# Family-isms **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 2, 2001, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985 "2001-07-02T17:18:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2001, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/1 "2001-07-02T17:18:29Z")
Every family has them. Special little words that, to the average Joe, have no meaning, but inside the family mean other things. For example, my family calls blueberries ‘boobies,’ due to a toddler’s inability to pronounce all of the letters in the word blueberries. Other words: Pagaya = Penguin Breakdist = Breakfast Buppy = Butt Bokato; Broken Toe = Remote Control Friginow or frigilater; frigilater = Refridgerator I know a few families who use the words ‘poot’ and ‘fluffer’ and ‘fluffernutter’ in place of ‘fart.’ (I would never use the word ‘fluffernutter’ to describe something like that; to me, a fluffernutter is a sandwich with PB and marshmallow cream.) Anyway, what are your family-isms? [sub]I need some more reassurance that mine isn’t the only family that does this![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![tevya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tevya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tevya)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2001, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/2 "2001-07-02T17:23:41Z")
My family has a bunch of these but I can only think of one at the moment. Magenta = Agenda. _What is on the magenta today?_ ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2001, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/3 "2001-07-02T19:39:00Z")
Yeah, we’ve got a bunch of them, too. Non or mither = mom Oshcoff = washcloth Tiddly room = utility room Fussy = horse I know there are more, but those pop to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2001, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/4 "2001-07-02T19:56:46Z")
Conker: Remote Control This started waaaaay back when my Dad bought a very early model of a TV with a remote control. It had a dial to change channels, and when you used the Remote, it would make this “conk conk conk” noise when the dial physically moved. Thus the name Conker. It’s infectious, too. I’ve managed to get every roommate who’s ever lived with me to call remote controls conkers. The best, though, was when Mr. Athena started calling the garage door opener the “garage conker.” heheheee… I’d never thought of that! ---
**Author:** ![Tattva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@Tattva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tattva)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2001, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/5 "2001-07-02T20:54:36Z")
We’ve got a few, most of them due to my little sister. Fingertails = fingernails Crunchy = country (ie rural areas) I know when I hit the reply button 5 minutes ago I could think of a couple more, but I’ve forgotten them now. ---
**Author:** ![lestrange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aca169/32.png) [@lestrange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lestrange)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2001, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/6 "2001-07-02T21:14:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tevya \* > \*\*My family has a bunch of these but I can only think of one at the moment. > > Magenta = Agenda. _What is on the magenta today?_ > > \*\* What’s on the gender today? ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2001, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/7 "2001-07-02T21:55:22Z")
You guys have reminded me of a couple more: Beebleberries = blueberries Goose nibbles = goose bumps Kinka Burger = Burger King Pinch blllack = pitch black (extra hard L) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2001, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/8 "2001-07-02T21:59:29Z")
My family refers to the remote control as the “clicker”. My current flatmate refers to it as the “penis”. Apparently because it is an object of tremendous power. Is it ethical for me to try to date her boyfriend if she dumps him? They will also refer to milk as moo-juice and hotdogs as cow-lips. Enchiladas are referred to as “enchildas” due to a typo on a hospital menu board. ---
**Author:** ![Creaky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@Creaky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creaky)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2001, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/9 "2001-07-02T22:50:26Z")
From my family: [li] kivvers: covers, as in bedclothes[/li][li] retch: reach, as in reach that for me[/li][li] Tony Nelson: Half Nelson. My dad used to practice wrestling moves on us when we were kids.[/li][li] tenchiper: temperature[/li][li] Izzitsoo?: Is that so?[/li][li] lemon syringe pie: lemon meringue pie[/li][li] lellah: yellow[/li]And then there were the nicknames, unique to the mind of my father… My mother: “Gert” My sister: “K. A.” or “Jelly Belly” Next door neighbor girl: “Murph the Smurf” Murph’s father: “Hector Protector” Me: “Moose” or “Sissy” (as in Sis) Old friend of the family: “Duke the Puke” My future husband: “Vinnie Bumbazzo” ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2001, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/10 "2001-07-02T23:20:56Z")
“Gee-gockles”= Mc Donald’s “Megam” or “Negam” =my name “TB”=tv “bafwoom”=bathroom I know there’s more but I can’t think of any. ---
