I was going to add this one! I vividly remember visiting California in college and asking the hotel concierge for the closest MAC. He looked at us like we had three heads.
I also grew up not knowing that "pocketbook" or "crick" (aka "creek") were weird things to say. It only took one intense round of ridicule to cure me of "crick".
Also, this thread made me crave scrapple.
I am from north central PA and it was always a MAC machine for money.
And I still call the local creek I grew up by the Loyalsock "crick" because it just IS. All other creeks are referred to as creeks though. I can't help it!
I'm from Maryland and live in MI. There are some definite differences!
Maryland: Tennis shoes, Soda, Lollipop, and apparently I pronounce "home" and similar words really funny.
Michigan: Sneakers, Pop, Suckers respectively. Pop and suckers still sound really odd and stupid to me, but I'm in the minority. They also love to pluralize things up here! Like, "I work for Fords" or "I'm going to Meijers".
I'm from Maryland and live in MI. There are some definite differences!
Maryland: Tennis shoes, Soda, Lollipop, and apparently I pronounce "home" and similar words really funny.
Michigan: Sneakers, Pop, Suckers respectively. Pop and suckers still sound really odd and stupid to me, but I'm in the minority. They also love to pluralize things up here! Like, "I work for Fords" or "I'm going to Meijers".
Where I live isn't far from the Mason Dixon line. I grew up hearing people tell me that MDers say wash and water with an r in there, such as "warsh" and "warter." Do you add the r? Is that just a tale, or do parts of MD say it that way?
Also, what is water ice or Italian ice? Is this referring to a snow cone or shaved ice?
Water/Italian ice is neither a snow cone nor shaved ice. If you buy it in pre-filled cups at the grocery store, it is hard and comes with these wooden paddle things to scrape it so you can eat it. If you get it from a truck (like an ice cream truck) or stand (like Rita's), it is softer and scoopable and you can eat it with a spoon.
Have you ever had a frozen lemonade cup? It is kinda like that.
I say soda, sprinkles, sneakers, water fountain, Italian ice, subs, parkway.
I refer to numbered roads as "route x" or just the number, depending on the road. Like, 95, 287, 80 don't need route in front of it, but route 18, route 1, route 9 do. I don't know if that's regional or my own thing, though.
I'm from near where Cosmos lives.
Re: purse -- I say purse, handbag, or bag. Never pocketbook, though my mom and mother-in-law pocketbook. I always figured it was generational?
Re: your second paragraph -- all of those except parkway (I would use "highway" unless specifically talking about the Garden State Parkway).
And re numbers, I would never ever use route with big highways like 80, 95, 287, or 78, but with ones like 31, 202, 206, and 24 I also tend to not use route but may or may not depending on mood/context.
My husband is from Long Island and he says hero instead of sub, wagon instead of shopping cart, parkway instead of highway, and I know there are a few others that I can't think of anymore. He also gets really livid when someone calls a pizza anything other than a pie, but I think that's stupid. I'll usually call a whole pizza a pie if it's NY style, but I would feel silly going to a VPN-type place and calling what they make a pie.
In Milwaukee an ATM is a TYME machine. When I moved to Chicago, people looked at me like I was an idiot when I had to get $
I once asked a hotel employee in LA where I could find a a TYME machine. He looked at me like I had 7 heads. I had no idea it wasn't called that everywhere.
I'm from Maryland and live in MI. There are some definite differences!
Maryland: Tennis shoes, Soda, Lollipop, and apparently I pronounce "home" and similar words really funny.
Michigan: Sneakers, Pop, Suckers respectively. Pop and suckers still sound really odd and stupid to me, but I'm in the minority. They also love to pluralize things up here! Like, "I work for Fords" or "I'm going to Meijers".
Where I live isn't far from the Mason Dixon line. I grew up hearing people tell me that MDers say wash and water with an r in there, such as "warsh" and "warter." Do you add the r? Is that just a tale, or do parts of MD say it that way?
