In reply to:

hoagie


I certainly don't know where the word came from, but it's one of several words used for the same thing, and they are geographically specific. Sub, short for submarine, is used south of the Mason-Dixon Line; hoagie is used in most of Pennsylvania, Delaware, NJ -- the area centered around Philadelphia, where it seems to have started; in New York, it's generally hero; and in New England, grinder. Go figure. I don't have personal knowledge, but I believe that sub is used west of Pennsylvania.