Local idioms

[cruisin]

I'm sorry - I'm commenting separately as I'm reading along - and repeating some of the previous comments - so it someone's mentioned this one already............is that like B.F.E.: Bum F*** Egypt ????? :-0

Side story, my cousin's roommate in college's high school age sister was talking to her mom about someplace "out in the boonies" and she started to say BFE (not the initials), realized who she was talking to, and what she couldn't say, so as she opened her mouth, East Jebip (don't ask me how to spell it - that's how it sounds) came out. So we always call someplace far away East Jebip.

I've heard East Jebib lots of times, along with booies, boons, Outer Mongolia, middle of nowhere, all expressions that are used here.

Many, many years ago, I was on the phone with someone in New York and he said I had a midwestern accent (excuse me, a New Yorker saying *I* had an accent?). Anyway, I said Ohio's the only state that doesn't have ANY accent! ha ha ha

Anyone who sounds different has an accetn to the one they sound different to .

I told my husband about this conversation, last night. Busted him bout saying aig for egg and laig for leg. Yet he says bed correctly. The funny thing is that he doesn't hear that he is saying aig any differently from bed.

[Badams]

I say laig for leg and aig for egg. Sometimes I feel like here in WNY/ southern tier we are accent mutts. We get a little of the mid western, a little Ontario, a tiny bit rural PA... Although newscasters sound a lot like me too, so maybe we aren't so bad.

[Aceon6]

I haven't been to the Pacific Northwest, but I've spent a lot of time all over California, and that's where I find American English the most "generic." Makes sense given the fact that with few exceptions, everyone is from somewhere else, so a common accent and pronunciation evolves.

We joke that folks from central CT get neutral accents, too - Boston and NYC cancel each other out.

[cruisin]

I say laig for leg and aig for egg. Sometimes I feel like here in WNY/ southern tier we are accent mutts. We get a little of the mid western, a little Ontario, a tiny bit rural PA... Although newscasters sound a lot like me too, so maybe we aren't so bad.

It's not bad, I just like to tease my husband

When I'm around a very strong NY/LI accent, I do pick it up. But, I usually sound more mid-west/newscaster.

[Nan]

If you were to go out to see "Star Wars: Episode 1," would you say you were going to see a movie or a show? Those born and raised in southern Illinois all seem to say "show," while the transplants say "movie."

[Jenny]

If you were to go out to see "Star Wars: Episode 1," would you say you were going to see a movie or a show? Those born and raised in southern Illinois all seem to say "show," while the transplants say "movie."

That's one that was the difference between the city and a small town in my experience. I grew up in a big city and always said movies; when my family moved to a very small town, one of the first things I noticed was kids saying they were "going to the show." I remember wondering if they were talking about a play or review of some kind, and finding out quickly they were referring to the town's only movie theatre.

Later, when I went back to the city to go to college, my college friends used to tease me about having a heavy Canadian (aka not urban) accent.

[cruisin]

For me, a movie is a movie. A show is a live play or concert. My mom used to call all videos movies, including videos of family events. She would ask to watch "John's movie", meaning the video of "John's" birthday/hockey game/graduation/etc. It drove me crazy I never knew what she wanted to watch.

[Rogue]

For me, a movie is a movie. A show is a live play or concert.

Agreed, from a small-town Texas gal.

[gkelly]

But a TV show is a show. Even a radio show . . . although you can't actually "show" anything on the radio

[Jenny]

But a TV show is a show. Even a radio show . . . although you can't actually "show" anything on the radio

Originally, radio shows were performed live for the most part, so maybe that's where that comes from? And tv?

For movies, it's more likely a throwback to a "showing" of Gone with the Wind or the like.

[znachki]

If you were to go out to see "Star Wars: Episode 1," would you say you were going to see a movie or a show?

Since I woudn't go see that, the subject is moot!

Actually, I'd say movie, but if asked what time, I'd say the 1:30 show.

