Regional things a student should know

[bclintonk]

Originally Posted by mspearl

If you visit any city of Berlin in Ohio it is not pronounced like Berlin Germany, the emphasis is opposite - you will also get corrected very quickly.

Same in Wisconsin where New Berlin is pronounced "New BURR'-lin", not like Berlin, Germany.

In Minnesota, the town of New Prague is pronounced "New PRAIG" (long A, hard G), not like Prague in the Czech Republic (which almost rhymes with "frog"). And to Minnesotans, the Minnesota town rhymes with "bag" (as in sack), which Minnesotans pronounce "BAIG" (long A, hard G).

In Michigan, the town of Milan is pronounced "MILE'-en", not like the city of Milan in Italy.

In Illinois, the town of Marseilles is pronounced "Mar-SALES." not like the city of Marseilles (roughly "Mar-SAY") in France.

[Hunt]

There's a town in Virginia called Buena Vista." That's "Byou-na Vista"

[bclintonk]

In Canada, and in a few places in the U.S. near the Canadian border, a knitted hat is called a "tuque," pronounced "tuk" with a long U sound, kind of like book or look, but with a slightly longer U. Maybe more like the name Luke. In the town where I grew up in northern Michigan, most people converted the "t'" to a "ch" sound, so it came out more like "chook." Not sure how widespread that was in the region.

The word is etymologically related to the term for a chef's hat, a "toque," but many people pronounce that almost like "toke." I'm pretty sure in Canada they're now separate words; a chef wears a toque, and anyone going outside in winter puts on a tuque.

[Mom2jl]

My mom in Memphis lives on Buena Vista (also Byou-na Vista) which has always struck me as funny since we live in the LA area where there are many streets with that name pronounced in the expected Spanish way.

Although that does remind me that Los Angeles itself isn't pronounced the Spanish way either. Here's an interesting article about how the current pronunciation of Los Angeles came to be:

Then and Now: How do you pronounce 'Los Angeles?' - Los Angeles Times

[Davidabb84]

There's a town in Virginia called Buena Vista." That's "Byou-na Vista"

Same for a neighborhood in Winston-Salem. It's really nice, it's filled with old, old mansions.

North of my Winston-Salem is the town of Rural Hall. Pronunciation: Rul Hawl.

[jandjdad]

In Boston/New England, it's not soda or pop, but tonic. A milk shake is called a frappe, a water fountain is called a bubbler and there are two types of bowling, tenpin and candlepin....Don't even ask about Hoodsies or Jimmies (sprinkles on ice cream).....

[bclintonk]

Originally Posted by Writer1992

I don't know how to eat a hot dog without ketchup! But I grew up on the east coast.

Hmmm . . . . I grew up in Michigan putting both mustard and ketchup on hot dogs. And on hamburgers. When I went to college I met a lot of New Yorkers who thought this was an utterly barbaric Midwestern practice. For them, it was mustard, no ketchup, on the hot dog, and ketchup, no mustard, on the hamburger.

I think ketchup on hot dogs is pretty popular in most of the Midwest except Chicago, where it's an abomination.

[saintfan]

toboggan = runnersles sled like thing
stocking cap = longer knit cap with tassle
beanie = regular, close fitting knit cap
earflap hat - obvious
pop or soda (Washington) no strange looks with either usage
may mom calls it a coke but she's from Oregon and a different generation

[geeps20]

For them, it was mustard, no ketchup, on the hot dog, and ketchup, no mustard, on the hamburger.

so does McDonald's and Burger King hold the mustard on their burgers in NY?...lol

[maya54]

Yep. NO ketchup is a Chicago thing. And you WILL get yelled at if you order it that way at some Chicago area stands. Some will just refuse to give it to you and throw some packets of Ketchup "It's for the FRIES!" at you.

My children know that if they want to be able to say they are from Chicago they are not allowed to put Ketchup on their hotdog

[saintfan]

jandjdad: How do the mixed drinks go, then? Here gin goes with tonic (a kind of flavorless soda water, but not sweetened pop) and rum goes with coke and must actually be coca cola. Vodka, of course, would be mixed with 7-Up if one uses anything other than fruit juice or Rose's Lime.

[dietz199]

So, do the Costco's in in the mid-west not have ketchup dispensers?

[MizzBee]

Yes, the Costco's do, but Chicago would only use them for fries. I hate mustard, so I order my Chicago dogs with no mustard.

[jandjdad]

Originally Posted by saintfan

How do the mixed drinks go, then? Here gin goes with tonic (a kind of flavorless soda water, but not sweetened pop)

When you order a gin and tonic, they know you mean tonic water and not coke/pepsi......

[toblin]

In Florida, the further north you go, the deeper into the south you get.

Observed to be true.