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Dialect Survey Results: NORTH CAROLINA
Below are the terms and pronunciations most commonly used in
NORTH CAROLINA.
| 1. aunt |
| a. [ ] as in "ah" | | (7.44%) |
| b. [ ] as in "ant" | | (72.32%) |
| c. [ ] as in "caught" | | (2.38%) |
| d. I have the same vowel in "ah", "caught", and "aunt" | | (2.38%) |
| e. I pronounce it the same as "ain't" | | (5.36%) |
| f. I use [/] when referring to the general concept of an aunt, but [] when referring to a specific person by name. | | (7.74%) |
| g. I use [] when referring to the general concept of an aunt, but [/] when referring to a specific person by name. | | (1.49%) |
| h. other | | (0.89%) |
| 2. been |
| a. [ ] as in "sit" | | (74.63%) |
| b. [i:] as in "see" | | (3.58%) |
| c. [ ] as in "set" | | (17.91%) |
| d. other | | (3.88%) |
| 3. the first vowel in "Bowie knife"
|
| a. [o:] as in "Bo"
| | (69.07%) |
| b. [u:] as in "boo"
| | (22.52%) |
| c. I have seen this word in print, but have no idea how to pronounce it
| | (5.11%) |
| d. I have never seen or heard this word
| | (3.00%) |
| e. other | | (0.30%) |
| 4. caramel
|
| a. with 2 syllables ("car-ml")
| | (20.30%) |
| b. with 3 syllables ("carra-mel")
| | (59.40%) |
| c. I use both interchangeably
| | (16.12%) |
| d. I have both forms, but the two have different meanings (please state how in the comments box)
| | (2.39%) |
| e. other | | (1.79%) |
| 5. the vowel in the second syllable of "cauliflower"
|
| a. [i:] as in "see"
| | (27.25%) |
| b. [] as in "sit"
| | (65.87%) |
| c. other | | (6.89%) |
| 6. the last vowel in "centaur"
|
| a. [] as in "car" ("sen-tar")
| | (62.12%) |
| b. [] as in "caught"
| | (11.52%) |
| c. I use the same vowel in "car", "caught", and "centaur"
| | (10.61%) |
| d. rhymes with "sore" and "more" ("sen-tore")
| | (14.24%) |
| e. other | | (1.52%) |
| 7. coupon
|
| a. with [u:] as in "coop" ("coopon")
| | (54.03%) |
| b. with [ju:] as in "cute" ("cyoopon")
| | (43.28%) |
| c. other | | (2.69%) |
| 8. Craig (the name)
|
| a. [] as in "set"
| | (44.88%) |
| b. [e:] as in "say"
| | (21.69%) |
| c. I say something in between the vowels in "set" and "say", but closer to the one in "say"
| | (13.25%) |
| d. I say something in between the vowels in "set" and "say", but closer to the one in "set"
| | (18.67%) |
| e. other | | (1.51%) |
| 9. crayon |
| a. [] as in "man" (1 syllable, "cran") | | (5.99%) |
| b. [ej] (2 syllables, "cray-ahn") | | (61.38%) |
| c. [ej] (2 syllables, "cray-awn", where the second syllable rhymes with "dawn") | | (29.04%) |
| d. [aw] (I pronounce this the same as "crown") | | (2.10%) |
| e. other | | (1.50%) |
| 10. creek (a small body of running water) |
| a. [i:] as in "see" | | (93.11%) |
| b. [] as in "sit" | | (1.80%) |
| c. I use both interchangeably | | (2.69%) |
| e. I use both, but they mean two different things (please state how they differ in the comments box) | | (2.40%) |
| 11. the first vowel in "Florida"
|
| a. [o:] as in "flow" ("flow-ri-da")
| | (1.82%) |
| b. [] as in "ah" ("flah-ri-da")
| | (26.06%) |
| c. [] as in "saw" ("flaw-ri-da")
| | (7.27%) |
| d. [ ] as in "sore" ("flore-i-da")
| | (62.42%) |
| e. other | | (2.42%) |
| 12. flourish |
| a. [ ] as in "bird" ("flurr-ish") | | (59.82%) |
| b. [] as in "sore" ("flore-ish") | | (27.79%) |
| c. [ ] as in "sun" ("fluh-rish") | | (7.85%) |
| d. other (including if you use one pronunciation for the verb and a different pronunciation for the noun) | | (4.53%) |