If I were going to a play, I might say "the show at the 5th Avenue Theater", especially since it's a musical, although I might say play or show if going to a legitimate play (and don't you love the connotation behind "legitimate" theater, versus what goes on at a musical!).

[emason]

But a TV show is a show. Even a radio show . . . although you can't actually "show" anything on the radio

I've never heard anyone call anything on radio a show; it was always a radio program where I came from.

[skatingfan5]

Originally, radio shows were performed live for the most part, so maybe that's where that comes from? And tv?

For movies, it's more likely a throwback to a "showing" of Gone with the Wind or the like.

Or could be an shortening of the old-time term of "picture show" for movies (aka "motion pictures"). Also, in the past, many of the movie theatres also were theatres with actual live on-stage performances (including plays, vaudeville shows, concerts). There is still one of those large movie theatres here in my town, complete with a Wurlitzer organ. There are monthly showings of classic movies sponsored by the local park district and quite a few live performances, too. Its capacity is around 1500 and during the annual Ebertfest (film festival), it is filled to capacity, all the way up to the last row in the balcony.

[cruisin]

But a TV show is a show. Even a radio show . . . although you can't actually "show" anything on the radio

Hmmm, good point. I have no explanation better than what's already been proposed

[mkats]

panties in a wad

My coworker says "antsies in your pantsies". But that might just be her being weird.

My college roommate was half-Japanese and whenever she went to family reunions in California, they referred her a "hapa" (half-Japanese). Here half-Asians are frequently referred to as "Wasians".

[Myskate]

"Up north" is really anywhere more northern than where you (Michigander) live.

As a fellow Southeastern Michigan resident, we considered "Up North" anywhere north of Saginaw/Bay City. However if you come from the Ohio border area, I can imagine Pontiac being "up north". Have also been in "cabins" ranging from one room to 3000 square feet. I think to be a cabin it must be in the woods or on a lake.

[vesperholly]

New Yorkers have trouble understanding Bostonians, too. There's a conductor on Metro-North who is obviously a transplant. It's hysterical to hear him announce, "Passengers for Woodlawn must be in the first four cahs", because people start saying, "What? The first four what?"

I went through a toll booth once in Boston and was asked for a "cattah". I had to ask the man to repeat himself three times before he finally said twenty five cents.

A quarter

In NYC, "come with?" means "do you want to come with me (somewhere)?"

Definitely something I say, even to this day. "I'm going to Target, wanna come with?"

I say laig for leg and aig for egg. Sometimes I feel like here in WNY/ southern tier we are accent mutts. We get a little of the mid western, a little Ontario, a tiny bit rural PA... Although newscasters sound a lot like me too, so maybe we aren't so bad.

I say "laig" and "aig" sometimes, if I'm talking fast or for emphasis.

Another one that I just remembered is how my mom says for the middle of nowhere: "East Jahunga"

[Artemis@BC]

That's one that was the difference between the city and a small town in my experience. I grew up in a big city and always said movies; when my family moved to a very small town, one of the first things I noticed was kids saying they were "going to the show." I remember wondering if they were talking about a play or review of some kind, and finding out quickly they were referring to the town's only movie theatre.

Funny, until this thread I'd completely forgotten we used to call it "going to the show" when I was growing up. And yes, it was a small town, and yes, there was only one movie theatre in town.

Later, when I went back to the city to go to college, my college friends used to tease me about having a heavy Canadian (aka not urban) accent.

AKA a "hoser accent."

Of course we'd never call it "going to college," it's "going to university." Unless you were going to the local community or regional college, then it would be "going to the college." But now almost all of the former colleges in the provinces have become universities, so "going to college" is rarely uttered.

[Jenny]

AKA a "hoser accent."

When I was in college, Bob and Doug McKenzie were all the rage, so my city friends said I sounded like them

[RobbieB]

Down here in "Nashvegas" there's a lot of "fixin'" to do this or that, and "ain't". Kinda makes me go into the whole mantra from elementary school: "ain't ain't a word so I ain't gonna use it".

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R. Bryant
http://www.trailways.com/team-trailw...silverstate-ca