# What's your local lingo?



## MikeyLikesIt (Oct 19, 2018)

I've been spending a few weeks in Bowling Green, KY. It's a few hundred miles West of me and home to Western Kentucky University, the National Corvette Museum, and Fruit of the Looms HQ. I've enjoyed my time here, but I've run into a few phrases the locals use that I've not heard in Central KY. I thought I'd share them below and see if anyone would like to share any particular words from their regions. Just post where you're from and what the word is/means!

*Falling out* - I've heard this used in church settings, but it's also used to describe fainting. ex: "He mangled his hand on the chop-saw and fell out" or "If your blood sugar gets too low you're gonna fall out!"

*Gaulded* - to chafe or irritate. Originally from the word 'gall', it seems to have evolved over here to just mean chafed, especially in the thighs or crotch region. ex: "I went out riding horses yesterday and I'm gaulded to pieces this morning!"

*Bless it* - really more of a phrase. Similar to the Southern "Bless her heart", but abbreviated. Usually said at the end of a sentence either saying something negative about someone or after recounting someone's unfortunate circumstances. The tone used is key here to emphasize pity, sadness, exasperation, etc. "Jan's gone and left her husband. This is number three! Bless it."

There were a few others like "Yall" or referring to all carbonated sodas as "Coke" that I'm familiar with and seem to be used throughout much of KY. If anyone is in the area (Louisville/Nashville/etc/) I'd highly recommend a visit to this region. It's got some beautiful scenery, really friendly people, and a few interesting attractions. Less than 30 minutes from here is Mammoth Cave National Park, the largest known cave system in the entire world! You gotta love how varied America is, even just a couple hundred miles from your own house.


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## Grandpa Grumpy (Apr 21, 2013)

When we first moved to Wisconsin we heard people constantly say "It is what it is". We had never heard that in Central Illinois.

Some folks in Wisconsin call a drinking fountain a bubbler. I had never heard that before.


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## SJAaz (Apr 30, 2019)

theys...as in there is

harse.. as in horse

Lava.. as in cat..not as in cot

SE Idaho


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## devils son in law (Sep 2, 2014)

I'm not sure if it's a local thing or not but the last few years I hear a lot of people saying "Yeah, No" ..... well, which one is it, yeah or no ???

Here in Michigan it's not "y'all" we say " you's guys"

And we sure as heck don't drink no "soda"!!! :nono: But I will have a pop, thank you!


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## MikeyLikesIt (Oct 19, 2018)

devils son in law said:


> I'm not sure if it's a local thing or not but the last few years I hear a lot of people saying "Yeah, No" ..... well, which one is it, yeah or no ???
> 
> Here in Michigan it's not "y'all" we say " you's guys"
> 
> And we sure as heck don't drink no "soda"!!! :nono: But I will have a pop, thank you!


I'm with you on the 'pop' thing! I saw an interesting map somewhere that broke down what people call pop around the us. KY/OH were a bit of everything.


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## MikeyLikesIt (Oct 19, 2018)

SJAaz said:


> theys...as in there is
> 
> harse.. as in horse
> 
> ...


I like it! I don't get the Lava one though. It's pronounced like the stuff that comes out of a volcano? And it means cat? I've never been to Idaho but I'd love to make a trip to the NW sometime. It's the one corner of the states I haven't seen.


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## MikeyLikesIt (Oct 19, 2018)

Grandpa Grumpy said:


> When we first moved to Wisconsin we heard people constantly say "It is what it is". We had never heard that in Central Illinois.
> 
> Some folks in Wisconsin call a drinking fountain a bubbler. I had never heard that before.


The "It is what it is" phrase always drives me crazy! It's been picking up steam here in KY. Never heard of a 'bubbler' before.


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## Hulla Baloo (Nov 25, 2017)

I moved from the arid desert southwest to the lush northern forest coming up on 20 years ago now. The immediate cultural differences were evident and daunting. Among the endearing catch phrases I remember were:

*"You better get a line on that tree before you take out your garage, moron!"*

*"Your chain only seems dull because it's on backwards, Professor!"*

*"That's what happens when you feed raccoons, Mr. Wizard!"*

and of course: *"Go back to the sand pile, rhyme boy!"*

...they've since mellowed. Still a rambunctious lot though.


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## SJAaz (Apr 30, 2019)

MikeyLikesIt said:


> SJAaz said:
> 
> 
> > theys...as in there is
> ...


