different words from different areas

[beautifullybree]

Its so strange how people who speak the same language have different terms for things. I've always been giggled at when I talk to someone from the north. I'm from the southern part of North America. What are some words or phrases you use I may not have heard?  I use the y'all in place of you all most of the time. We also call the refrigerator an ice box, or a fridge. A coke/pop/soda is all the same thing to me and could mean any flavor. I'm very curious to hear words or phrases you use. 

 

[hades_leae]

Same here, I always notice this difference, and mostly for me it's just the slang terms. I knew of many people who say stuff like 'mane', which was for the word 'boy' (What you talking about boy || What you talking about mane). There are many others as well, and for some reason I can't think of all of them right now. 


I think it's just how people choose to communicate with one another, and when I hear people use different words other than what is considered proper, I don't judge because I don't care how people talk as long as I can understand and their words aren't too ridiculous 'know wut I'm sayin mane'.

 

[Alex]

The same language but different dialects is always a giveaway as to whether someone is a native or not. There are some things you can't learn from a book or in a class. I tend to listen to the local vernacular and then figure out what they mean.


I studied linguistics (not really that interesting to be honest) and it breaks down why people use language how they do, and how it evolves. That's why there is 'standard' news reader language that everyone can understand, and more colloquial phrases that are regional. You find it all around the world, and in the UK it's very apparent and people are often judged by their accent or the dialect they use. It's wrong, but it happens.

 

[Choochoo]

For me slang is the most interesting in the differences I see because I don't have to travel far to see the small differences and instead just have to get to know different circles even in the same city. Little differences like how people call their friends is very interesting in that in some circles they would call each other dude or bro or for women I've seen some where they call each other babe or honey or something similar. Makes me feel I'm in a different country when I'm able to hang out with other groups way outside my own. 

 

[x0xLikeMex0x]

So I'm from an island and my island used to have it's own language, but I guess the written standard language and more and more kids going to school kind of killed the dialect. And I mean this change was like a bit more than 100 years ago. There are still a few words used from the old dialect that when used in spoken language outside the island, most people will not understand. 

 

[beautifullybree]

I love all these replies. This is just something I've been curious about. I too wish to speak with people from different areas and hear how they speak. We also use Mane/bro/dude/honey In my area. Some other words we use are for calling friends are Boo/Girl/Bit/Main/dollface . We also have slang that is pretty common for most people to know like on fleek/on point/off the chain(off the hook)/baddie. 

 

[beautifullybree]

I thought of this after, but another term we always use is "bet". If someone asked you to come over you could reply "bet". If they said be at the store by 12 you could reply bet then as well. Some words are harder to explain the context in which they are used. 

 

[x0xLikeMex0x]

Well, you could say the same thing about British English and American English. When a Brit says biscuit, the American would say cookie. Or flat and apartment, holiday and vacation.  

 

[Panic57]

I totally get the difference between pop and soda.  In the Midwest, it was always called pop but if you say that in California they give you a weird look because it's soda here.  Another strange thing is meals, In Nebraska, it goes breakfast, dinner, and then supper.  In California, it's breakfast, lunch, and then dinner. I once thanked my boss for dinner and she was so baffled because it was lunch.  There are probably a couple others but those are the ones that I've noticed in America.