Say whuuuuut?

I get some pretty funny looks sometimes when I talk. The number 1 questions is always "where are you from?" Its usually followed by "I just love your accent!" I get it. I say a few words differently and I may say a few you have never heard. My children use them to. They are being raised by a southerner. They can't help it. So here is a list of the southernisms that have gotten me the most clueless stares. (usually from Dan)

1. The ever famous buggy versus shopping cart debate. I call it a buggy, my kids call it a buggy and I am sure there are a couple of entire southern states that call it a buggy. I realize you may confuse it with a baby buggy, but they are not the same. Note the use of the word baby.

2. That short a. No thats not a funny. I say Nevahhhhhda. ( and yes the a sound really is that long)

Dan and the whole of the west coast say Nevaaaada. Its a kind of throaty sound that is most unpleasant. The same sound goes for Colorahhhhdo.

3. Lancaster. You wouldn't think there is more than one way to pronounce this one but I am here to tell you there is. All the southerners read that word Lank-ister. All the NW folks are shaking their heads because they read in Lan-caster. I have been corrected on this several times.

4. Toboggan. Its a flippin hat. Its a flippin knit winter time hat. Out here if you say you are going to wear a toboggan everyone looks at you like you are nuts. Why on earth would you put a sled on your head? They call it a beanie or a knit cap. Whut-ever. My kids know what I am talking about.

5. The difference between cutting off the light and turning off the light. Now I know there isn't a difference at all, but people shake their heads and ask me how I hope to accomplish that. How do I plan to "cut" off the light per se? Again, the kids know what I mean.

6. Made up cuss words. Words like dadgummit, crap, foot (when you get mad and say "foot" that really gets some stares) shoot and the like. They just say the real cuss words. I blame it on the lack of pentecostal churches around here. I don't know where the baptists stand on cussing. I think they are pretty flexible on it. I don't think the hippies mind at all.

7. Calling your children by their gender. I call my son...well I call him son most of the time. I rarely call my kids by the names I gave them. I call them baby, sweetheart, or boy and girl. I have many nicknames for each child. I haven't heard anyone up here call their kids out by their gender. It really gets some attention especially with the accent.

8. Fixin to. For example "I am fixin to whip your butt boy." That means that my male child is due some corporal punishment. Its a verb that fits seamlessly into any sentence.

So those are just a few of the things I say and do that make me stand out. I am sure there are more. I am discovering new ones every day. I really try to limit my southernisms as they seem to draw too much attention. I don't need everybody staring at me in walmart.