Regional variation in words

Discussion in 'General Chatter' started by seebs, May 21, 2015.

  1. KingStarscream

    KingStarscream watch_dogs walking advertisement

    Admittedly, each cat has a different variation on their call name. Mars is "Marsy Barsy", Hermes is "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's the kitten?" with a lilt at the end, Jules is just "Jules" with a lilt on the u, Calipso is "Cal-oop-zoop" if she's close or "Caly-aly-aly-aly-ipso" if she's far and we're trying to find her, and Apollo is "Appa-lappa-lappa-lappo" with as many "lappa" in the middle as required until he looks browbeaten by the bastardisation of his name. Calypso and Apollo are, incidentally, the ones we call the most (other than Hermes, who gets called mostly when we're trying to find him) so their names have morphed the most for particular ululating calls that work well for when they've managed to get outside.

    edit: OH, and this is more "how to train your kitten" but whenever we do the "WHEEEERES THE KITTEN" call, we have to say "There he is!!!!!!!" when he shows up, otherwise he hides again. Because it's a game. And you have to do it all in the right order.
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2016
    • Like x 13
  2. Enzel

    Enzel androgynous jrpg protag

    If this came up earlier then I missed it but:

    In the US, "quite" means "very" or "rather".

    In the UK I believe it means "not very" in a damning with faint praise sort of way?

    This confused me for a long time.
     
    • Like x 4
  3. BunjyWunjy

    BunjyWunjy Frabjous

    hey quick what are your words for the location diagonally across an intersection from you? ours is kitty-corner
     
  4. Acey

    Acey hand extended, waiting for a shake

    Same here, though to be fair I don't really hear any specific terms for it that often. Kitty-corner is the one I hear when I do hear one.
     
    • Like x 1
  5. Saro

    Saro Where is wizard hut

    Confirming kitty-corner from Oregon (where I heard it as a kid).
     
    • Like x 1
  6. KingStarscream

    KingStarscream watch_dogs walking advertisement

    Catty-corner for me down in the south.
     
    • Like x 4
  7. Deresto

    Deresto Foolish Mortal

    Seconding catty corner, also something is catty cornered if its crooked
     
    • Like x 3
  8. Aondeug

    Aondeug Cringe Annoying Ass Female Lobster

    I got grumpy in class today because wikipedias list of english dialects didnt separate californias dialects. The bay area is not tye valley damn you! We laugh about hella down in so cal!
     
    • Like x 3
  9. Aondeug

    Aondeug Cringe Annoying Ass Female Lobster

    Kitty corner in so cal.
     
    • Like x 1
  10. Acey

    Acey hand extended, waiting for a shake

    WHY WOULD WIKIPEDIA NOT SEPARATE THEM. ffs socal and norcal are practically different states culturally.
     
    • Like x 2
  11. a tiny mushroom

    a tiny mushroom the tiniest

    I have literally never heard this. I would just point and say "over there" or "diagonally across the intersection". Is this an American thing?
     
  12. Aondeug

    Aondeug Cringe Annoying Ass Female Lobster

    Because wikipedia is run by fools arguing over corn vs maize.
     
    • Like x 3
  13. Aondeug

    Aondeug Cringe Annoying Ass Female Lobster

    And on that note ehat does corn mean to you!
     
    • Like x 1
  14. paintcat

    paintcat Let the voice of love take you higher

    I don't bother trying to get outside cats to come to me unless I have food, but I hear a lot of tongue clicking and kissy noises from others here in Iowa. As for my own furbeast, I rub or tap my fingertips together to get her to come and say things like "Hi baby~ comeer, little one, come on baby" even though she is a fully mature grownup cat now.
     
  15. paintcat

    paintcat Let the voice of love take you higher

    For me corn and maize are the same thing. Here in Iowa it's rare to even hear the word "maize."
     
    • Like x 1
  16. budgie

    budgie not actually a bird

    - Diagonally across the intersection, over there (with a gesture), or sometimes kitty-corner, but I think I picked that last up from the internet because I've had to explain it to quite a few people
    - Maize = corn

    I'm from Southern Ontario
     
  17. LadyNighteyes

    LadyNighteyes Wicked Witch of the Radiant Historia Fandom

    Ditto where I live. I think that's just how it is in a lot of the US?
     
    • Like x 1
  18. Everett

    Everett local rats so small, so tiny

    Im from eastern ontario, corn is maize but only when you want to make a pun about maize mazes

    If someone said "the store kitty corner from the tim hortons" id think it was weird and would ask them to confirm that they mean "diagonally across from" just to be sure
     
    • Like x 1
  19. Aondeug

    Aondeug Cringe Annoying Ass Female Lobster

    Maize for me is ~fancy~ corn. Corn meanwhile is...well. Maize. I never describe grains as corn.

    And yeah this does seem a common thing in the us. Corn being maize with maizr being a rare word.
     
    • Like x 3
  20. Acey

    Acey hand extended, waiting for a shake

    Corn is that nice kernel-y shit that comes on a cob.

    Maize is the same nice kernel-y shit but with a prettier name.
     
    • Like x 5
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