| 13. the last vowel in "handkerchief"
|
| a. [i:] as in "see"
| | (12.39%) |
| b. [] as in "sit"
| | (86.40%) |
| c. other | | (1.21%) |
| 14. lawyer
|
| a. with [j] as in "boy" ("loyer")
| | (29.94%) |
| b. with [] as in "saw" ("law-yer")
| | (64.67%) |
| c. I use both interchangeably
| | (4.49%) |
| d. other | | (0.90%) |
| 15. How do you pronounce Mary/merry/marry? |
| a. all 3 are the same | | (56.93%) |
| b. all 3 are different | | (7.53%) |
| c. Mary and merry are the same; marry is different | | (19.58%) |
| d. merry and marry are the same; Mary is different | | (1.51%) |
| e. Mary and marry are the same; merry is different | | (14.46%) |
| 16. mayonnaise
|
| a. with [] as in "man" (2 syllables--"man-aze")
| | (53.80%) |
| b. with [ej] (3 syllables--"may-uh-naze")
| | (31.91%) |
| c. I use both interchangeably
| | (12.46%) |
| d. other | | (1.82%) |
| 17. the first vowel in "miracle"
|
| a. [i:] as in "near"
| | (62.01%) |
| b. [] as in "knit"
| | (29.18%) |
| c. [] as in "net"
| | (2.43%) |
| d. I say something in between [] and []
| | (5.78%) |
| e. other | | (0.61%) |
| 18. mischievous vs. mischievious |
| a. mischievous (3 syllables) | | (44.51%) |
| b. mischievious (4 syllables) | | (28.96%) |
| c. I write "mischievous" but say "mischievious" | | (7.62%) |
| d. I use both | | (18.29%) |
| e. other | | (0.61%) |
| 19. the final vowel in "Monday," "Friday," etc.
|
| a. [e:] as in "say"
| | (64.22%) |
| b. [i:] as in "see"
| | (15.90%) |
| c. I use [e:] with the words in isolation, but [i:] in compounds (such as "Sunday school")
| | (14.07%) |
| d. other (e.g. do you use one vowel in some day names, and another in the other names?) | | (5.81%) |
| 20. the second vowel in "pajamas"
|
| a. [] as in "jam"
| | (17.85%) |
| b. [] as in "father"
| | (80.92%) |
| c. other | | (1.23%) |
| 21. pecan |
| a. [pi:kn] with stress on the first syllable ("PEE-can") | | (27.16%) |
| b. [pi:kn] with stress on the second syllable ("pee-CAN") | | (5.86%) |
| c. [pi:kn] with stress on the first syllable ("PEE-Kahn") | | (10.19%) |
| d. [pi:kn] with stress on the second syllable ("pee-KAHN") | | (22.22%) |
| e. [pkn] ("pick Ann") | | (1.85%) |
| f. [pkn] ("pick Ahn") | | (21.91%) |
| g. I pronounce it differently when it's alone than when it's in a compound like "pecan pie" (please state how you pronounce the two variants in the comments box) | | (8.33%) |
| h. other | | (2.47%) |
| 22. poem |
| a. one syllable | | (25.78%) |
| b. two syllables | | (74.22%) |
| 23. really |
| a. [i:] as in "see" ("reely") | | (37.35%) |
| b. [] as in "sit" ("rilly") | | (37.35%) |
| c. [i] ("ree-l-y") | | (8.95%) |
| d. other (including if you use two or more of these interchangeably) | | (16.36%) |
| 24. realtor (a real estate agent) |
| a. 2 syllables ("reel-ter") | | (51.86%) |
| b. 3 syllables (real[]tor, in other words "reel-uh-ter") | | (28.26%) |
| c. 3 syllables (ree-l-ter) | | (16.15%) |
| d. I don't use this word; I use "estate agent" | | (1.24%) |
| e. other | | (2.48%) |
| 25. roof, room, broom, root
|
| a. [u:] as in "food"
| | (85.40%) |
| b. [ ] as in "foot"
| | (2.48%) |
| c. these four words do not all have the same vowel (please use the comments box to let us know which is which) | | (12.11%) |
| 26. route (as in, "the route from one place to another")
|
| a. rhymes with "hoot"
| | (27.47%) |
| b. rhymes with "out"
| | (28.70%) |
| c. I can pronounce it either way interchangeably
| | (27.16%) |
| d. I say it like "hoot" for the noun and like "out" for the verb.
