1. Rotary
Here in Tampa, what we Northerners call a rotary is called a “Roundabout”. Most Florida residents have never even heard of the word rotary before. They ask what you mean by “rotary” and you’re forced to describe it as the round thing you drive around and only then does it click.
2. Frappe
If you’re from New England you know that you order a frappe (pronounced frap) for dessert, not a milkshake. A milkshake is just milk blended with flavoring but a frappe, that’s what actually contains the ice cream.
3. Jimmies
There is a distinct difference between “sprinkles” and “jimmies” in the north. Sprinkles are the rainbow colored candies you put on your ice cream. Jimmies, on the other hand, are the chocolate ones. Down south they are all considered “sprinkles”. But if you are going to order an ice cream with sprinkles on them, I hope you like the rainbow kind, because you’re not going to get the chocolate ones talking like that.
4. Dunkies
Maybe it’s because there isn’t a Dunkies at every corner down south, but for some reason they feel the need to call it by its full name, “Dunkin Donuts”. To me, that just reminds me of my mother screaming my full name after I had done something wicked bad.
5. Cold
If you’ve been at UT long enough, you’ve seen the Southerners grab their winter jackets once it drops below 70. Up north, when it breaks 50 degrees, people start to bring out the shorts. Cold in the north and cold in the south are two completely different things. 70 degrees sounds damn good to me compared to the 18 degree weather my family is forced to live in and the 2 feet of snow they have to shovel.
6. Wicked
The word “wicked” to a southerner conveys images of witches and broomsticks, but to us New Englanders it’s a word that can pretty much describe anything. “ Did you see the Sox game last night? It was wicked good!”
7. “Khakis”
Boston is notorious for it’s accent. Back home, there are only 25 letters in the alphabet; the letter R is nowhere to be found. When we say “car keys” what the southerners think of are the dull yellow kind of pants, when actually we mean the things you start you car with.