Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
#35858 07/19/01 06:50 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
I know we've sort of hit on this before in different ways (the latest being Marianna's Spanish proverbs) but hey -- I'm bored and no one's posting.

What are some of y'all's favorite regionalisms? My favorite all-purpose Southernism is the use of "like to" to mean "almost," as in I like to died! *

---
*post-edit: this is only used in the past tense, btw.



Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
I like to died

Must be the to goes with the like elsewise we got us a past tense infinitive.

Around here (Upstate NY) people say "So don't I" when they are expressing agreement/solidarity with another, as in:

"I really like Steven Spielberg movies."

"So don't I." This may be your onliest warning, E.


Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Re: This may be your onliest warning, E.

yeah, well a warning like that, and a token might get you someplace...


Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
this is a good post-- but unless you have traveled-- you don't realize that something is a regionalism!

a local radio commercial has been mocking the way most NYer's? (any one else?) say caramel--

cara mel has a "boston a" for the first A(cara as in cara mia-) - but most NYer's say car mel with a much "harder" a .. I have traveled-- but never went looking for caramels... how do you all say it?


#35862 07/19/01 11:47 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 508
N
addict
Offline
addict
N
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 508
Funny you should mention it, OT! Just heard a commercial today (same one?) where it was pronounced "kair-a-mel." I've always said "car-ml" for the candy - like the city in California but with the accent on the 1st syllable. Unless we're ordering creme caramel - yum! - that's a whole 'nother pronunciation. Whoops - are we slipping into a food thread here?


#35863 07/19/01 11:53 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
M
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
M
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
re: how do I say, "caramel"? Just like "camel", with an r and a schwa thrown in.

so you have an the first a soft (as in camel), an r, and an other vowel before the mel-- not quite Kair a mel or Cara mel but not car mel.(with no hint of a vowel between the r and m) ---and while this is sweet talk--no, not a food thread!


Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 427
addict
Offline
addict
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 427
I just say "camel" and let people decide which kind, "creme camel" being such a delicacy 'round these parts...


[winning-the-prize-for-most-nonsensical-post-but-I'm-all-nonsensical-today e]


Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
W
wow Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
When in Hawai'i : the locals' greeting is "Howzit?" for "How is it,' "How is it going?" "How are you?" etc.
Don't hear it much anywhere else but it's a dead give away for who is local or Kama'aina and who is not.
In New England : "How's it goin'?" is common. Which ties it nicely as the early missionaries to Hawai'i were New Englanders.



Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Two that I've used today are:
Nobody home but us chickens, and
Keep yer cotton-pickin' hands off.


Page 1 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,338
Members9,182
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV
9,182 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 651 guests, and 1 robot.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,544
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,917
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5