Favorite Regional Words or Phrases

[Anonymous]

I think it is interesting that some words and phrases are generally only used in certain geographic areas. What are your favorites?

From New England:

Bubbler = drinking water fountain
Grinder = sub sandwich
Jimmies = sprikles
Creeme =milk shake
Frappe = milk shake

From NY/NJ

When ordering a pizza with cheese, you'd order a "cheese pie."
We also "put up water" to boil on the stove, instead of saying "boil a pot of water"
Bar-b-que = eating hot dogs and hamburgers in the backyard, as opposed to being slow cooked meat with sauce.


From the South

"Meat, tea and three" -- ordering a protein, sweetened iced tea and three "vegetables". I put vegetables in quotes because I have often found that mac and cheese and mashed potatoes count as vegetables in these settings.

[Anonymous]

I love "do what?" in the south. It is literally no different from asking "what?" or "huh?" but in the south the southern belles say:

Doooooo.........whhhhhhuuuuuuuut?

or the more redneck version"Do what now?" which sounds more like one word:

Do-wHut-naw?

[Anonymous]

In South Carolina (the upstate, anyway), you "cut that light on". As in, to turn it on. I think you can cut it off, too.

And when you're putting something away, it doesn't matter if you're putting it on a high shelf or on the floor of the basement, you're putting it up. "Junior, take these ice skates and put them up."

[Anonymous]

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!

[Anonymous]

I love do-what-now.

Also like the British over-use of "do", as illustrated in the following:
Can I take the train from Edinburgh to London?
You can do, but it's easier to fly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In South Carolina (the upstate, anyway), you "cut that light on". As in, to turn it on. I think you can cut it off, too.

And when you're putting something away, it doesn't matter if you're putting it on a high shelf or on the floor of the basement, you're putting it up. "Junior, take these ice skates and put them up."

YES! My husband is from SC and he is ALWAYS asking me to "cut the light on."

[Anonymous]

When I spent time in Pittsburgh, beyond the memorable accents (Going downtown in an hour pronounced, "Goin denten in an arr"), they also had this strange habit of saying things "needs ___ed". Like, that phone needs fixed. My dinner needs cooked.

I am from NJ and never heard that water expression either. However, where I grew up, everyone pronounces the word water "wooder". It's horrible (which, in NJ, is pronounced Haaaarible)

[Anonymous]

learning new stuff. I am from the south and have never heard "meat, tea, and three." put makes sense!

[Anonymous]

Another one from NE

tonic = soda As in "Would you like a tonic to go with that grinder?"

I never said that growing up, but my friend's mom did and my DH's relatives who live in S. Boston say it, too.

Also, I did a semester abroad with a woman from Orange County, CA and she referred to ALL soda as "Coke". As in, "What kind of coke would you like?" "A Sprite." Weird!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:learning new stuff. I am from the south and have never heard "meat, tea, and three." put makes sense!

I've just heard it as "meat n' three."


I love how in New Orleans and parts of old school Louisiana they say "No indeed!" It's sort of like saying "No sir!" or "Absolutely not!" hee hee

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I spent time in Pittsburgh, beyond the memorable accents (Going downtown in an hour pronounced, "Goin denten in an arr"), they also had this strange habit of saying things "needs ___ed". Like, that phone needs fixed. My dinner needs cooked.

I am from NJ and never heard that water expression either. However, where I grew up, everyone pronounces the word water "wooder". It's horrible (which, in NJ, is pronounced Haaaarible)

OP here -- I'm from NY so it may be more of a NY area thing, or maybe just my neighborhood, boy that would be region specific.

I also spent time in Pittsburgh. How about "Kennywood is open" to mean your fly is open.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:learning new stuff. I am from the south and have never heard "meat, tea, and three." put makes sense!

I spend too much time in greasy diners -- it is often a lunch special.

[Anonymous]

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.

[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 beginning to wonder if I am confused on the meat, tea and three -- maybe because I always ordered tea with it. I do recall seeing it listed at more than one diner. But I defer to those who actually grew up in the south. I am just a carpet bagger.

[Anonymous]

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