| | (12.35%) |
| e. I say it like "out" for the noun and like "hoot" for the verb.
| | (3.09%) |
| f. other | | (1.23%) |
| 27. the first vowel in "syrup"
|
| a. [i] "sear-up"
| | (24.69%) |
| b. [] "sih-rup"
| | (15.74%) |
| c. [] as in "sir"
| | (58.02%) |
| d. other | | (1.54%) |
| 28. Do you pronounce "cot" and "caught" the same?
|
| a. different
| | (74.22%) |
| b. same | | (25.78%) |
| 29. almond
|
| a. all-mond (first syllable sounds like "all")
| | (65.02%) |
| b. ah-mond (no l)
| | (13.31%) |
| c. aw-mond (if different from "ah-mond")
| | (8.36%) |
| d. I say something in between l and nothing
| | (10.84%) |
| e. other | | (2.48%) |
| 30. the "s" in "anniversary"
|
| a. [s] as in "sock"
| | (88.20%) |
| b. [ ] as in "shock" | | (11.80%) |
| 31. asterisk
|
| a. asteri[ks]
| | (9.66%) |
| b. asteri[sk]
| | (47.98%) |
| c. asteri[k] (with no s in the final cluster)
| | (41.43%) |
| d. other | | (0.93%) |
| 32. candidate |
| a. I pronounce the first d | | (48.14%) |
| b. I don't pronounce the first d | | (28.57%) |
| c. I vary freely between pronouncing the first d and not doing so | | (7.45%) |
| d. I only pronounce the first d when I'm speaking slowly/carefully | | (14.60%) |
| e. Depends whether it refers to a political or generic candidate, as in "that assignment looks like a good candidate for elimination" (please state how the two pronunciations differ) | | (0.62%) |
| f. other | | (0.62%) |
| 33. the "s" in "chromosome"
|
| a. [s]
| | (36.99%) |
| b. [z]
| | (42.32%) |
| c. both are acceptable to me
| | (20.69%) |
| 34. et cetera |
| a. pronounced e[ts]etera (4 syllables) | | (60.00%) |
| b. pronounced e[ts]etra (3 syllables) | | (9.38%) |
| c. pronounced eksetera (4 syllables) | | (19.69%) |
| d. pronounced eksetra (3 syllables) | | (8.12%) |
| e. other | | (2.81%) |
| 35. the final consonant in "garage"
|
| a. [ ] as in the middle consonant of "measure"
| | (46.06%) |
| b. [ ] as in "edge"
| | (45.43%) |
| c. I use both interchangeably
| | (8.20%) |
| d. other | | (0.32%) |
| 36. the "c" in "grocery"
|
| a. [s] as in "sock"
| | (48.59%) |
| b. [] as in "shock"
| | (49.22%) |
| c. other | | (2.19%) |
| 37. huge, humor, humongous, human...
|
| a. I pronounce the h
| | (97.48%) |
| b. I don't pronounce the h
| | (0.94%) |
| c. I can pronounce the h or not
| | (1.26%) |
| d. other | | (0.31%) |
| 38. the "s" in "nursery"
|
| a. [s] as in "sock"
| | (74.84%) |
| b. [] as in "shock"
| | (23.89%) |
| c. other | | (1.27%) |
| 39. the "s" in the last name of Elvis Presley
|
| a. [s]
| | (81.21%) |
| b. [z] | | (18.79%) |
| 40. quarter
|
| a. with [kw]
| | (56.96%) |
| b. with [k] ("cor-ter")
| | (37.66%) |
| c. I use both interchangeably
| | (5.06%) |
| d. other | | (0.32%) |
| 41. Do you use "spigot" or "spicket" to refer to a faucet or tap that water comes out of?
