally heard it used as an alternative to "shut up" meaning "stop talking". The only way that I've heard it used myself is as a response to someone imparting a bit of news that is very surprising, like a really juicy piece of gossip.