Sprinkles vs. Jimmies
Most of us will refer to these delicious decorations of cookie awesomeness as “Sprinkles.” In New England and the Mid-Atlantic, they call them “Jimmies.”
Other states will break them up like this: the coloured ones are “Sprinkles” while the chocolate ones are “Jimmies.”
Roundabout vs. Traffic Circle
I usually say “roundabout,” and that makes me the majority, along with most of the Western half of the country.
In the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, they generally go with “traffic circle.” Weird.
Even weirder; in pockets of New England, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, they say “rotaries.” Wha?
Y’all vs. you all
Pretty much if you live in the South, between the Gulf and the Mason-Dixon line, you’re gonna say “y’all.” Everyone else says “You all.”
The outliers though, are Florida, who are usually Northern transplants and stick to the full phrase, and Pennsylvania and NY State, who’ll say “yinz” and “youse” instead.
Coke vs. Pop
A carbonated drink is going to be known as “soda” in the West and Northeast, a “pop” in the Midwest and a “Coke” in parts of the South, regardless of the brand/drink. Probably because they’re so close to Atlanta and the secret Coke recipe vault.
Faucet vs. Spigot
A valve where water comes out, is generally called a “faucet” in most parts of the country, regardless of whether or not it’s inside or out.
In the South, especially if the tap is outside, it’s known as a “spigot” or “spicket.”
Tennis shoes vs. Sneakers
They’re called “tennis shoes” across most of the US, but the Northeast will refer to them as “sneakers.”
There are also pockets of the Midwest (like Chicago and Cincinnati) that’ll say “gym shoes.”
Roly Poly vs. Pillbug
This non-threatening bug is known as a “pillbug” in the West and Northeast, but as a “roly poly” in the South.
You can also hear people call them a “doodlebug” or a “potato bug” in other parts of the country too.
Crawfish vs. Crayfish vs. Crawdad
There are multiple names for this freshwater crustacean that kinda looks like a baby lobster. If you’re in the South, you’ll hear them called “Crawfish.”
But if you head up the East Coast and the Great Lakes region, you’ll hear them called “Crayfish.” In the Midwest, they’ll call them “Crawdads.”
Then, there’s also the name “mudbug,” which just sounds so tasty to me.
Lightning Bug vs. Firefly
These glowing bugs have some distinctly regional names in the US. From the South up into the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, you’ll hear them called “lightning bugs.”
Head on to the Northeast, Upper Midwest and the West, and they’ll tell you to call them “fireflies.”
Sub vs. Hero vs. Hoagie
Across most of the country, a long sandwich filled with meats, cheese, veggies and condiments is known as a “submarine sandwich/sub” This term replaced a Northeastern term “grinder” in popularity, also you’ll still hear it in places.
It’s also got some city specific nicknames like “hero” in New York and “hoagie” in Philadelphia.
Shopping Cart vs. Buggy
Shopping Cart vs. Buggy This one boils down to a South vs. everyone else kind of deal. Most of the country will call it a “shopping cart,” but in the South, they prefer “buggy.”
Liquor store vs. ABC store
Most Americans will call this divine retail location a “liquor store,” but there are some regional exceptions.
Folks from North Carolina and Virginia will tell you they’re heading to the “ABC Store,” a name that goes back to when the Alcoholic Beverage Control commission was in charge. As well, in Michigan, you might hear residents call it a “party store,” while in New England, it’s a “package store.”
Mountain Lion vs. Cougar
This kitten with the murder mittens goes by several names. Most people across the US will call it a “mountain lion.”
Once you hit the Southeast, however, you’ll hear the word “panther.” In Vermont and New Hampshire, they’ll tell you it’s called a “catamount.”
Finally the Western US prefers the terms “cougar & puma” to describe these majestic cats.
Highway vs. Freeway
All the roads that cross the country to get you from coast to coast, are normally called “highways.”
But on the West Coast and in California specifically, they’ll say it’s a “freeway.” If you head across the country to the Midwest and Northeast, they prefer the term “expressway.”
Kitty-corner vs. Catty-corner
This term comes from a butchering of the French word for four – “quatre.” In any case, different regions have their own way of indicating that something is diagonally opposite on one of four corners.
In most of America, they’ll say it’s “kitty-corner,” while the South prefers to use “catty-corner.”
Water fountain vs. drinking fountain vs. bubbler
The term “water fountain” is used predominantly on the West Coast, while “drinking fountain” is popular on the East Coast and in the South.
Parts of New England and Wisconsin, however, like their unique slang and call it a “bubbler.”
Casserole vs. Hot Dish
When you bake food in a dish and serve it in a deep pan, it’s generally known as a “casserole” in most of the country.
But in the Upper Midwest, a “hotdish” is what you’d call this potluck staple.
Semi vs. 18-Wheeler
This staple of the economy is technically known as a tractor-trailer or semi-trailer. Across most of the country though, we’ll just called it a “semi.”
But in the Gulf states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, it’s called an “18-wheeler.”
Lollipop vs. Sucker
You want a hard candy on a stick? In the South, tell them you want a “sucker.” Everywhere else, ask for a “lollipop.”
Garage Sale vs. Yard Sale
When you’re forced to sell your unwanted stuff in front of your house on a sunny Saturday, call it a “yard sale” on the East Coast and a “garage sale” everywhere else.
Some states deviate from this and will also call it a “tag sale” or a “rummage sale.”
Trash Can vs. Garbage Can
In the Pacific Northwest and Upper Midwestern states, they use “garbage can.”
In the South and Southwest, you’ll commonly hear them say “trash can.”
Carryout vs. Takeout
To the majority of Americans, “takeout” is the preferred term. In the Midwest though, they prefer to say “carryout.”
Pancake vs. Flapjack vs. Hotcake
To most of us, this delicious breakfast stop is a “pancake.” In specific regions, though, they’ll give them the names “flapjack” in parts of the west and “hotcake” in parts of the North.
Wallet vs. Billfold
Everyone else in the country is gonna call it their “wallet,” but once again, the South does things a little differently.
They like to call it a “billfold.”
Sofa vs. Couch
A lot of people will use these two words interchangeably, but most Americans will opt for “couch.”
If you’re travelling to New England, make sure to refer to it as a “sofa.”