|
| a. spicket
| | (28.03%) |
| b. spigot
| | (20.70%) |
| c. I use both interchangeably
| | (6.05%) |
| d. I say "spicket" but spell it "spigot"
| | (30.57%) |
| e. I use both with different meanings (please explain how in the comments box)
| | (1.27%) |
| f. I don't use either version of this word
| | (12.74%) |
| g. other | | (0.64%) |
| 42. strength
|
| a. the "g" is pronounced as [g]
| | (32.48%) |
| b. the "g" is pronounced as [k]
| | (44.37%) |
| c. the "g" is silent | | (23.15%) |
| 43. the final consonant in "Texas"
|
| a. [s]
| | (91.11%) |
| b. [z]
| | (6.98%) |
| c. either one
| | (1.90%) |
| 44. cream cheese
|
| a. CREAM cheese (stress on the first syllable)
| | (46.18%) |
| b. cream CHEESE (stress on the second syllable)
| | (29.30%) |
| c. it sounds right either way
| | (21.97%) |
| d. other | | (2.55%) |
| 45. insurance
|
| a. INsurance (stress on the first syllable)
| | (20.26%) |
| b. inSURance (stress on the second syllable)
| | (64.63%) |
| c. I can stress either the first or the second syllable
| | (15.11%) |
| 46. New Haven (the city in Connecticut where Yale University is located)
|
| a. NEW Haven
| | (51.92%) |
| b. New HAVEN
| | (35.26%) |
| c. I use both interchangeably
| | (12.18%) |
| d. other | | (0.64%) |
| 47. Thanksgiving
|
| a. THANKSgiving
| | (51.92%) |
| b. ThanksGIVing
| | (33.65%) |
| c. I use both interchangeably
| | (13.78%) |
| d. other | | (0.64%) |
| 48. umbrella
|
| a. UMbrella
| | (37.74%) |
| b. umBRELLa | | (62.26%) |
| 49. I ____ her lifeless body from the pool |
| a. dragged | | (62.46%) |
| b. drug | | (27.51%) |
| c. I use both interchangeably | | (9.71%) |
| d. other | | (0.32%) |
| 50. What word(s) do you use to address a group of two or more people?
|
| a. you all
| | (11.18%) |
| b. yous, youse
| | (0.32%) |
| d. you guys
| | (14.38%) |
| e. you 'uns
| | (0.64%) |
| f. yins
| | (0.32%) |
| g. you
| | (5.11%) |
| h. other
| | (1.92%) |
| i. y'all | | (66.13%) |
| 51. Would you say "Are you coming with?" as a full sentence, to mean "Are you coming with us?"
|
| a. yes
| | (16.56%) |
| b. no
| | (79.30%) |
| c. other | | (4.14%) |
| 52. Would you say "where are you at?" to mean "where are you?"
|
| a. yes
| | (36.62%) |
| b. no
| | (40.45%) |
| c. I can use "where are you at" in contexts such as asking someone how s/he is coming along on a project, but not in the general sense of "where are you physically located in the world at this moment". | | (22.93%) |
| 53. Modals are words like "can," "could," "might," "ought to," and so on. Can you use more than one modal at a time? (e.g., "I might could do that" to mean "I might be able to do that"; or "I used to could do that" to mean "I used to be able to do that")
|
| a. yes (please consider adding which combinations of modals you use in the comments box)
| | (43.41%) |
| b. no
| | (55.31%) |
| c. other | | (1.29%) |
| 54. He used to nap on the couch, but he sprawls out in that new lounge chair anymore
|
| a. this use of "anymore" is acceptable
| | (9.62%) |
| b. this use of "anymore" is unacceptable
| | (88.14%) |
| c. not sure | | (2.24%) |
| 55. I do exclusively figurative paintings anymore |
| a. acceptable | | (7.74%) |
| b. unacceptable | | (89.03%) |
| c. not sure | | (3.23%) |
| 56. Pantyhose are so expensive anymore that I just try to get a good suntan and forget about it. |
| a. acceptable | | (32.48%) |
| b. unacceptable | | (62.38%) |
| c. not sure | | (5.14%) |
| 57. Forget the nice clothes anymore (referring to babies eating messily after a certain age) |
| a. acceptable | | (29.58%) |
| b. unacceptable | | (59.81%) |
| c. not sure | | (10.61%) |
| 58. Which of these terms do you prefer for a sale of unwanted items on your porch, in your yard, etc.? |
| m. other | | (1.29%) |
| b. yard sale | | (81.29%) |
| c. garage sale | | (16.45%) |
| d. rummage sale | | (0.65%) |
| f. stoop sale | | (0.32%) |
| 59. What do you call the game wherein the participants see who can throw a knife closest to the other person (or alternately, get a jackknife to stick into the ground or a piece of wood)?