No the stuff that comes out of a volcano is pronounced with an A as in cat ..not with an A as in cot. Most of the transplants pronounce all this rock around as lauva. No it is lava.., We should know, we have enough of it.


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## Alfred E.M. (Jul 5, 2014)

*Pretentious east coasters pronounce Nevada as if it rhymes Prada ... * :shakehead:*. They're often the same group who won't laugh at a joke but will say - 'that's amusing'. Stiff asses.*


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## Blue Raja (Feb 10, 2016)

I grew up in South Jersey, near Riverside, which has a unique regional accent referred to as a "Delaware Valley accent." It is not quite as severe as a Philadelphia accent. We had a few unusual usages such as "you'se guys." We also pronounced water as "wudder." And orange as "orinch." My grandfather said "batry" instead of battery. My mother said "que-pon" instead of coupon. Of course we had "hoagies" and "cheese-steak sandwiches." Tasty-cakes for dessert. I remember a college friend being amazed at me putting mustard on soft pretzels. We also "went down the shore" (a trip to the ocean).

We were taught to speak in a neutral manner and avoided regionalisms, which my mother considered ill-mannered.

Riverside was known for a regional soft drink, similar to Coca Cola, although non-carbonated. It had 2 names "Drink-Atoast" and "Tak-Aboost." It was served with a hard pretzel on the straw.


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## MikeyLikesIt (Oct 19, 2018)

Blue Raja said:


> I grew up in South Jersey, near Riverside, which has a unique regional accent referred to as a "Delaware Valley accent." It is not quite as severe as a Philadelphia accent. We had a few unusual usages such as "you'se guys." We also pronounced water as "wudder." And orange as "orinch." My grandfather said "batry" instead of battery. My mother said "que-pon" instead of coupon. Of course we had "hoagies" and "cheese-steak sandwiches." Tasty-cakes for dessert. I remember a college friend being amazed at me putting mustard on soft pretzels. We also "went down the shore" (a trip to the ocean).
> 
> We were taught to speak in a neutral manner and avoided regionalisms, which my mother considered ill-mannered.
> 
> Riverside was known for a regional soft drink, similar to Coca Cola, although non-carbonated. It had 2 names "Drink-Atoast" and "Tak-Aboost." It was served with a hard pretzel on the straw.


Ah, I love local soft drinks! We have one out of Winchester KY known as Ale-8-one (A late one). It's basically ginger-ale. It's so cool to hear all the different ways people speak the same language. I wonder if the internet and television will slowly wipe out some of those dialects as we become more connected across the country.

I forgot to mention it, but my Dad's side of the family (from the OH/KY border) all say "worsh" instead of "wash". And I still can't help but say "wrasslin" instead of "wrestling".


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## SJAaz (Apr 30, 2019)

Also where I'm from, I never (until I joined the service) heard the term Woods. As in "I was in the woods hunting". We say where we where. As in "we mostly hunted the foothills, the draws, a few quakie pockets, never got up in the pine. Saw one buck, a four pointer, (Not eight..), but he was all ganted up carry'in one hind leg.


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## Blue Raja (Feb 10, 2016)

I think that these regional dialects will soon be a dim memory.


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## SJAaz (Apr 30, 2019)

Blue Raja said:


> I think that these regional dialects will soon be a dim memory.


ya, I agree...listen to the TV guys talk. Probably will stay in the rural areas where folks tend to put down roots. Rural SE Idaho still has a real accent from the people who settled here after the civil war. People ask me what part of the south I'm from, I've never been south in my life unless you figger Arizona.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

We have more than one regional dialect. There's what most folks call correct English, but which is really Deep East Texas *******. Then there's Damyankee, which is any English not from here. The Messicans (anyone who speaks Spanish) have their own flavor of Spanglish. Rural Black folks communicate best among themselves, as do all the sub-groups. Most of these are gradually being melded, and unfortunately being corrupted by Damyankee refugees from socialist States like California and New York.

GOD BLESS TEXAS.


