American slang state by state
The United Slang of America
If every state had an official word, what would it be? (Connecticut, you get glawackus .)
Welcome to the United Slang of America. In order to create the map above, we used a layered, multistep approach. First, we called up some linguists who helped us make an initial list of unique words that are in one way or another associated with a particular state. That got us off to a coruscant start (linguists!). Next we researched online message board discussions about zany terms that have gained popularity in different states. We also surveyed friends and colleagues on the words they most associate with their home states and polled Slate readers on Facebook. Ultimately, we built up groupings of anywhere from five to 10 viable options for each state and then, well, argued a lot. The competition was fierce, the results certain to be controversial.
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Before turning to the map, please allow us to briefly note the following: First, our selections are not put forth as the definitive right answer in each case, but rather represent our favorite word from among several worthy choices. (That said, please feel free to take our nominations as irrefutable dogma.) Second, in many instances, the word chosen as a representative for one state is also used by those living in other states. This is to be expected, of course, considering the ease of interstate travel and the tendency for some uniquely regional words to spread over time. Third, youll notice that some of these words arent words at all, but rather expressions or short phrases. In those instances where an expression or phrase was better or more interesting than the top one-word option, we decided against hewing narrowly to a single-word rule. Finally, ties were broken based on things like which word was the most fun to say or whether any of the word choices included especially cool letters like zs or ws.
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With all of that out of the way, now its your turn to let us know how we did. We stand by our picks. But if youve lived in Kansas for 75 years and have never heard anyone say shucky darn, or you grew up in Mississippi and have no idea what nabs are, by all means be heard. Of course, there are some things that we feel strongly about. For instance, we will shed no tears for Southern California on the whole hella thing. (No SoCal word beats it. End of story.) Similarly, nothing from the eastern portion of Pennsylvania ever had a chance of prevailing over yinz. And, for all the pedants out there, please know that we realize some people in and around D.C. spell bama with two ms. We made a call there, we feel good about it, and were moving forward. Enjoy the map and fear the glawackus.
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Special thanks to Carnegie Mellon student Zora Gilbert for her research assistance on this project.
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Alabama
cattywampus (adjective): crooked, tipped over, sideways, crazy, messed up
Who came up with this cattywampus campaign slogan?
Alaska
sourdough(noun): a longtime resident of Alaska
That sourdough is super old and kind of smelly, but hes got a good heart.
Arizona
snowbird(noun): a visitor who flocks to Arizona to escape the cold winter elsewhere
Here are two things that snowbirds love: playing golf terribly and telling everybody back home that its a dry heat.
Arkansas
tump (verb): to tip over or dump out
Were about to hit this bump, so hold your drink or it will tump .
California
hella (adverb): very or extremely; (adjective): many, much, a lot of
That telenovela is hella melodramatic.
Colorado
fourteener (noun): a mountain more than 14,000 feet above sea level
So far on this road trip Ive counted 13 fourteeners !
Connecticut
glawackus(noun): a mysterious and ferocious animal/monster of local legend
Enjoy this map while you can, people, because the glawackus is realand real hungry.
Delaware
baggin up (expression): to laugh loudly or for an extended period
The clerk at the grocery started baggin up when he noticed all the packages of bacon Jerry had placed on the counter.
Florida
toad-strangler (noun): a heavy or especially severe rain storm
That rainstorm ended up being a real toad-strangler .
Georgia
dingnation (noun): damnation, hell
Getting stuck at this impromptu choir bell concert is akin to being trapped in dingnation .
Hawaii
aloha (noun): greeting/farewell; (adjective): welcoming, friendly, kind
[Telephone rings]
-Aloha!
-Aloha?
-Aloha.
-Aloha!
-Aloha!
-Aloha.
-Aloha.
-Aloha.
Idaho
whistle pig (noun): aprairie dog
I tried to chase down the whistle pig in the yard, but it dove into a hole and disappeared.
