Southerners vs. Northerners: Slang Edition | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Southerners vs. Northerners: Slang Edition

Who is actually right here?

5527
Southerners vs. Northerners: Slang Edition
Matt Hoffman

Going from southern Alabama to northern Ohio came with quite a few culture shocks. I noticed an inordinate amount of differences in our lifestyle versus northerners', one mainly being the language. Here are a few main differences I immediately noticed upon my arrival:

1. How do you address a superior such as an adult, waiter or waitress, or a teacher?

Southerners: "Yes ma'am," or "Yes sir."

Northerners: "Yeah."

2. How do you order tea at lunch?

Southerners: "May I have a sweet tea, please?"

Northerners: "Can I have an iced tea?"

3. What do you put your groceries in?

Southerners: a buggy

Northerners: a cart

4. What's the third main meal of the day called?


Southerners: supper

Northerners: dinner

5. What are these called?



Southerners: tennis shoes

Northerners: sneakers

6. What do you call those little bugs that light up at night during the summer?


Southerners: fireflies

Northerners: lightning bugs

7. What are these called?

Southerners: roundabouts

Northerners: traffic circles

8. What do you call this when you order it at dinner?

Southerners: a Coke

Northerners: Pop

9. What does a teacher say when they say you aren't allowed to use your phone?


Southerners: "Put it up."

Northerners: "Put it away"

10. How do you ask someone to repeat themselves?

Southerners: "Excuse me?" or "Ma'am / Sir?"


Northerners: "What'd you say?"

11. How many syllables are in the word "caramel?

Southerners: "care - ah - mel"

Northerners: "car - ml"

12. When addressing a group of people, you say:

Southerners: "Y'all."

Northerners: "You guys."

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
eye roll

Working with the public can be a job, in and of itself. Some people are just plain rude for no reason. But regardless of how your day is going, always having to be in the best of moods, or at least act like it... right?

1. When a customer wants to return a product, hands you the receipt, where is printed "ALL SALES ARE FINAL" in all caps.

2. Just because you might be having a bad day, and you're in a crappy mood, doesn't make it okay for you to yell at me or be rude to me. I'm a person with feelings, just like you.

3. People refusing to be put on hold when a customer is standing right in front of you. Oh, how I wish I could just hang up on you!

Keep Reading...Show less
blair waldorf
Hercampus.com

RBF, or resting b*tch face, is a serious condition that many people suffer from worldwide. Suffers are often bombarded with daily questions such as "Are you OK?" and "Why are you so mad?" If you have RBF, you've probably had numerous people tell you to "just smile!"

While this question trend can get annoying, there are a couple of pros to having RBF.

Keep Reading...Show less
legally blonde
Yify

Another day, another Elle Woods comment. Can’t us blondes get through the day without someone harping at us over the typical stereotypes about who we are? I never understood why a person was judged based upon the hair color they were born with, or the hair color they choose to have (unless you dye your hair blue like Kylie Jenner, I’m still trying to understand why that’s a trend). Nevertheless, as it should be assumed, not everyone is the same. Not all blondes like bright colors and Lilly Pulitzer, and not all blondes claim to identify with Marilyn Monroe. I think the best suggestion to give to people before they make such radical claims is to stop judging a book by its cover. Or in this case, stop judging a blonde by her hair color.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

A Year At JMU As Told By 'Bob's Burgers'

The world's greatest university meets the world's greatest show.

1436
Bob's Burgers
collegian.com

A year at JMU promises many great adventures. The journey of becoming a duke and learning what being a duke is all about is really exciting and a lot of fun. Of course, we all know that James Madison University is the greatest university in Virginia (perhaps even the entire country). There are many events and moments at JMU that are cherished and remembered by all dukes.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

15 Things That Happen On Your Birthday

Do you have a small get-together or throw a big bash?

5246
birthday party

My birthday has never been my favorite holiday. I've found that I'm more excited to celebrate my friends' and family members' birthdays more than my own. I don't like being the center of attention, so I usually celebrate over dinner with a small group of family and friends. This way, I can enjoy myself naturally without feeling like I have to entertain everyone and make sure they are satisfied. In the past when I've had large parties, I was so nervous that people weren't perfectly content that I didn't enjoy myself at my own celebration.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments