Pop, Soda or Coke? 11 Maps Show How Differently Americans Speak

IJReview ^ | July 3, 2014

[NYer]

Is it y’all or you guys? Pop or soda? Freeway or highway? How you answer can reveal which part of the United States you call home.

These 11 maps, researched by N.C. State Professor Joshua Katz, show that we are a nation divided over terminology from desserts to the weather. In honor of our national Independence Day, we thought we’d take a look:

As you can see, we are a nation of diversity, which can be both good and bad. Too often, we become too focused on our population’s political divide and the hate-filled rhetoric that comes from both sides.

However, this week as we celebrate America’s independence, let’s give thanks that we are able to have these disagreements and focus on the liberty and freedom we all share.

[jiggyboy]

Indeed. I've only heard that in Pittsburgh and PA Dutch country, but it's solid in both places.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

One of the mechanics who worked at the family coal mine liked to add a verbal exclamation point to his declarative sentences. He would say, “Well, I changed the oil in the dragline. What I did.”

[oh8eleven]

In NY City you will often hear it pronounced as "sangwich."
IIRC, that's an Italian thing - something to do with how the word is pronounced in Italian.

[surrey]

People who don’t come from Long Island don’t say Lawn Giland. I grew up there and have never pronounced it that way and I have a strong NY accent.
We always said ant and my cousins, whose Mom was from Boston, called the NY aunts...ants and the Boston aunts, ahnts.

[wintertime]

Yep!

[Fiji Hill]

I was effected buy my lack of information, I just don’t know what to do, or hole future is at stake.

My spell Czech could knot fined inn knee miss steaks hear.

[C210N]

Pop, Soda or Coke?...

This is relevant?

I want to know about regional versions of "marriage", "entitlement", "tyranny".

For example, here in MA, "tyranny" refers to status-quo. As in: "Hope the folks at the State house can maintain the current tyranny"

[Fiji Hill]

Up here in Vermont, at least, subs, heroes, etc. are called “grinders.”

Over in Maine, I've seen them called Italians.

[randita]

Where I’ve lived (NJ/DE/PA, a grinder was a sub/hoagie that was toasted.

[Alas Babylon!]

When I was in school many years ago and anyone said “Hey” to the teacher, she would say “Hay is for horses and straw is for cows.” Back in that generation, “Hey” was considered vulgar.

I hear it a lot more now and even use it myself, but I can still hear Mrs. Johnson’s admonishment in my mind!

Also, here in the South, a shopping cart is a buggy, and a grocery/shopping bag is a sack. And everyone knows when the devil is beating his wife!

[PeteB570]

Space aliens did it.

[GreyFriar]

During the summer of 1967, when I was in college, a group of students from another university came to town on a regional accent and word use/definition survey. Their key was in lugging the big tape recorders of the time to record the accents. Many local folks worked at the college were asked to participate and the interviews were done in the library where I worked. There was also recordings done at the town library. The organizer said they estimated that this was one of the last years where they could get good regional accents and terms because of the on going influence of television.

[NYer]

Living in an apartment, we would go down into the cellar, not the basement. And you would put your groceries in a shopping cart. Speaking of Long Island, I remember it being pronounced as "Lawn Giland"

As you may have guessed, I am a native "Nue Yawkah" from Queens and Lawn Guyland. Here is a fun How to Talk Like a New Yorker guide. No doubt you will appreciate step #3 and the pronunciation of caw-fee. And here is another great article.

'Tawking' about the Long Island accent

[mountn man]

On da sout side of Chicago, day call em sammiches.

In NY City you will often hear it pronounced as "sangwich."

That's because they talk funny in NY.

[mountn man]

The toothbrush was invented in Indiana.

Anywhere else and it would have been a TEETHbrush.

[ErnBatavia]

Just never, ever answer “Pepsi”...

[mountn man]

Up here in Vermont, at least, subs, heroes, etc. are called “grinders.”

Over in Maine, I've seen them called Italians.

Then what do you call Italians?

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“Hey.”
In Milwaukee, they say “Ain’i hey?”
Let’s go by Southside, ain’i hey?”
I gotta lotta grief for calling “soda” “Pop.” It’s “pop” in Cleveland.

[FlJoePa]

We called heated hoagies “Cosmos”...a Central PA thing.

[kearnyirish2]

“The toothbrush was invented in Indiana.
Anywhere else and it would have been a TEETHbrush.”

Nice! thanks