|
| a. mumblety-peg
| | (7.12%) |
| j. numblety peg
| | (0.32%) |
| m. stick-knife
| | (2.59%) |
| o. stretch
| | (1.29%) |
| p. chicken
| | (1.94%) |
| q. knifey
| | (0.32%) |
| r. splits
| | (0.97%) |
| s. Russian roulette
| | (1.94%) |
| b. mumbledy-peg
| | (9.71%) |
| t. I have never heard of this "game" and have no idea what it's called
| | (53.07%) |
| u. other (state here if you have heard one or more of these terms but never knew what they meant) | | (9.39%) |
| c. mumbly peg
| | (8.41%) |
| d. mumbly pegs
| | (1.29%) |
| e. mumblely peg (with 2 l's)
| | (1.29%) |
| f. mumble peg
| | (0.32%) |
| 60. What do you call the area of grass between the sidewalk and the road? |
| a. berm | | (2.57%) |
| c. tree lawn | | (0.32%) |
| e. curb strip | | (8.68%) |
| f. beltway | | (0.32%) |
| g. verge | | (0.96%) |
| h. I have no word for this | | (78.46%) |
| i. other | | (8.68%) |
| 61. What do you call the area of grass that occurs in the middle of some streets? |
| a. boulevard | | (3.32%) |
| b. midway | | (1.33%) |
| c. traffic island | | (11.30%) |
| d. island | | (34.88%) |
| e. neutral ground | | (0.33%) |
| f. I have no word for this | | (17.28%) |
| g. other | | (31.56%) |
| 62. What do you call the long narrow place in the middle of a divided highway?
|
| a. median strip
| | (5.45%) |
| b. median
| | (91.35%) |
| e. traffic island
| | (1.28%) |
| g. island
| | (0.96%) |
| i. I have no word for this
| | (0.96%) |
| 63. What do you call the drink made with milk and ice cream? |
| a. milkshake/shake | | (99.68%) |
| b. frappe | | (0.32%) |
| 64. What do you call the long sandwich that contains cold cuts, lettuce, and so on? |
| a. sub | | (91.29%) |
| j. I have no word for this | | (0.65%) |
| k. other | | (2.26%) |
| b. grinder | | (0.32%) |
| c. hoagie | | (2.26%) |
| d. hero | | (1.29%) |
| e. poor boy | | (1.94%) |
| 65. What do you call the insect that flies around in the summer and has a rear section that glows in the dark? |
| a. lightning bug | | (50.97%) |
| b. firefly | | (6.13%) |
| c. I use lightning bug and firefly interchangeably | | (42.26%) |
| f. other | | (0.65%) |
| 66. What do you call the miniature lobster that one finds in lakes and streams for example (a crustacean of the family Astacidae)? |
| a. crawfish | | (48.05%) |
| b. crayfish | | (16.23%) |
| e. crawdad | | (25.65%) |
| f. mudbug | | (0.65%) |
| g. I have no word for this critter | | (1.95%) |
| h. other | | (7.47%) |
| 67. What do you call the kind of spider (or spider-like creature) that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs? |
| a. daddy long leg(s) | | (74.34%) |
| l. other | | (19.41%) |
| e. granddaddy | | (5.92%) |
| h. harvestman | | (0.33%) |
| 68. What nicknames do/did you use for your maternal grandmother? |
| a. grandmother | | (7.38%) |
| b. granny | | (8.05%) |
| c. grandma | | (34.90%) |
| d. nana | | (4.03%) |
| e. mimi | | (3.02%) |
| f. grammy/grammie/grammi | | (2.35%) |
| g. other | | (40.27%) |
| 69. What about your paternal grandmother (is there a distinction?) |
| a. grandmother | | (12.24%) |
| b. granny | | (9.44%) |
| c. grandma | | (40.21%) |
| d. gramma | | (6.29%) |
| e. nana | | (3.85%) |
| f. other | | (27.97%) |
| 70. What do/did you call your maternal grandfather? |
| a. gramps | | (1.00%) |
| b. grandpa | | (13.71%) |
| c. grampa | | (6.69%) |
| d. grandad, granddad | | (11.04%) |
| e. pap | | (0.67%) |
| f. I spell it "grandpa" but pronounce it as "grampa" | | (15.05%) |
| g. other (including if you use a different term to address him directly than you do when speaking about him to a third party) | | (51.84%) |
| 71. paternal grandfather? |
