The South - The North

[AllenOK]

I spent some time living in Norfolk, VA, when I was young and my father was in the US Navy. They called it "soda", if I remember right. When we moved here to OK, people called it "pop".

The term "pop" comes from when carbonated beverages first began to appear on the market, in glass jars with a levered closed. When you opened it, it would "pop".

My grandparents did refer to the the refrigerator as an "icebox".

Most older folks call the "fridge" an "icebox", because at the turn of the 20th century, most folks had primitive refrigerator that had a large block of ice in top, that cooled the entire "icebox", and had a drip pan that had to be emptied regularly.

I have some pictures of both Alligator-nosed gar, and Needle-nosed gar. The alligator-nosed is one I got off the internet a few years ago, and has a snout that is broad and flat, like a gator's snout. The needle-nosed gas a smaller, narrow snout like what has already been posted. The two pictures I have I took at a spot here in Tulsa when the Arkansas River was up a month or so ago from all the rain we got this spring. I took about 97 pics, and had two that were really good, when the 5' long fish holding their heads out of the water.

Most folks here have a distinctively different accent that what is considered typically "Southern". Probably the only really interesting is how we pronounce "wash" as "warsh". Heck, I've even seen people use their fingers to trace the words "warsh me" in the dust on the back of someone's car.

 

[kitchenelf]

I have had friends that NEVER lived in the south use the term "warsh". I think the southern accent that has been depicted here is a bit "extreme" and not the typical - but it certainly is used by some. There are several distinct accents depending on a lot of things, that I won't get into here. But I swear - those Canadians are sooooooo hard to understand (Hey Alix, how's your roast cookin'? -

)

One of the phrases that I thought was interesting was when a neighbor was telling me his uncle came over last night - he used the term "My uncle came of the night".

Well, I'm going to use the term - "I've got to go to work" - but I think that term is universal and pronounced pretty much the same everywhere!

 

[Alix]

There are several distinct accents depending on a lot of things, that I won't get into here. But I swear - those Canadians are sooooooo hard to understand (Hey Alix, how's your roast cookin'? -

)

Be careful lady or you won't get any! (Its starting to smell pretty fine actually!)

OK folks, my two cents is that people get pretty irritated when other people start saying things about their "accent" and won't let up. I know it makes me mental when people I have never met tell me I must say things a certain way. So, this thread is staying nice but be aware some of us are sensitive creatures. (KE, ha ha...you have to work and I don't! )

 

[elaine l]

Ever hear of a frappe?

 

[Barb L.]

I have, but have never had one ! They sound good though .

In Mi. we all say pop or by the name. Hubby says warsh (drives me crazy). My niece who only lives about 90 miles south of us in Ohio, always teases me about my Mi. accent and I hers ! She always says - Aunt Barb says "Ohioo", they say "Ohi-ah" !!

 

[QSis]

I get a kick out the accents of the people around the North Dakota area. Maybe Wisconsin, too.

Like in the move "Fargo". Like the character "Mrs. Pool" on that old Sandy Dennis sitcom.

Lee

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I first heard of frappes when I lived in MA. I moved from Houston to a rather small town that seemed to be built around a junior college, which I lived across the street from. It was sort of a culture shock and big city vs. small town shock. I was at the White Hen Pantry one night (the only thing open after 9) and ran into a security guard from the college. He was bored and started talking about the really rowdy bunch of students they had that year. Dying to hear about anything interesting in town, I asked him what sort of things these bad kids were doing. He was really outraged because some of them kept putting potato chips in the frappe machines and it made a big mess and put the machines out of commission for a while! Everyone in that town also seemed to call cokes "pop". They also called anything in the basement "down cellar". I also went ot my first Irish wake there and wow, it was sure different from funerals and the like here in Texas!

 

[GotGarlic]

I'm a Florida native, born and bred within 35 miles of where I now live and I have never heard most of what I've read here about the way Southern people talk.

That's because you have to go north from Florida to get to the South

Try this, y'all: Are You a Yankee or a Rebel? - alphaDictionary * Southern Accent Test

I was born in VA, but moved to MI at two and a half and lived there till age 22. Then DH and I moved to Norfolk (yes, he was in the Navy) and have lived there and next door in Portsmouth ever since. Yes, they do call it soda here; so do we now

My mom was born and raised near Richmond and I remember her saying "Where's the arn?" meaning iron, and "pillah," meaning pillow.

 

[keltin]

Try this, y'all: Are You a Yankee or a Rebel? - alphaDictionary * Southern Accent Test

Wah-Hoo! Long live the mutha' land!

My results: 84% Dixie. Do you still use Confederate money?