The "R" is a northern Maryland closer to Philly thing (That is very much a Philly-area accent thing, I have family there too). I don't add the R.
I was born & raised in FL & i've never heard the majority of these terms.
I say cart or buggy for shopping cart I don't say hwy or freeway.. It's just I4, 19, 27, or 50
I don't really know of anything that's regional - i've never lived anywhere else & MH was also born and raised in FL along w/ all of our parents. Legit Floridians.
ETA: I also say ya'll & fixin' to "I'm fixin' to go to town."
Native floridian here too! All of this. And by the roads you described, we are probably close to each other
Also, what is water ice or Italian ice? Is this referring to a snow cone or shaved ice?
Water/Italian ice is neither a snow cone nor shaved ice. If you buy it in pre-filled cups at the grocery store, it is hard and comes with these wooden paddle things to scrape it so you can eat it. If you get it from a truck (like an ice cream truck) or stand (like Rita's), it is softer and scoopable and you can eat it with a spoon.
Have you ever had a frozen lemonade cup? It is kinda like that.
Huh. I don't know that I've ever seen anything like this (I looked up a description for Rita's -- which we don't have on the West Coast). And here a frozen lemonade is a slushy drink like a Slurpee, not a solid frozen thing you'd eat with a spoon.
Michigan: They also love to pluralize things up here! Like, "I work for Fords" or "I'm going to Meijers".
My parents and extended family live in MI. I believe the plural usage is really just shortening the entire name. Meijer's Thrifty Acres and Ford's Automotive.
I didn't realize "freeway" is a regional term. I've always lived in Seattle, and "freeway" and "highway" are totally different things. Pacific Highway/99 is a highway, meaning a large arterial that spans a long distance, but still has cross streets, controlled intersections, businesses on the side, etc. A freeway generally has a higher capacity, higher speed limit, and drivers must enter or exit via on/off-ramps.
Is this distinction not made elsewhere? Or is it something like "highway" vs. "interstate"?
As an aside, I totally thought the word "freeway" was "three-way" until I was about six. I'm sure my parents thought it was hilarious.
I am from eastern Washington, and have the same distinction of road uses. Multi-lanes, controlled access is a "freeway" if in a city, but transitions to an "interstate" once outside of an urban area. "Highways" are sometimes 2 or 4 lane roads, sometimes with a divided median, but distinguishablee from a freeway/ interstate because highways could have stoplights and various access points.
Now that I live in MT, "rig" is a word for any motorized vehicle. My aunt told me last weekend that they were always very concerned with having dependable "rigs" because of her commute to work and winter driving conditions.
"the park" means Yellowstone National Park, near where I live. "we're headed down to the park this weekend for some hiking..."
I say soda, sprinkles, sneakers, water fountain, Italian ice, subs, parkway.
I refer to numbered roads as "route x" or just the number, depending on the road. Like, 95, 287, 80 don't need route in front of it, but route 18, route 1, route 9 do. I don't know if that's regional or my own thing, though.
I'm from near where Cosmos lives.
Re: purse -- I say purse, handbag, or bag. Never pocketbook, though my mom and mother-in-law pocketbook. I always figured it was generational?
Re: your second paragraph -- all of those except parkway (I would use "highway" unless specifically talking about the Garden State Parkway).
And re numbers, I would never ever use route with big highways like 80, 95, 287, or 78, but with ones like 31, 202, 206, and 24 I also tend to not use route but may or may not depending on mood/context.
My husband is from Long Island and he says hero instead of sub, wagon instead of shopping cart, parkway instead of highway, and I know there are a few others that I can't think of anymore. He also gets really livid when someone calls a pizza anything other than a pie, but I think that's stupid. I'll usually call a whole pizza a pie if it's NY style, but I would feel silly going to a VPN-type place and calling what they make a pie.
I guess I say pocketbook bc of my mom but you're right, I rarely say pocketbook with my friends, i usually say bag.
Yes I also use highway. I was thinking parkway vs freeway. I never say freeway.
