Favorite Regional Words or Phrases

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm from NJ, my husband is from northern NJ/NY, and I have never heard anyone say "put up water" to mean boiling a pot of water.

In south Jersey, though, we do say we are "going down the shore" to mean we are going to the beach. And when you're there, you're not at the beach, you're down the shore!

In Baltimore, we would say we're going "downy ocean" (down to the ocean) with a really strong "O."

[Anonymous]

In South Philly, every Italian I know calls tomato sauce gravy....when it's NOT gravy.

And they call the team the iggles, which drives me bonkers.

[Anonymous]

Holy crap, I want a creemee now!

[Anonymous]

I'm from TN never have heard choose out. It must be a Canadian thing??

We also call every soda a coke. Then the response is what kind?

[Anonymous]

My Grandmother used to ALWAYS say "warsh". "Go warsh your face sweetie" I always found it odd....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm from South Carolina, and yes, we cut the light on (and off). And put things up. And we call it "meat and three" -- not "meat, tea, and three." I've never heard that but I guess it's possible that other southern places refer to it differently.

My husband had never heard the expression "make over" to mean "make a big deal out of" or "praise." Like, if I report back to my parents that I got a compliment on something at work, it will be reported to the rest of the family that they really "made over" me. Or if you give someone a present and they really like it, they'll really make over it.

My husband also never heard the term "draw up" before, as in "to shrink." If you put 100% cotton shirts in the dryer, they'll draw up.

I'm the one with the SC husband and things always get "drawn up" when he does the laundry.... He also has the habit of saying "Have you talked to Sarah an' them?" meaning Sarah and my other friends. Never seen anybody else saying that but my husband and his family from SC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm from New England and I've never heard anyone use bubbler for water fountain? I've also never heard creeme or frappe.

I'm from CT and my MA friends totally said this - but pronounced it "bubbla". And what about a "whiffle," which is a crew cut? Or a "cabinet" whihc is another word for milkshake??

Also, people from the midwest say "pop" for soda and "hamburg" for burger.

I knew someone from Pittsburgh who said "yins" to mean you guys as in "What would yins like for dinner tonight?"

[Anonymous]

I'm from Brazil and even there we use coke to talk about any kind of soda.
"What kind of coke do you want?"
"I'll have a sprite."

[Anonymous]

My dad is from NY and he pronounces miror "mur-uh".

And what's with people from Ohio and midwesterners pronouncing measure and pleasure as MAY-jhur and PLAY-jhur. It makes pleasure sound so dirty! Ha! I think that's how the Brittish pronounce it too.

[Anonymous]

Good grief - when I posted this topic I thought it would be light hearted fun. I was not suggesting that everyone in NY, from Buffalo to Montauk; NJ, from Hoboken to Cape May; or New England, from Bangor to Stamford use the same word or phrases.

Why are people arguing with each other over this topic?

I'm going to head to my closet, choose our some clothes, get a ham and cheese grinder, with a schmear of mustard and mayo, and a frappe or a tonic from the deli and head downy ocean. I'll cut off the light on my way out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dad is from NY and he pronounces miror "mur-uh".

And what's with people from Ohio and midwesterners pronouncing measure and pleasure as MAY-jhur and PLAY-jhur. It makes pleasure sound so dirty! Ha! I think that's how the Brittish pronounce it too.

My FIL is from the hills of PA and says MAY-jur and PLAY-jur. The sound of it just makes my skin crawl. It's truly one of my least favorite pronounciations!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm from TN ....

Hush up, me too! Bless your heart. I'm just tickled to hear that. Go Vols. East, west, or middle?

[Anonymous]

How about "mash the button" - a southern expression. As in, mash the button to cut the light...

[Anonymous]

Geez, I thought this thread was pretty light hearted and friendly. The only controversy was over the frappe, but it looks like that's turning out to be a generational thing or just specific areas in New England.

Keep on posting! I'm loving these!

[Anonymous]

I have a Southern mother. A HUGE put down is "you must be so proud."