Recently a friend from home, born and raised in New York City, came to visit me here in San Luis Obispo. As we were hanging out with my west coast friends, she said something that got a look of confusion from my school friends, which warranted a confused look towards them from me. While I can’t remember what the word was now, we soon had compiled a list of phrases and terms that left the Californians bamboozled.

1. Dungarees

The Californians guessed several, diverse possible definitions for this word, including “dingus”,

“Australian clothing”

“Pou Parri”

“A synonym for sh*tty”

and “a type of snack” (you’re thinking of dunkaroos, but nice try.)

The actual definition is: jeans! Although I have to admit its a somewhat old fashioned word, something I hear my parents say a lot. I must have said this word a hundred times since coming out here, I wonder what people thought I meant…

2. Pocketbook

This one seems like it would be fairly easy to guess, but with the New York inflection of the word, it comes out sounding like “pockabook” which kind of threw them through a loop. The guesses for pocketbook included

“wallet” (oh, so close)

and “advent calendar”.

I wish this one were closer to the truth, because in an ideal world my pocketbook would be full of chocolate too.

The actual definition is: a small purse! Although the Californians did point out, a purse does not fit in your pocket, nor do you read it. I guess we’re all kind of at a loss for the point of this word.

3. Bubble Tea

The californians thought it was carbonated tea.

The actual definition is: Boba!

4. Rain

The californians had no idea.

This joke was a lot funnier before it rained for a week straight.

5. Quack didiliac

I'm really not sure about the spelling of this one. I've never seen someone look so incredulous as when I looked my friend in the eye and said "what do you mean you don't know what quack didliac is" with a completely straight face.

For any east coasters reading this, its more heartbreaking than anything that quack didiliac is not universal. It is, and always will be, a favorite hand game of children up and down the east coast. It was the most basic, go-to game. I coudn't tell you how many hours I spent chanting the lyrics, and it makes me sad that its not something everyone immediately understands.

So even after my two years here as a New Yorker, I’m still learning new differences and dichotomies. It used to be I just had to worry about the occasional accent cameo. I would see my friends eyes light up in the middle of a seemingly basic conversation, and I would know I had slipped: "Cawfee" would come out instead of "coffee" or I'd tell a story about what my bawss did at work. The words above however are words that I had never thought twice about, and I'm a little worried to know what other differences are out there.

Now I’m just curious about what other things I’ve said, oblivious to the confusion and probably wild assumptions I was causing….