Illinois
grabowski(noun): a hard-working, tough, blue-collar individual
A true grabowski has no time for your linguistic squabbles.
Indiana
Hoosier(noun): Someone from or living in the state of Indiana, or a country bumpkin, depending on who is using the word and how.
This is an example of how to use Hoosier in a sentence when you are not from Indiana and dont really understand this whole thing and are afraid of angering people by crafting something that will be offensive in some way.
Iowa
kybo(noun): port-a-potty
Whoa, I gotta go! Wheres the kybo ?
Kansas
shucky darn (expression): an exclamation that loosely equates to wow!
Shucky darn , thats a yucky barn!
Kentucky
chughole(noun): a pothole
Our Ford Fiesta might struggle with that chughole .
Louisana
banquette(noun): sidewalk
Estelle regretted wearing high heels after she tripped on a crack in the banquette and dropped her baguette.
Maine
ayuh (expression): yes
Ayuh . Nu-uh! Ayuh.
Maryland
hon(noun): short for honey
My anaconda dont want none unless you got buns, hon .
Massachusetts
wicked (adverb): very; (adjective): awesome, great, etc.
That Broadway play was wicked !
Michigan
yooper (noun): a person from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Michigan state trooper pulled over the speeding yooper .
Minnesota :
uff da (expression): a brief statement of surprise or disgust
Uff da , was Jesse Ventura really the governor at one point?
Mississippi
nabs (noun): peanut butter crackers
Ive got tabs on the nabs , so they are not up for grabs.
Missouri
Missouri (noun): a state name that has four different pronunciations
How do you say Missouri properly?
Montana
graupel(noun): snow-like precipitation that resembles tiny ice balls
That rain was pretty annoying, but this graupel that stings when it hits you is just absurd.
Nebraska
runza (noun): a pastry consisting mainly of ground beef and cabbage
Runzas seem like they would be completely gross, but they are surprisingly delectable.
Nevada
pogonip (noun): a dense, icy fog
Whatever you do, never attempt to use a pogo stick in the pogonip .
New Hampshire
poky (adjective): scary or eerie
I cant decide whether that Donald Trump impersonator is hokey or poky .
New Jersey
jug handle (noun): an intersection that forces you to turn right in order to turn left
Why cant Springsteen call up Christie and have him do something about all these stupid jug handles in Jersey?
New Mexico
christmas(noun): green and red chili mix
Please pass the christmasthese chips could use some flavor!
New York
mad (adverb): very, exceptionally; (adjective): many or several
De Blasio seems mad chill.
North Carolina
Cackalacky (noun): another name for North Carolina
I had a massive stomachache following our epic road trip to Cackalacky for some pulled-pork sandwiches.
North Dakota
hotdish (noun): a casserole
Trish knew her hotdish was delish.
Ohio
carry-in (noun): a potluck dinner
What sort of casserole are you going to bring to Carrie Anns carry-in ?
Oklahoma
quakenado(noun): an earthquake that occurs at the same time as a tornado
This quakenado could really use some sharks.
Oregon
jojos(noun): potato wedges
Guests at the dinner party reported that Joes jojos were just so-so.
Pennsylvania
yinz (noun): you all, you guys
If yinz people from Philly were making this list then maybe you could have gotten jawn on here, or something about cheesesteaks, but those are the breaks.
Rhode Island
cabinet (noun): milkshake
I cant believe you hid my chocolate cabinet in the backyard!
South Carolina
surcee(noun): an unexpected gift
She tried to conceal her disappointment at the fruitcake her grandmother had dropped off as a surcee .
South Dakota
chislic(noun): cubed meat
The only available appetizer was the chislic that made me sick.
Tennessee
whirlygust (noun): a strong wind
Just as we were about to complete the house of cards on the back porch a whirlygust rolled through and ruined everything.
Texas
hoss (noun): partner, friend
Hey, hoss, would you mind trussing that there pig?
Utah
oh my heck (expression): a variant on oh my God
Oh my heck , these kids talking in the movie theater are such a pain in the neck!
