MENUMENU
  • About
  • Buy
  • Press
  • Book Clubs
  • Writer Resources
  • Allie Larkin
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • g

Allison Larkin

Internationally Best-Selling Author

You are here: Home / I talk funny / Yes, I know. I talk funny.

Yes, I know. I talk funny.

December 2, 2010 Filed Under: I talk funny

I grew up thinking I didn’t have an accent.  People from Queens have an accent.  I grew up in Somers.  There’s no such thing as a Somers accent!

But then I went to Ithaca College, and lots of conversations followed this script:

Me: saying something
Other person: Huh?
Me: repeating something.
Other person: What?
Me: repeating something again, faster and with great frustration.
Other person: WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?
Me: spelling the important words.
Other person:  Oh! You mean [corrected pronunciation]

My favorite example of this was a discussion about a club called The Haunt, in downtown Ithaca.  The closest approximation of what I called it is probably Hawnt.  I still don’t understand why it was that big of an issue to understand what I was saying when I asked “Are we going to The Hawnt tonight?”  Still, I got teased about the way I said words like haunt, awful, terrible, and coffee, enough that I started concentrating on neutralizing the way I talked.  Or tawked, depending on where you’re from.

By the time I moved to Rochester, I felt confident that I was pretty much devoid of accent.  But, apparently, the idioms were still there.

At Wegmans.  A woman is standing a few feet away from the nearest checkout line.

Me:  Are you on line?
Her: Huh?
Me:  Are you waiting on line?
Her: I’m not on the computer.

Context clues, people!  Context clues!  Obviously, I wasn’t asking her if she was surfing the ‘net in the middle of a grocery store (this was pre-smart phone days).  And before you get all “It’s in line, not on line,” I would like to point out that I’ve heard news anchors downstate say “on line.”  Downstate people spend a lot more time waiting on line at stores, movie theatres, etc., than upstate people do, due to population density and an infrastructure that was never intended to handle that level of density, so I think they should win on how to describe the experience.  Even though I’ve switched to saying in line to avoid constant conversations like the one above, I’m not saying I think it’s correct.  I’m just trying to blend. It doesn’t mean I like it.

Also, when ever I said “tag sale” when I first moved up here, people would crinkle up their forehead and look at me like I just landed from Jupiter.  Not all “yard sales” take place in a yard.  In fact, most people hold tag sales in their garage/driveway, not on the yard, so “yard sale” doesn’t even make sense!  But most people do use some sort of sticker/tag system to price the things at their household sales, therefore tag sale makes perfect sense.  But, again, blending. . . sigh.

And then there are the Rochesterisms.  I didn’t know how to say any of the neighboring towns when I first moved up here.

  • Chili is pronounced Chai-lie, and has an annual Chili Chil-E festival.
  • The town of Avon is pronounced more like Ah-von than Avon.  
  • Ginna, home of the Ginna Nuclear Generating Station, is pronounced /ɡɨˈneɪ/ gi-nay, with the g as in give (according to Wikipedia, because I had no idea how to write it out phonetically) 
  • Charlotte is Char-lot and there’s even a jingle for a local appliance store that goes “Charlotte! You’ll save a lot!” And it rhymes perfectly.  Which means I can no longer pronounce Charlotte, NC correctly anymore without thinking about it first.

There are, however, some things I won’t budge on:

  1. It’s not pop.  It’s soda.  I’m sorry.  It just is.
  2. It’s tin foil.  I know it’s not actually made from tin anymore, but aluminum foil just takes too long to say, and when you’re asking someone to get you some tin foil, it’s usually an oh, crap! I need to put this food away, but said food is on my hands and I don’t want to open the drawer and get food fingerprints everywhere situation.  Time is of the essence.  Shorthand is helpful.  Besides, Coca-Cola isn’t actually made with cocaine anymore, but we still call it Coke (which is a soda, by the way). 
  3. A-u-n-t = ant not ahnt.  Saying ahnt makes you sound like you’re from Connecticut.*
  4. It’s not Or-ange, it’s Are-ange.  And yeah, I know that Or-ange is the same spelling as the actual word, but lots of words aren’t pronounced as they are spelled.  Like Aunt.

But J says Or-ange, and teases me all the time about my pronunciation.  We had another discussion about it last night:

Me:  O-R-A-N-G-E really is pronounced Are-ange.  Otherwise the joke doesn’t make sense.
J: The Orange you glad I didn’t say banana again joke?
Me:  Yes.
J:  That joke is not a style guide.

