# Regional idiomatic idiosyncracies (US especially) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 12, 2002, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461 "2002-11-12T18:43:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/1 "2002-11-12T18:43:00Z")
Today, in a New York deli, I got an odd look from a guy when I asked if he was “waiting in line.” In New York, of course, you wait, or stand, _on_ line. This slight difference must be quite old, since I’ve never heard a New Yorker of any age speak of waiting _in_ line like people do in the rest of the country. I’m interested to know what other expressions are different depending on where you are, or that don’t even exist outside of a few small areas. Preferrably things that aren’t technically errors - saying “I’m all” when you mean “I said” is apparently confined to California, for which I’m thankful because it’s ugly and it’s wrong. But ways of phrasing things that do make grammatical sense, but sound odd to most English speakers who aren’t from \_\_\_\_\_, is something I’m curious about. Any takers? ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/2 "2002-11-12T19:03:41Z")
I knew a guy from Chicago, who never went over _to_ someone’s house but always over _by_ someone’s house. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/3 "2002-11-12T19:26:12Z")
American in England here… so there are quite a few. As to the waiting _in_ line or _on_ line… Here you are in a queue. When stressed or rushed I can forget this and ask if someone is ‘in line’ and I get weird looks… d’oh! I grew up in Oregon, **Myron Van Horowitzski** , and visiting could be done by going _to_ or _by_ someone’s house. It seemed to perhaps do with the length of intended stay…?? If it was just for a quick chat or summat it was going _by_. If we were going to stay for a while, perhaps have a meal, then we went _to_ their house. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/4 "2002-11-12T19:29:30Z")
Some people have a soda. Some people have pop. Others have a coke, or a 7-up (i.e., refer to it by the brand name). Hot dogs vs. weiners. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/5 "2002-11-12T19:38:06Z")
Some people clean a room. Some people straighten up. Some people set to rights. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/6 "2002-11-12T19:40:46Z")
There are lots of these. I’m fixin’ to list a few of them. People from certain areas (Pennsylvania I’ve heard) say “The floor needs swept.” Black people (at least in the South) often don’t “live” somewhere, the “stay” there, and they don’t “watch” TV, they “look at” it. I think I’ve heard people use “market” as a verb to mean “shop at a grocery store.” Like “I need to go marketing.” Seems like it’s up in the Northeast. And I think that there might be some people who use the word “supermarket” in conversation, as a replacement to “grocery store.” I’m not sure whether this is a regional thing or the people I’ve heard are just weird. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/7 "2002-11-12T19:48:54Z")
When my best friend moved to Minnesota she said she had the biggest problems with the extra “then” they liked to throw at the end of sentences. She said most of her conversations were like this: **Native Minnesotan** - “Are you going to the bank then?” \*\*Best Friend \*\* - “When?” **Native Minnesotan** - Strange look at best friend. **Native Minnesotan** - “Are you going to eat that candy then?” **Best Friend** - “When?” **Native Minnesotan** - Strange look at best friend. I don’t think of that as an error so much as just a different way of talking. ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/8 "2002-11-12T19:55:50Z")
A modern phrase I dislike greatly is to “do lunch”. Let’s do breakfast, lunch and dinner and after that we can do TV. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/9 "2002-11-12T19:55:50Z")
> [@](#): > > _ **Ethilrist** said:_ > Hot dogs vs. weiners. At least in my dialect, a “hot dog” is an assembly that _includes_ a weiner, as well as other items, such as a bun and coindiments (such as relish or peanut butter). > [@](#): > > _ **Jonathan Chance** said:_ > Some people clean a room. > Some people straighten [it] up. Again, in my dialect, “cleaning” is more inclusive then “straightening up”. The former implies soap and water, or the equivalent; the latter does not. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/10 "2002-11-12T20:16:16Z")
Indian English has quite a few idiomatic usages that are different from American English – One notable one is the use of the word “only” for emphasis – “It is there only” “I went yesterday only” ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/11 "2002-11-12T20:46:19Z")
