How Hoosiers pronounce certain words (Evansville, Muncie: home, high school, camping)

[kyle19125]

My Mom was from South Central Indiana (Linton) and very much recall many of the pronunciations mentioned so far including the word "push" that was said as "poosh". That one always made me cringe a bit, along with car-mel instead of caramel.

[sheerbliss]

Originally Posted by Benjamin David Steele

Many of the examples shared here are familiar to me.

They're familiar to me, too--my parents used many of these mispronunciations. They were from Wyoming and never visited Indiana. Mispronunciations are everywhere.

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by Benjamin David Steele

Many of the examples shared here are familiar to me. My mother and her family speaks that way. She also often says 'cooshion' in place of 'cushion'. One of her favorite words is 'cattywampus'.

https://benjamindavidsteele.wordpres...with-a-wampus/

I heard cattywampus a lot when I was growing up years ago in Northern Illinois. I never used it myself, but maybe I should start now. It's a great word - it would be a shame if it went away.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

My Mom was from South Central Indiana (Linton) and very much recall many of the pronunciations mentioned so far including the word "push" that was said as "poosh". That one always made me cringe a bit, along with car-mel instead of caramel.

Some might get it confused more easily with Carmel, IN being a larger city in the state compared to the word "caramel."

[jamary1]

The living room was the "front room". There was a "davenport" in it.


If you went out for spaghetti, you had "Eye-talian" food down at the place on "Root" 40.


We waded in the "crick" and caught "minners".


You looked in a "meer" when you combed your hair.


The White House was in "Warshington, D.C."


If you were elderly, you took the "cars" to go "downtown" (NEVER "uptown").

[kayanne]

Originally Posted by jean_ji

I grew up in northern Indiana and both my parents were raised in southern Indiana. The relatives in southern Indiana had a definite twang, which my parents has lost somewhat over the years. Mom did use warsh and warshcloth, but called a green pepper a mango, something I’ve always wondered if was just her or regional. Tarvy was what they called a blacktop road.

I moved to NY in my 30’s, north of NYC and a woman behind me in line at a store asked me where I was from in the Midwest, She was a language professor and and when I asked her what word gave me away, she replied it wasn’t a specific word as much as phrases and the way I put words together.

Mango! Yes! My mom called them that too, so I was rather confused when mango means a tropical fruit to most people!

I wonder if that was ever an official synonym for green pepper. Time to Google......

[kayanne]

Originally Posted by jamary1

The living room was the "front room". There was a "davenport" in it.


If you went out for spaghetti, you had "Eye-talian" food down at the place on "Root" 40.


We waded in the "crick" and caught "minners".


You looked in a "meer" when you combed your hair.


The White House was in "Warshington, D.C."


If you were elderly, you took the "cars" to go "downtown" (NEVER "uptown").

Are you my long lost sibling??? It sounds like we have the same parents! Your list made me laugh. Hadn't thought about the Davenport in the front room for a long time.

Our three meals a day were breakfast, dinner, and supper. To this day my mom uses the word dinner, and when I ask her to clarify which meal she means, she gets upset that I think it could possibly mean anything other than the noon meal!

[ischyros]

Originally Posted by jamary1

The living room was the "front room". There was a "davenport" in it.


If you went out for spaghetti, you had "Eye-talian" food down at the place on "Root" 40.


We waded in the "crick" and caught "minners".


You looked in a "meer" when you combed your hair.


The White House was in "Warshington, D.C."


If you were elderly, you took the "cars" to go "downtown" (NEVER "uptown").

My parents weren't that way, but my grandparents most definitely had a "davenport" in the "front room". Bedrooms were also addressed by what direction they were in. There was the "west bedroom" and the "east bedroom".

[Riley09swb]

Originally Posted by jamary1

The living room was the "front room". There was a "davenport" in it.


If you went out for spaghetti, you had "Eye-talian" food down at the place on "Root" 40.


We waded in the "crick" and caught "minners".


You looked in a "meer" when you combed your hair.


The White House was in "Warshington, D.C."


If you were elderly, you took the "cars" to go "downtown" (NEVER "uptown").

I always pronounce it Eye-talian and my VA born husband has always made fun of me. I never did the Warsh thing, but my friends that live in IN still do. I notice when I talk to them how nasally they sound. I've been gone for 20 + years. I get a kick of talking to them and hearing the accents.

[GrandmaMimi]

Seen a lot of people talking about this...

I have lived in Indiana all of my life. until I was older I never new it was anything but a Piney Bush.

But then again My mother also called Bell Peppers Mangos bet know one else has heard that one. I didn't know the difference of that one until I was an adult.

People always asked me If I was from Kentucky because of my accent. I would just say what accent?