*Not that there’s anything wrong with being from Connecticut. Some of my best friends are from Connecticut.  I’m just joking around.  But, please note the way it’s spelled and the fact that it’s not pronounced ConneCt-ticut?  See, my O-R-A-N-G-E argument has some teeth, J.  It really does.

17 Comments

Comments

  1. Amy says

    December 2, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    I usually say pop, but that’s because I grew up in Southeastern Ohio… which is basically Appalachia. But, I’m also half Thai, which means that if I said pop to any of my Thai family members, they would look at me and probably imagine a balloon or something popping. I have to say soda to them. So, to sum it up, I interchange the two words all the time. It’s annoying. haha

    Reply
  2. Mindi Scott says

    December 2, 2010 at 5:44 pm

    I’ve always said “Or-ange” and I don’t know anyone who says it your way. But you’re right! That joke works better the way you say it!

    Reply
  3. rb says

    December 2, 2010 at 6:03 pm

    Are-ange?? How odd.

    You would definitely sound as if you have an accent to me! I don’t have one of course.

    My sons are bi-accented. They pronounce bath as barth when with me and with a short a sound when with Al.

    We don’t say soda here at all – it’s always pop or fizzy drinks. But I’m with you on tin foil and of course you American bods say aluminium all peculiarly anyway!! Tin is pretty safe as words go!!

    The place names round here are odd too – Wymondham is Wind-um for instance.

    Reply
  4. Sara says

    December 2, 2010 at 6:14 pm

    When I moved from Oregon to San Diego, I constantly got funny looks when I said “I-5” instead of “The 5” when referencing the freeway (which runs all the way through Oregon, mind you). I also changed from “pop” to “soda” to fit in, but I felt so ostentatious saying it :P

    (Please tell me that you say OR-egon and not Are-egon??)

    Reply
  5. Wombat Central says

    December 2, 2010 at 6:45 pm

    I said “pop” as a kid and switched to “soda” in college. It just sounded cooler.

    I’m with you on “Aunt,” but not on “orange.” I’m sorry, the orange/banana joke IS the deciding factor. ;)

    Ooh, and we also have a town in western NY called Java that’s pronounced “JAY-vuh.” not like the coffee, “JAH-vuh.”

    Reply
  6. Ricky Bush says

    December 2, 2010 at 7:19 pm

    Seeing as how Ah”m from East Texas, we gotta git together and communicate with each other and see just how much we comprehend of the other.

    Reply
  7. courtney says

    December 2, 2010 at 7:41 pm

    Ha! You should come to the South. Crazy pronunciations EVERYWHERE.

    It is not “soda” or “pop,” it’s Coke. If it’s carbonated, it’s Coke.

    I also say OR-ange. And “in line” instead of “on line.”

    Reply
  8. Jen says

    December 2, 2010 at 7:55 pm

    Ah, good ol’ geographical differences in how things are said and pronounced.

    We just say “foil” down here,and don’t bother with the specifics of what kind. And being “on line” is definitely something from up north where you are. Here you’re standing in line or you’re “on the line” as in on the phone on hold (though people mostly don’t use land-line phones anymore), or you’re online as in connected to the internet.

    I know the orange joke, of course, but never heard it told as the “ARE-ange” version.

    Reply
  9. Wombat Central says

    December 2, 2010 at 8:31 pm

    Came back to tell you I gave you an award today: (and it’s pronounced uh-WARD.) ;D

    http://allielarkin.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  10. Wombat Central says

    December 2, 2010 at 8:32 pm

    Whoops, I think I directed you to your own blog. I is smart.

    http://postcardsfromoblivion.net/2010/12/you-may-now-call-me-the-stylish-wombat/

    Reply
  11. The Modern Gal says

    December 2, 2010 at 11:19 pm

    I’ve honestly never heard ‘on’ used as the preposition to describe the act of lining up, but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt here. I would advise against using TV news anchors as any sort of authority on anything though.

    Reply
  12. Anonymous says

    December 3, 2010 at 3:12 pm

    In the state of Georgia (which is also a state of mind) the name Albany is pronounced all-BIN-ee…which has always bugged me, though I’m not sure why!

    Reply
  13. Moni says

    December 3, 2010 at 8:40 pm

    I have the same experience here in the Pacific Northwest (even though I grew up here). Living California I learned how to talk like a Californian so ever since I moved back up here I continually get corrected. and I swear, these PNC-ers are so wrong with how they pronounce things. Sometimes I like to pronounce things the Californian way just to get a rise out of them :)

    Reply
  14. Mickey says

    December 3, 2010 at 9:05 pm

    Anonymous- I’m from Georgia and I’ve never heard Albany pronounced that way, although I’ve never been there (Why would anyone ever go to Albany?)