I usually say pizza pie or "a pizza" but lots of my friends just say pie.
Michigan: They also love to pluralize things up here! Like, "I work for Fords" or "I'm going to Meijers".
My parents and extended family live in MI. I believe the plural usage is really just shortening the entire name. Meijer's Thrifty Acres and Ford's Automotive.
Perhaps, but I've never heard Meijer called that. No comment on Ford, especially since it's Ford Motor Company. *shrug*
My parents and extended family live in MI. I believe the plural usage is really just shortening the entire name. Meijer's Thrifty Acres and Ford's Automotive.
Perhaps, but I've never heard Meijer called that. No comment on Ford, especially since it's Ford Motor Company. *shrug*
I know a few people here in KC who do this and it drives me insane. Like instead of saying "I went to Sonic for a burger" they say "I went to Sonic's for a burger" Kills me.
Where I live isn't far from the Mason Dixon line. I grew up hearing people tell me that MDers say wash and water with an r in there, such as "warsh" and "warter." Do you add the r? Is that just a tale, or do parts of MD say it that way?
The "R" is a northern Maryland closer to Philly thing (That is very much a Philly-area accent thing, I have family there too). I don't add the R.
Not a myth, but it's more wudder for water. Also, some people say zink for sink. It drives me crazy. Also dog is frequently said like dug. I thinks he one's I mentioned are more of a Baltimore area thing though.
has anyone said "pritner" yet? as in, i'm 'pretty near' done?
much oblige = thank you.
and "crick"... i grew up in a small town named after the creek that flowed through the middle of town. so i'd make friends from other places and tell them i'm from *Douglas Crick. it wasn't until one of those friends visited me and saw the name printed on a sign that she realized i was referring to a small flowing channel of water.
Yes I also use highway. I was thinking parkway vs freeway. I never say freeway.
Oh yeah, I would never use freeway. My husband would never use freeway OR highway -- it is always parkway to him.
His parents call jeans dungarees. I don't know if that's an old person from Long Island thing or what, but the first time I heard them say something about my dungarees I had no idea what they were talking about.
Yes I also use highway. I was thinking parkway vs freeway. I never say freeway.
Oh yeah, I would never use freeway. My husband would never use freeway OR highway -- it is always parkway to him.
His parents call jeans dungarees. I don't know if that's an old person from Long Island thing or what, but the first time I heard them say something about my dungarees I had no idea what they were talking about.
and "crick"... i grew up in a small town named after the creek that flowed through the middle of town. so i'd make friends from other places and tell them i'm from *Douglas Crick. it wasn't until one of those friends visited me and saw the name printed on a sign that she realized i was referring to a small flowing channel of water.
*not the real town name.
I grew up with this. Mud crick went right by my house.
My grandmother said "davenport" for couch. She was from Washington. But I wonder if this is generational and not regional?
My grandma said that too, but I think it's generational thing where a brand became a common term for a couch, kind of like how Kleenex is used for all kinds of tissues.
Perhaps, but I've never heard Meijer called that. No comment on Ford, especially since it's Ford Motor Company. *shrug*
I know a few people here in KC who do this and it drives me insane. Like instead of saying "I went to Sonic for a burger" they say "I went to Sonic's for a burger" Kills me.
I hate this too. There's a woman who works at the grocery store and always says, "Thanks for shopping at Krogers." It makes my skin crawl.
Sometimes I'll say "the Targets" just to be silly, though.
We should do a separate thread for old people-isms.
I know a few people here in KC who do this and it drives me insane. Like instead of saying "I went to Sonic for a burger" they say "I went to Sonic's for a burger" Kills me.
I hate this too. There's a woman who works at the grocery store and always says, "Thanks for shopping at Krogers." It makes my skin crawl.
Sometimes I'll say "the Targets" just to be silly, though.
We should do a separate thread for old people-isms.
"Nordstrom's" seems to be an ageless one. People certainly use it a lot on GBCN.
But the one that really makes my skin crawl is "Victoria('s) Secrets"