Local idioms

[Bostonfan]

I was traveling earlier this week for work out of state and asked someone where I could find a bubbler. I got several strange looks the more people I asked. I never knew "bubbler" was a local New England expression (apparently). When I finally described what I was looking for, the woman said, "Oh - you mean a water fountain!" (For the record, a water fountain to me are those things you throw coins in to make a wish).

And I saw an episode of "Say Yes to the Dress - Atlanta" and learned that in the South if someone says something is "lovely", it's their polite way of saying they don't like it. I didn't know that

What are some local idioms that you like or have encountered? Of course being from Boston, one of my favorites has to be "WICKED!" (another word for awesome). I knew "wicked" was a local thing to Boston. But I had no idea about "bubbler".

[agalisgv]

People say bubbler in the Midwest too. Actually, I hear bubbler more in the Midwest than in the NE, so maybe it depends.

Wicked I think is more of a British expression, but Boston has adopted a few British customs over the years.

Binky for pacifiers I think is regionally specific. So also is mamaw and papaw for grandparents. In the NE, you hear roundabouts instead of traffic circles.

[PDilemma]

I've lived in the Midwest since I was two and never heard "bubbler". What are you defining as Midwest???

[soxxy]

In Rhode Island, an ice cream soda (with coffee syrup) is often referred to as a "cabinet."

[agalisgv]

I've lived in the Midwest since I was two and never heard "bubbler". What are you defining as Midwest???

I've heard it regularly in IL, WI, and MN.

The Milwaukee Public Library traces the origin of the term "bubbler" back to the original 1888 Kohler trademark of that name.

To those readers outside of our great state: many Wisconsinites use the term "bubbler" in place of "drinking fountain".

http://www.law.wisc.edu/blogs/wisbla...e_bubbler.html

Maybe it's just an upper Midwest thing

[Southpaw]

In Rhode Island, an ice cream soda (with coffee syrup) is often referred to as a "cabinet."

Autocrat coffee syrup, specifically?

[soxxy]

Autocrat coffee syrup, specifically?

I don't recall any other brand. I haven't seen the stuff in years.

[Artemis@BC]

Wicked is definitely not local to Boston. I've heard it used in various parts of North America for decades, and as someone else said it's common in the UK too.

No point in getting started with British idoms -- we'd be here for ever.

When the topic of local vernacular comes up, though, I'm reminded of where I grew up. It was a small town, and one of the dominant ethnicities was Portuguese. So a lot of Portuguese words became local idioms, even among the non-Portuguese population. Most of them were rude, though, so I won't repeat them here.

[hydro]

Never heard of a bubbler before. Sounds like something I'd hear at a gay club.

Philadelphians like to say "do you know what I mean" at the end of every sentence. It's morphed into the word "jhadanawwhutimean?"

[cruisin]

People say bubbler in the Midwest too. Actually, I hear bubbler more in the Midwest than in the NE, so maybe it depends.

Wicked I think is more of a British expression, but Boston has adopted a few British customs over the years.

Binky for pacifiers I think is regionally specific. So also is mamaw and papaw for grandparents. In the NE, you hear roundabouts instead of traffic circles.

NJ - we call them water coolers or water fountains. Traffic circles are traffic circles or shortened to circles. I never heard the term roundabout until we rented a car in France. The navigation was British English and it said roundabout. And, of course we have jug handles. People from other areas don't like them, but I think they are much safer than making a left turn across a wide highway.

A NJ'ism is "down the shore". Instead of saying going to the shore. Actually shore is an ism, other places they say going to the beach. We say that too, but if we're already down the shore and going from the hotel to the beach .

We say soda, not pop. We refer to NYC as "the City". Every other city gets a name. Subs are subs, not grinders or hoagies. Sloppy Joes are ground meat with a ketchup sauce on a hamburger bun, they are also triple decker sandwiches with meat, cheese, cole slaw and russian dressing, on 3 slices of rye bread.