 

[keltin]

That test brought up a few interesting questions. As young and rowdy teenagers (especially the boys I imagine), did you ever use toilet paper to “decorate" someone’s yard.....or have you at least heard of doing such? What was it called? Down here, we called it “Rolling”.

Also, the test mentioned a Drive-Thru Liquor Store! What the heck is that? I want one!!!! Where are those located?

 

[GrillingFool]

I'm from Illinois, then NC, AR, OK and back to NC around 4th grade.
Spent 5 glorious years in Wyoming, where I met my wonderful wife.

I used to tell her about the South... speech, food, people, mannerisms,
good old boys, rednecks, Southern Gentlemen, Southern Belles, Old Ladies
of the South, trailer trash, etc etc etc

Then, we moved to NC. She became a high school biology teacher for
a while, got good exposure to both rural and urban middle NC...

Came up to me one day and told me I was right. There IS a South.
She was particularly approving of good Southern cooking!

One difference I noticed was that in NC, groceries go in a bag. In WY,
it was a sack. And out where the horizon is distant, directions are
given in compass points, such as "go south for 2 miles, then head west on
Cow Patty Rd.." And it works!

 

[elaine l]

Here in MA we call stores that sell liquor "package stores" when a friend of mine was vacationing she asked someone where she could find a "package" store. Her answer was "you mean like a UPS store?"

 

[Barb L.]

That's because you have to go north from Florida to get to the South

Try this, y'all: Are You a Yankee or a Rebel? - alphaDictionary * Southern Accent Test

I was born in VA, but moved to MI at two and a half and lived there till age 22. Then DH and I moved to Norfolk (yes, he was in the Navy) and have lived there and next door in Portsmouth ever since. Yes, they do call it soda here; so do we now

My mom was born and raised near Richmond and I remember her saying "Where's the arn?" meaning iron, and "pillah," meaning pillow.

41 % Dixie here !

 

[Uncle Bob]

Surprise!! Surprise!!! It said I was 100% Dixie! Who'd a thought it???

It ask if Robert E. Lee was my grand-father

No, but in a round about way I was named after him!

 

[GotGarlic]

That test brought up a few interesting questions. As young and rowdy teenagers (especially the boys I imagine), did you ever use toilet paper to “decorate" someone’s yard.....or have you at least heard of doing such? What was it called? Down here, we called it “Rolling”.

"We TP'd the principal's yard last night!"

Also, the test mentioned a Drive-Thru Liquor Store! What the heck is that? I want one!!!! Where are those located?

Well, it's a convenience store that has a sort of tunnel through it. You drive in, someone comes to take your order, bring your stuff, take your money, and off you go There are some in northeastern NC: Would you like a Bud with those fries sir? - The Oyster

Look like they offering franchises: Brew Thru World Famous Outer Banks t-shirts beer wine beverages

Someone tried to open one in Virginia Beach, but the city council voted it down, because they want to promote a "family-friendly" beach.

This reminds me: My mom told me that the reason Norfolk, and sailors, got a bad reputation in the '50s and '60s is because restaurants and bars were not allowed to sell liquor by the drink - customers had to buy it by the bottle. Then, the sailors stationed on ships were not allowed to bring liquor on board, so they had to either drink it all or throw it away. Which do you think they chose?

 

[Fisher's Mom]

87% Dixie for me. And Uncle Bob, I actually do have a friend named Robert E. Lee. (I'll bet you do too. It's almost like a family name for southerners.)

 

[Alix]

"52% Dixie. Barely in Dixie"

 

[jpmcgrew]

39% dixie which is funny since Ive spent more time in Georgia and Florida not Michigan and the great lakes

 

[keltin]

Here in MA we call stores that sell liquor "package stores" when a friend of mine was vacationing she asked someone where she could find a "package" store. Her answer was "you mean like a UPS store?"

We call ‘em package stores too! We also call them liquor stores or ABC stores (because some of them are run by the State......Alabama Beverage Control, and they list ABC on the doors to show it is state operated).

Here’s a little anecdote about differences.....not just South to North but languages worldwide. I’ve got a friend in Germany, he was born and raised in Hamburg and still lives there today, and he speaks very good English. We were talking about something, and I asked him if such-and-such should be done. Since there was no clear cut and definitive answer, he said “Well the best answer to this would be, YO!”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Then he explained that in the German language (at least amongst his friends and peers anyway), when they have a “maybe” situation like this, they often say “Jein”! This is a combination of “Ja” for yes and “Nein” for no. So, he tried the same thing with yes and no in English and came up with YO!

 

[Uncle Bob]

Well for all ya'll that scored sub 100% Just give er a little time and it'll rub off on ya even more! In the mean time ya'll..

Have Fun & Enjoy!!!