**Author:** ![hardygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@hardygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardygrrl)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/11 "2001-07-03T01:13:53Z")
My family calls me Yaya instead of Tanya…my oldest nephew’s toddler pronounciation. ---
**Author:** ![Jadis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@Jadis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jadis)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/12 "2001-07-03T01:16:33Z")
We owe both of these familyisms to my father, who was often unappreciative of our efforts in the kitchen. 😃 shitcakes: salmon patties. Dad was more of a meat and potatoes type of guy. Mom was frying up salmon patties one night and Dad, looking on in consternation, says “Oh great, we’re having shitcakes for dinner.” slop: an experimental stir-fry my brother whipped up that relied heavily on chinese cabbage. Although Dad ate it after his dire pronouncement, we all found it hilarious, and pretty much any stir-fry we make is still referred to as “slop” to this day. Ah, family. What would we do without them? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sylkyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sylkyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylkyn)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/13 "2001-07-03T01:17:21Z")
Yes, my family has a few of those…and I thought _we_ were the only ones! high pream = ice cream busketti = spaghetti bookpond = coupon book (had no idea what this was for almost a month) Mifdaniel = Nathaniel (took us forever to figure out this kid’s name) Farz = Troy (my youngest son called his older brother this for ages) bychoo = Halloween jack-o-lantern (my oldest screamed this in terror when he was two; we finally realized he was saying “BITE YOU!” The name has stuck for 18 years now) bokickle = motorcycle Bayko = my sister, Leslie. My kids call her that, E. E. and Faker. Bayko is because my youngest two couldn’t say Faker. (Long story behind the nickname Faker) Tay-Tay = my nephews’ pet name for me I’m sure I will remember more later. We say stuff like this all the time. I haven’t called ice cream ice cream in more than 9 years. ---
**Author:** ![slackergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@slackergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slackergirl)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/14 "2001-07-03T01:55:51Z")
My sister and I would say things backwards when we were kids so “Put out the doof-tac and the klim for the nettiks” became the norm. I guess technically “snettik” would be correct, but whatever. One year my cousin came camping with us, and got the concept, but utterly failed in the execution and so the phrase “We want food” accompanied by pounding of silverware on the picnic table to piss off mom became something resembling “Eeeeeweee teneeeweee doof.” We still use it 20 years later. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/15 "2001-07-03T02:29:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ladyfoxfyre \* > \*\*“Gee-gockles”= Mc Donald’s > “Megam” or “Negam” =my name > “TB”=tv > “bafwoom”=bathroom > I know there’s more but I can’t think of any. > \*\* I’d rather have a TV than TB. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/16 "2001-07-03T02:36:31Z")
It’s very hard to explain to a 2 year old why the house has a bathroom, a bedroom, a living room, a dining room and a kitch_en_. Hence was born, **kitchroom**. We can still be heard calling it that to this day. Plumploes = marshmallows Bulla-bulla = butter Bamesent = basement Bi-dee-dee = beautiful * * * Jeg elsker dig, Thomas ---
**Author:** ![Searching\_For\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Searching\_For\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Searching_For_Truth)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/17 "2001-07-03T02:49:10Z")
My name “Melissa” was far too big for my sister, so ‘Mizza’ sufficed for years. Still does. My best friend couldn’t get his T’s straight as a toddler, and he called “trucks”, “fucks.” Imagine his sweet mother’s face when he begins screaming “FUCK!” at the top of his lungs in every toy aisle. _giggles_ ---
**Author:** ![Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/41988e/32.png) [@Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tequila_Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/18 "2001-07-03T03:03:55Z")
Pork chops = Cho pops hamburgers = hambeburgers ribs = rimbs popcicles = popisicles toe nails = toe claws KFC’s beans = chicken beans My sister and I always asked my dad to say “fuu-fuu” at his magazine…we wanted him to whistle. (I think we were about 2 and 3 at the time with no idea how to whistle) ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/19 "2001-07-03T03:08:03Z")
The only thing odd like that I can think of is “bean beans” when I was 2 or so, I used to call green beans that, and it sort of stuck. ---
**Author:** ![trose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f9ae1b/32.png) [@trose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trose)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985/20 "2001-07-03T03:15:37Z")
Airctionadinner=air conditioner From my niece, who’s now 30 and probably would be thrilled to know I brought this up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-isms/70985.md?page=2)