Vermont
creemee (noun): soft serve
This chocolate and vanilla swirl creemee is totally dreamy.
Virginia
might could (verb): can
Virginia might could be for lovers.
Washington
jumble sale (noun): a yard/tag sale
Robs jumble sale was a smashing success: Someone actually paid real money for all those stupid Beanie Babies he bought back in the day!
Washington, D.C.
bama (noun): a loser or chump
Its only 9:30 and these bamas are already in their pajamas.
West Virginia
mess (used as a measurement): a mess of
Luckily, we made a mess of banana bread!
Wisconsin
TYME machine (noun): an automated teller machine
Where can I find a working TYME machine in this town?
Wyoming :
dout (verb): to put out a fire
Dont dout the fire. For it exists and shall carry on.
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/culturebox/2015/09/united_slang_of_america_map_if_every_state_had_an_official_word_what_would.html
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I looked at these briefly and this one jumped out at me
Rhode Island
cabinet (noun): milkshake
I cant believe you hid my chocolate cabinet in the backyard!
How do you get milkshake from the word "cabinet" ?
I've lived in KY all my life and never heard of chughole.
I would have thought the "word" would have been "doololly"-- As in, bring that doololly in the house, please. It's a word that substitutes for when you can't think of the real word for something.
And when those "yoopers" talk about us "southerners" they say we're "down below"
Being from Michigan I know the word Yooper well. I was born and raised in the Lower Peninsula, which many Yoopers don't even consider to be part of the state much of the time. I stopped at a bar just the other side of the Bridge (the Mackinac Bridge (when you say "the Bridge", everyone in Michigan knows what one you mean)) one time and they had a map of the state on the wall that showed a huge, massive Upper Peninsula and a very, very tiny, barely visible lower one beneath it. That is how most Yoopers look at us down South. Some of them think they should be a separate state or become part of Wisconsin, but I don't see that happening, because in the end we're all Michiganders and it's a friendly rivalry.
BTW, my wife is from Connecticut and says Soda when she refers to soft drinks. I was raised to say Pop. We have compromised by calling it Soda Pop, but I have discovered that it's said that way in some parts of the country anyway.
I know exactly what you mean, Randy! Lived here my whole life! Think I've probably been to that bar you refer to as well!
btw...it's POP!! Got that??
Hey Randy...here's another one for you...1 of 10 things only Michiganders will understand...
7. Where do you live? **Holds up hand**
If you ask someone in Michigan where they live, almost always that person will point to some place on their hand. Perks of living in a state shaped like a mitten.
One of my most favorite things about living in Michigan!
I always use my hand to show where I was born and where I was raised. I was born on the part of the hand print where Grand Rapids is and raised just Southeast of where Holland is. My mother's side of the family came from Ironwood (on the other hand
) though and they were classic, wooden spa in the backyard, Scandinavian Yoopers!
And it IS POP, DAMN IT!
Oh and Mackinac and Mackinaw are both pronounced the same. Rachel Maddow got that wrong on one of her shows and was flooded with tweets and emails from Michigan about it. She gracefully apologized.
We call them all cokes, Randy-- no matter what its real name is...
Or "vittles". I've come to the store to fetch me some vittles.
Heathens!
We have done a lot of traveling in our home state of Minnesota,as well as throughout Wisconsin and Michigan. Though there are of differences, we have noted that those three states are an awful lot alike in many, many ways. The scenery and climateare very similar, there is a strong emphasis on hunting, fishing and lakes, and actually a lot of the food and drink is similar as well. Though there may be some slight cultural differences in slang, we have also noted that these states share a lotta common words and phrases we've not heard elsewhere.
Here is an example: How many people here know what, or have heard of a drink called a Caesar? It actually originated in Canada so it makes sense that you would mostly find it in the US along the northern border states. It's funny though because we have attempted to order that drink in many places, but the only states that seem to know what it is, are three I have mentioned (I am probably wrong, but the generalization has been true for us so far).