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## Tree Man (Jun 30, 2016)

Blue Raja said:


> I grew up in South Jersey, near Riverside, which has a unique regional accent referred to as a "Delaware Valley accent." It is not quite as severe as a Philadelphia accent. We had a few unusual usages such as "you'se guys." We also pronounced water as "wudder." And orange as "orinch." My grandfather said "batry" instead of battery. My mother said "que-pon" instead of coupon. Of course we had "hoagies" and "cheese-steak sandwiches." Tasty-cakes for dessert. I remember a college friend being amazed at me putting mustard on soft pretzels. We also "went down the shore" (a trip to the ocean).
> 
> We were taught to speak in a neutral manner and avoided regionalisms, which my mother considered ill-mannered.
> 
> Riverside was known for a regional soft drink, similar to Coca Cola, although non-carbonated. It had 2 names "Drink-Atoast" and "Tak-Aboost." It was served with a hard pretzel on the straw.


Im from the same area, but a bit closer to Philly. You nailed it! And you can still get Drink Atoast
You just need to know where to look. Lol.


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## SJAaz (Apr 30, 2019)

Henry the Hermit said:


> We have more than one regional dialect. There's what most folks call correct English, but which is really Deep East Texas *******. Then there's Damyankee, which is any English not from here. The Messicans (anyone who speaks Spanish) have their own flavor of Spanglish. Rural Black folks communicate best among themselves, as do all the sub-groups. Most of these are gradually being melded, and unfortunately being corrupted by Damyankee refugees from socialist States like California and New York.
> 
> GOD BLESS TEXAS.


Ah you Texans!! The only thing bigger than a texan's ego is his huevos. <_<


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## Wiconsinconcepts (Oct 5, 2019)

I don't know... I'm from Wisconsin... a lifer. And I just don't hear it. I swear I don't have an accent. It's the rest of you guys that have accents. At least, that's how it is in my head. If I leave the state though, or talk to someone from out of state, they know I'm from Wisconsin before I finish the first sentence.

But yeah, I've been known to have a soda or a drink from the bubbler and I do say a lot of "these ones" and "those ones". And I get around to saying "you guys" quite a bit. To be honest, a lot of those Wisconsin stereotypes you hear about are true.

I did once get told at a bar in Seattle that there was a 3 drink limit and I couldn't have another. But when I jokingly said "really? But I'm from Wisconsin." The bartender looked at my ID and let me have 2 more.


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## MikeyLikesIt (Oct 19, 2018)

Wiconsinconcepts said:


> I don't know... I'm from Wisconsin... a lifer. And I just don't hear it. I swear I don't have an accent. It's the rest of you guys that have accents. At least, that's how it is in my head. If I leave the state though, or talk to someone from out of state, they know I'm from Wisconsin before I finish the first sentence.
> 
> But yeah, I've been known to have a soda or a drink from the bubbler and I do say a lot of "these ones" and "those ones". And I get around to saying "you guys" quite a bit. To be honest, a lot of those Wisconsin stereotypes you hear about are true.
> 
> I did once get told at a bar in Seattle that there was a 3 drink limit and I couldn't have another. But when I jokingly said "really? But I'm from Wisconsin." The bartender looked at my ID and let me have 2 more.


Hahaha, that's a great story and a lousy bar! Never been up that way, but I've got family in Kenosha. The accent is definitely noticeable. I don't know if you're a University of Wisconsin fan, but those badgers broke my heart in March 2015. My wildcats were championship bound if they could've just held on another couple minutes. Still the roughest sports memory of my young life...


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## devils son in law (Sep 2, 2014)

Wiconsinconcepts said:


> I don't know... I'm from Wisconsin... a lifer. And I just don't hear it. I swear I don't have an accent. It's the rest of you guys that have accents. At least, that's how it is in my head. If I leave the state though, or talk to someone from out of state, they know I'm from Wisconsin before I finish the first sentence.
> 
> But yeah, I've been known to have a soda or a drink from the bubbler and I do say a lot of "these ones" and "those ones". And I get around to saying "you guys" quite a bit. To be honest, a lot of those Wisconsin stereotypes you hear about are true.
> 
> I did once get told at a bar in Seattle that there was a 3 drink limit and I couldn't have another. But when I jokingly said "really? But I'm from Wisconsin." The bartender looked at my ID and let me have 2 more.


Thanks for the tip, I'll be sure to stay out of Seattle!! A 3 beer limit? I bet you could smoke a fatty between beers though.

We were in WI this summer and they just may have more bars than Michigan ,,,,, maybe.


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## Wiconsinconcepts (Oct 5, 2019)

A bar on every corner was our attempt at cutting down on drunk driving. Now we have Uber.


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## Wiconsinconcepts (Oct 5, 2019)

And as for the Badgers... We cheer hard. We cry hard. Ups and downs.


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