So what’s different about “It is there only”? I guess I don’t understand what meaning you’re trying to convey. Is it that you’re emphasizing _there_? My favorite Indian-speak is the word “prepone,” the opposite of “postpone,” as in “The meeting had been scheduled for 3:00, but it was preponed to 2:00.” About the “going _by_” phrase - I think it’s pretty common everywhere to say “I’m going by his house to pick up the letter.” You wouldn’t say “by” if you were actually going to stay there for any lenght of time. Is this usage unusual anywhere? ---
**Author:** ![Typo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Typo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/12 "2002-11-12T20:53:33Z")
Having (relatively) recently moved to ND, my husband and I noticed the use of “a guy,” as follows. “What if I fix this like that?” “Yeah, a guy could do that. Or a guy could do this instead.” “While you’re in town, could you pick this up for me?” “A guy can do that.” It’s amazing what a guy can do, unless it’s too spendy(expensive)! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/13 "2002-11-12T20:55:31Z")
“prepone”. I like that. I think I’ll start using it here in Toronto. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![booklover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@booklover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booklover)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/14 "2002-11-12T21:01:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sunspace \* > \*\*At least in my dialect, a “hot dog” is an assembly that _includes_ a weiner, as well as other items, such as a bun and coindiments (such as relish or peanut butter). Again, in my dialect, “cleaning” is more inclusive then “straightening up”. The former implies soap and water, or the equivalent; the latter does not. \*\* Hmm…I’ve never used “straighten up”. When I say “clean a room”, I mean I’m going to pick up things and put them in their appropriate places. If I were going to use soap and water, I’d probably say that I was going to mop/scrub the room. Of course, the Southern “fixin’ to” has been noted; the other notable Southernism that springs to mind is “That dog don’t hunt” (said of something that’s not rational or something the speaker disapproves of). ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/15 "2002-11-12T21:15:54Z")
One thing I noticed when I moved down here was the use of “lovin’ on”, as in: “Look at the little kid lovin’ on his mother. Ain’t that cute? Bless his heart!” Of course, if I let slip a “wicked” (“I was going to mail this letter, but the line at the post office was wicked long”) I get funny looks. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/16 "2002-11-12T21:16:57Z")
Took me a few times to realize that “might do” is Brit-speak for “maybe.” And over here they say, when giving you a phone number, to “phone me _on_ [phone number]”, rather that call me _at_. And back home in the States I have a couple friends who say “on accident,” rather than “by accident.” I have no idea what that’s about. ---
**Author:** ![NYR407](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@NYR407](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NYR407)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/17 "2002-11-12T21:37:04Z")
Engy, I hope you didn’t order a “hogie” at the deli. We have heros here. I think there is another one besides hogie too. I am not sure if this one is regional or not but I have noticed people order “triangles” or “squares” when they are ordering a pizza. To me its either a regular or a sicilian. “Let me get two regulars and three sicilians” sounds normal to me. “Let me get two triangles and three squares” sounds like you are ordering at a geomerty store. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/18 "2002-11-12T21:48:02Z")
I’m fixin’ to get a coke. Y’all want a Dr. Pepper too? ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/19 "2002-11-12T21:48:37Z")
As the child of parents from PA, I’ve heard a lot of things I wouldn’t have heard from CA natives: “Red off the table” (clear it) “Dippy eggs” (eggs over easy) “There’s pie back” (there’s still some pie) And it took them a while to learn that we have lunch, not dinner, and dinner, not supper. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461/20 "2002-11-12T21:53:08Z")
I used to work with a woman who had been raised in South Carolina who said “cut off the lights when you leave the room”. Isn’t there an area where people use phrases like “my lawn needs watered” or “my dog needs washed”? Then there’s Yiddishisms: “I should be so lucky.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-idiomatic-idiosyncracies-us-especially/136461.md?page=2)