Where do you stay??

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by REE1993

. . . and now says "open" or "close" the light, like I do (turn on or turn off).

Now there's one I've never heard. At least "cut off the light" makes some sense.

Flipflop shoes are "thongs".

And yeah, thongs are underwear, and flipflops aren't shoes. They're . . . flipflops. (Sandals?)

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

Some of the "Southern" colloquialisms mentioned in this thread are "rural" as opposed to "urban."

True to a point, but since until relatively recent times, there was little that was "urban" in the South, it may be a distinction without a difference. Where it is not "urban" dialect, that may be as much due to the influx of people from, ummm, "not around here" as to a rural-urban distinction.

[NutBrnHair]

It amazes me that I can drive 5-10 miles from the home where I was reared in the "city" and almost not understand certain conversations by people standing in line next to me at the new Home Depot in the "country!" LOL

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

It amazes me that I can drive 5-10 miles from the home where I was reared in the "city" and almost not understand certain conversations by people standing in line next to me at the new Home Depot in the "country!" LOL

Yes, but I've know plenty of "cities" in the South with populations < 15K. That ain't "urban." True urban-ness is a relatively recent thing for most of the South.

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

True to a point, but since until relatively recent times, there was little that was "urban" in the South, it may be a distinction without a difference. Where it is not "urban" dialect, that may be as much due to the influx of people from, ummm, "not around here" as to a rural-urban distinction.

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Yes, but I've know plenty of "cities" in the South with populations < 15K. That ain't "urban." True urban-ness is a relatively recent thing for most of the South.

I agree totally.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

It's actually just the opposite.

Yes, I actually took an American dialects class way back in college -- one of the most fun and interesting classes I ever took -- and since then I've read and listened to a lot of Walt Wolfram, who's an expert on Southern dialect.

"Stay," historically at least, is primarily an African-American usage, although it is found in other groups as well. It simply means "live" and indicates permanence.

glad i have backup on this, as i took an Af-Am English class and have texts that support this.

[nikki1920]

My linguistics class was the most interesting class I've ever taken, bar none.
As the only black student in the class, I did my paper on Black English Dialect, AKA Ebonics. I got a B+ (because I went 10 pages over the limit).. lol.

It is definitely interesting to learn about how we talk geographically.

My dad who is from Southern Maryland calls all purses "pockabooks" too. My mom, from Alabama, calls them "pockabooks" and "purses". Purses are what she takes to work or church. Pocketbooks are what she takes to other places.

I carry a purse.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by nikki1920

My linguistics class was the most interesting class I've ever taken, bar none.
As the only black student in the class, I did my paper on Black English Dialect, AKA Ebonics. I got a B+ (because I went 10 pages over the limit).. lol.

It is definitely interesting to learn about how we talk geographically.

My dad who is from Southern Maryland calls all purses "pockabooks" too. My mom, from Alabama, calls them "pockabooks" and "purses". Purses are what she takes to work or church. Pocketbooks are what she takes to other places.

I carry a purse.

i always thought "pockabook" was just how we said it in our family! lol

my mom always said a pockabook was to "take care of business" and a purse was to go be cute in... to just take your essentials for the night.