I also must plug the Bridge that Randy and Uppy have mentioned. Not only is the Mackinac Bridge a veryimpressive feat of engineering, Mackinac Island itself is a wonder! Truly a beautiful place, and a place seemingly completely out of time. If any ever have a chance to visit that place, it is quite, quite cool!
:~)
There ya go! Now you got it! lol...
I was born and "raised" in Muskegon but left home for the "big city", two months after turning 18! Lived in Saginaw for a little over 5 years in the early/mid 80s but mostly in the Detroit area (haven't lived in the city at all since 1980).
Uff da, quickly followed by, ''yabetcha''.
Western Michiganders always support the Detroit teams (Go Red Wings!) in the East, but it's the Western part of the state where all of the fun really is. If you like small towns that is.
Mackinac Island itself is a wonder! Truly a beautiful place, and a place seemingly completely out of time. If any ever have a chance to visit that place, it is quite, quite cool!
My 2nd wife and I vacationed there five or six years in a row. It's much better (though more expensive) if you stay at one of the hotels on the Island, because when the last ferry boat is gone for the day, it really turns into the small town, late 1800's feel. No motor vehicles are allowed on the Island, except for emergency ones like a few fire trucks and also a few cars when they filmed the movie "Somewhere in Time" with the late Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour there. Just bicycles and horse drawn carriages to get around with.
LOL! When I was stationed in North Dakota down river from Fargo in Grand Forks, I heard those words all of the time. After I had lived there for a few years people back home in Michigan would always told me I had an accent and I didn't think I had picked one up!
We have taken our bikes along with us on the ferry, and we stay at one of the the smaller B&B's or in a cabin. The Grand Hotel is exquisite, though not really our style. One interesting fact about the Grand, is that it has the longest portico (porch) in the world! Honestly, I've never seen anything like it.
It is beautiful! And far too expensive for me to stay in. Hell they charge non guests just to walk on the porch. I still want to stay there sometime though. It is on my bucket list. It has 385 rooms and every last one of them is decorated differently. No two rooms are alike. To me that's just amazing!
Oh and they have a very strict dress code for dinner. You are expected to dress almost formally for dinner or you can't go into the main dining room.
Lol, we ponied-up the $15 and toured the place once; it is fascinating for sure, and not exactly what I expected. The place smells like old money, and yes, the rooms were all different, though they were also very old, which means smaller than one might expect.
Or thingamajig....one of my mom's favorites....
Having lived in Texas a couple of different times. The one expression that I found interesting, if not understandable was, ''Shit boy, howdy''...The visuals that accompanied that expression were to be avoided.
Soda. : )
Pop...
Well, little lady, I'm a fixin' to have me a sodie pop. ya hear.
Feronia, these commercials make me want to have a Red POP.
BTW, my wife is more firmly in the Soda camp then I had remembered. I just HAD to ask! Damn it! Of course she wasn't smart enough to avoid marrying me...sooooo....
You wouldn't argue with the great Laurel and Hardy...would you?
Sack, as in paper sack, plastic bag!
I love doolollies-- I have a bunch of them around the house.
Tonight, it was really windy, and I told my husband, "It's fixin' to blow up a rain..." I'm from a smaller city, and my husband is from the Big City. He sometimes looks at me oddly at my word choices...
My daughters Hon me now like they came from B'more.
The place smells like old money
It's been around for more then 120 years and for most of that time it was always a summer place for the truly wealthy throughout the mid-West. Even the Michigan Governor always stayed there in the summer, as there is a summer Governor's Mansion there. The current Governor visits there during the summer (the Island is closed during the winter as are all of it's hotels, with very few year round residents) and several Presidents have been guests there and at the Grand.
Dawters, dwags, and cawfee.....
Brooklyn
Terlit, turidy-turd, earl,
Lower Manhattan
Lawngiland....
Need I say where?
BTW it's soda, heros,
I'll look up some of that slang...just as soon as I get myself another pop....
lol....