Last Updated on January 7, 2021
© Pinterest Even if people are speaking in the same dialect, they would still be using different words. The American English for example, you will have one object that may be named something in Mississippi but has a whole other different name in Minnesota.
Those differences are the ones that make us all interesting, and instead of letting them be a barrier that divides us, we should take them in and celebrate them.
If you meet different people constantly, you may be already aware of the differences that are spread all around the country, and if you are interested to learn some of them, then here are the 10 things that have different names throughout the United States.
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Carbonated Soft Drinks
In most states, the carbonated soft drinks are called “Soda” or “Coke”, but if you are in the Midwest states, then you will be surprised when you know it is the “pop”, and that’s because of that “pop” sound the bottle makes when opened.
So if you ever heard someone saying “I need a pop right now!”, then you are definitely with a Midwesterner.
Tiny Lobsters
Scott Golder and Bert Vaux, the linguistic researchers conducted a survey of how Americans describe or pronounce words, and they have found the most divisive terms that each part of the country tends to call it a different name.
They asked them about the miniature lobsters that live in streams and lakes. The Great Lakes region and East Coast know these creatures as “crayfish”, the South calls them “crawfish”, and the Midwest calls them “crawdads”. Isn’t this kind of iconic?
Roundabouts
In case you already call them something else, roundabouts are where many roads meet at one big circle! Anyway, its name changes from one part of the country to another:
– The West calls them roundabouts.
– Parts of Massachusetts, Maine, and the New Hampshire: rotaries.
– The South: Traffic circles.
Water fountain
The water fountain is we all get that refreshing cold water and it is used for drinking or decoration. In the Midwestern and Western states, it is actually called the water fountain, while it is known in the South as the drinking fountain.
But when you head towards Wisconsin and Rhode Island, you will be amazed at the name they gave to it, and it is the “bubbler”.
Tennis Shoes
Those exercising shoes are mostly known as “tennis shoes” throughout the whole country, but the New Englanders call them “sneakers”, which is a little confusing but makes sense at the same time.
Think about it; they are probably doing less exercising and more “sneaking”. Also when you hear someone say it, it could remind you of that delicious chocolate bar, snickers, that will distract you from the actual workout. Oh, so many theories!
The big road on which you drive fast
That long, big road that you take every morning on your way to work is known in most states as “Highways” or “interstates”.
But if you ever went to the West Coast- California to be exact- you will have to call them “freeways” due to the high-speed limits and the open road. Most importantly, just make sure you are being safe while driving on it and on any road.
The patch of grass between the road and the sidewalk
In most states, that patch doesn’t really have a name, but there are some people who give it wild names, which is absolutely entertaining. According to the findings of Golden and Vaux, the Northeast states call it “Bern”, and those living around the Great Lakes region know it as “terrace”.
But the East Coast people call it “verge”. All of these names are mostly not related to the meaning but we accept that!
Freeway Median
In every highway, there is a long narrow area that divides the two sides of the road, and it is known as a “median”. But there are only 13% of Americans who have a different name for it, which is “median strip”.
However, Louisiana people prefer calling it the “neutral ground”. Well, it is indeed neutral and it is absolutely a ground… this is the perfect meaning of simplicity while naming things.
A certain long-legged insect
According to Golden and Vaux, the creepy but harmless looking insect that has long legs is known as “daddy long legs”. In fact, 94% of American calls it that.
But people living in the South call it “granddaddy”, while in Arkansas and Texas that insect is named “daddy graybeard”. Honestly, whatever name this insect has, it is still creepy and I still don’t want to see it in my house, ever.
Submarine Sandwich
This food can’t really have one name because it changes from one state to another, but it is still the same: long sandwiches filled with veggies, cheese, and cold cuts. Here is what each place calls them:
– New York City: Hero.
– New Englanders: Grinder (mostly filled with chicken breast and meatballs).
– Pennsylvania: Hoagie (filled with Italian cold cuts).
– In most states: Sub.
Do you know different names for these things? Let us know in the comments below.