[Jenny]

The one that always gives away a New Yorker is that they say "on line" instead of "in line," as in, "I was waiting on line to buy a movie ticket." Never heard anyone else use that phrase that way.

[Prancer]

Maybe it's just an upper Midwest thing

I've never heard anyone say "bubbler," including friends in MN (I have quite a few from there) and Illinois (not as many, but still). The only person I know in Wisconsin in Veronika and I don't know what she says. Maybe she'll show up and tell us.

But if you said "bubbler" here, no one would have a clue what you meant. FSU is only place I have seen that term for what I call a drinking fountain or water fountain. When I say I have never heard anyone say "bubbler," I mean that I literally have never heard that term used--no students, no transplants, no locals when I have traveled.

I've always kind of looked forward to hearing it, because it sounds rather cheerful, but no.

[skipaway]

In the south, people ask you to "mash" the elevator button, instead of press.
Made me laugh the first time I heard it.

[agalisgv]

I've always kind of looked forward to hearing it, because it sounds rather cheerful, but no.

When I lived in the Midwest, particularly in IL and WI, I heard it regularly and picked it up from there. So if we ever meet, you'll finally hear someone say bubbler .

[IceAlisa]

I've never heard about the "bubbler" before. Plenty of "wicked" in Boston area though. Also, they say "roundabout" in NJ too.

[skatingfan5]

I've heard it regularly in IL, WI, and MN. http://www.law.wisc.edu/blogs/wisbla...e_bubbler.html

Maybe it's just an upper Midwest thing

Maybe. I've lived in Illinois for several decades (including northern Illinois during my high school years) and have never heard the term "bubbler" used. "Drinking fountain" seems to be the most common usage here in central Illinois (which differentiates it from the coin-tossing type of water fountain).

I've heard of traffic circles being called "rotaries" -- not sure exactly where, though, but not here.

[BlueRidge]

I've never heard anyone say "bubbler," including friends in MN (I have quite a few from there) and Illinois (not as many, but still). The only person I know in Wisconsin in Veronika and I don't know what she says. Maybe she'll show up and tell us.

But if you said "bubbler" here, no one would have a clue what you meant. FSU is only place I have seen that term for what I call a drinking fountain or water fountain. When I say I have never heard anyone say "bubbler," I mean that I literally have never heard that term used--no students, no transplants, no locals when I have traveled.

I've always kind of looked forward to hearing it, because it sounds rather cheerful, but no.

I haven't heard anyone say bubbler in more than 40 years. My mother, my aunt and my grandmother used it because they were from Boston. I learned to say drinking fountain so as to not have people look at me like I was speaking gibberish.

[agalisgv]

Leave it to wiki to explain the origins and usage of bubbler :

The Bubbler' was developed in 1889 by the then-small Kohler Water Works (now Kohler Company) in Kohler, Wisconsin, which was already well-known for its faucet production. While Harlan Huckleby is credited with the actual design, it was Kohler who patented it and trademarked the name. The original Bubbler shot water one inch straight into the air, creating a bubbling texture, and the excess water ran back down over the sides of the nozzle. It was several years later before the Bubbler adopted the arc projection, which may have allowed the drinker to partake more easily, or was perceived to be more sanitary.
Current usage of term

"Bubbler" is still used as a generic term in several regional dialects of the United States, originating in eastern Wisconsin and remaining well-known throughout the state. The term is widely used in NSW Australia. Oregon is also known to be quite familiar with the term, specifically in the Portland region where in the late 1800s Simon Benson installed 20 fountains, which are now known in the Portland area as "Benson Bubblers". It is also commonly used in New England, especially in the state of Rhode Island and in the cities of Worcester, MA and Lowell, MA. Despite its widespread usage in the aforementioned areas, the term "water fountain" is much more commonly used than "bubbler" throughout the remainder of North America.

[Nan]

And, of course we have jug handles. People from other areas don't like them, but I think they are much safer than making a left turn across a wide highway.

I think this is what I grew up calling a "Michigan left."

[Rob]

I have never heard bubbler before.