    How awesome would Coke be if they still put cocaine in it? There wouldn’t be any need for all this silly energy drink madness, that’s for sure.

    I like to tailor my accent to the company I’m in. I’m probably not fooling anyone but myself.

    Some Georgia place-names:
    Cairo (KAY-roe)
    LaFayette (luh-FAY-it)
    Vidalia (vih-DAY-yuh)
    Houston County (HOUSE-tun, just like the street in Manhattan)

    Reply
  15. StephTheBookworm says

    December 4, 2010 at 11:54 pm

    I hate AHNT.

    Reply
  16. WendyCinNYC says

    December 6, 2010 at 11:14 pm

    Dude. It’s “garage sale.” The garage is optional. Although it does make me giggle when I see an ad for an “estate sale” on a very…non-estate-looking house.

    Reply
  17. JenWrite says

    December 11, 2010 at 4:31 pm

    I’m with you on soda. Can go either way on foil. You only get to say auhnt or vahse (vase) if you are British. And, hmm. Good point on the knock-knock joke. I’m nearly convinced.

    My favorite is the Boston accent. I lived there after college and one day asked a guy for directions. He told me to take a left at the Stah Mahket. Since I clearly had no idea what he was saying. He pointed upwards and said “Stah! Like a Stah in the sky.”

    Years later, I still call it the Stah Mahket.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

  • Home
  • Allie Larkin
  • Blog
  • Book Clubs
  • Contact
  • Writer Resources

allielarkinwrites

Okay, fine. Her jacket is reversible and we kinda Okay, fine. Her jacket is reversible and we kinda match. I admit it. Alright? We all knew this was coming. None of this should be a surprise to any of us. #dailyroxydog #huskychihuahua #dogjacket #peoplewhomatchtheirdogs
Just a dog in a puffy jacket that matches her lawn Just a dog in a puffy jacket that matches her lawn chair. And she likes it! #dailyroxydog #chihuahuamix #ilovemydog
We are in the habit of starting and ending our day We are in the habit of starting and ending our days side by side in our lawn chairs, while the light rises or dims. It’s still chilly at the outer edges of the day. Sometimes Roxy shivers. I bought her a sweater, but she won’t wear it. Sometimes I try to wrap her in my jacket, but she’s not having that either, so I throw her ball and try to get her run and then she comes back to her chair, warm for a little longer. #dailyroxydog #huskychihuahua #dogssittinginchairs
“I got a secret I should tell. I’m going up to “I got a secret I should tell. I’m going up to heaven in a split pea shell.” ~ @petermulvey43 Words Too Small to Say
Happy as a dog in a freshly dug nap hole. #dailyro Happy as a dog in a freshly dug nap hole. #dailyroxydog #huskymixesofinstagram
I saw this little dresser at my favorite magic ant I saw this little dresser at my favorite magic antique store sometime in November and didn’t buy it. But then, of course, I kept thinking about her. She’s the perfect size for my office, and I found those drawer pulls hilarious. When I finally went back in December, I told myself I was shopping for wall art, because I assumed she would be gone. But she was right where I’d seen her last: balanced on another dresser with boxes of old picture frames and tchotchkes piled on top (the true mark of a magic antique store). I didn’t even realize she had a towel rack — that she was a wash stand, not a dresser — until I asked about the price, said I’d take her, and my favorite magic antique store person asked if we needed to unscrew the towel rack to fit her in my car. I suspect this little sweetie is not from the days of necessary wash stands so much as from a country kitchen in the 80s. She was in rough shape, and not made from wood worth stripping and re-staining, but her price reflected that. I had to disassemble that door and put it back together, but I’d been in the market for some experience working with old furniture, and she made me feel brave about trying. I thought about painting her something more neutral, but I’m so glad I didn’t. She deserves to be pink. She’s not perfectly painted and needs a few touch ups. I learned some things about chalk paint and finishes. The drawers stick a bit. Eventually, I’d like to line them with fabric and when I do, I might plane the edges to smooth things out. But goodness, I love her in a way that I wouldn’t if I hadn’t spent time cleaning away her cobwebs and scrubbing the grime from her hilarious drawer pulls. She’s also become a little shrine for the book I’m working on, which makes me love her even more. I’ve always been a person who sees some soul in certain things, and I’m learning to cherish that idiosyncrasy, because there’s so much joy to be found in a brave little toaster or an underdog wash stand. We’re not here in the world for all that long. We may as well love some bright little things. #furnituremakeover
Load More... Follow on Instagram

© Allison Larkin | Site by Little Leaf Design