| b. grandpa | | (28.47%) |
| c. grampa | | (14.96%) |
| d. pap | | (1.09%) |
| e. other | | (55.47%) |
| 72. What do you call the big clumps of dust that gather under furniture and in corners? |
| a. dust bunnies | | (75.73%) |
| b. dust kittens | | (0.32%) |
| c. dust mice | | (0.32%) |
| e. dust balls | | (18.77%) |
| f. other | | (4.85%) |
| 73. What is your *general* term for the rubber-soled shoes worn in gym class, for athletic activities, etc.? |
| a. sneakers | | (33.33%) |
| k. other | | (2.88%) |
| b. shoes | | (2.24%) |
| c. gymshoes | | (0.96%) |
| f. tennis shoes | | (58.33%) |
| g. running shoes | | (1.92%) |
| i. trainers | | (0.32%) |
| 74. What do you call the little gray creature (that looks like an insect but is actually a crustacean) that rolls up into a ball when you touch it? |
| a. pill bug | | (6.77%) |
| j. millipede | | (0.65%) |
| k. centipede | | (1.61%) |
| l. I know what this creature is, but have no word for it | | (7.10%) |
| m. I have no idea what this creature is | | (3.55%) |
| n. other | | (3.55%) |
| b. doodle bug | | (6.13%) |
| c. potato bug | | (2.90%) |
| d. roly poly | | (64.84%) |
| e. sow bug | | (2.90%) |
| 75. What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket? |
| a. shopping cart | | (59.55%) |
| b. shopping wagon | | (0.32%) |
| c. grocery cart | | (19.09%) |
| f. buggy | | (17.48%) |
| h. other | | (3.56%) |
| 76. What term do you use to refer to something that is across both streets from you at an intersection (or diagonally across from you in general)? |
| a. kitty-corner | | (22.26%) |
| c. catercorner | | (1.29%) |
| d. catty-corner | | (53.23%) |
| g. I can only use "diagonal" for this | | (13.87%) |
| h. I have no term for this | | (3.23%) |
| i. other | | (6.13%) |
| 77. What do you call the activity of driving around in circles in a car? |
| a. doing donuts | | (85.91%) |
| d. other | | (14.09%) |
| 78. What do you call paper that has already been used for something or is otherwise imperfect? |
| a. scratch paper | | (27.42%) |
| b. scrap paper | | (33.55%) |
| c. scratch paper is still usable (for example, the paper you bring to do extra work on a test); scrap paper is paper that isn't needed anymore and can be thrown away. | | (34.19%) |
| d. other | | (4.84%) |
| 79. What is your *general* term for a big road that you drive relatively fast on?
|
| a. highway
| | (75.24%) |
| j. other | | (5.47%) |
| b. freeway
| | (6.11%) |
| e. expressway
| | (1.61%) |
| f. throughway/thru-way
| | (0.32%) |
| g. a freeway is bigger than a highway
| | (3.54%) |
| i. a freeway has limited access (no stop lights, no intersections), whereas a highway can have stop lights and intersections
| | (7.72%) |
| 80. What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining? |
| a. sunshower | | (16.67%) |
| c. the devil is beating his wife | | (31.73%) |
| d. monkey's wedding | | (0.32%) |
| g. liquid sun | | (1.28%) |
| h. I have no term or expression for this | | (47.76%) |
| i. other | | (2.24%) |
| 81. When you are cold, and little points of skin begin to come on your arms and legs, you have-
|
| a. goose bumps
| | (87.18%) |
| c. goose pimples
| | (3.53%) |
| d. chill bumps
| | (7.37%) |
| e. chill bugs
| | (0.32%) |
| f. chilly bumps
| | (0.64%) |
| g. cold-chill bumps
| | (0.32%) |
| h. other | | (0.64%) |
| 82. What do you call the gooey or dry matter that collects in the corners of your eyes, especially while you are sleeping? |
| a. crackling | | (0.98%) |
| k. eye crusties | | (1.95%) |
| l. sand | | (5.21%) |
| n. gunk | | (5.54%) |
| o. matter | | (3.91%) |
| p. I have no word for this | | (4.23%) |
| q. other | | (6.19%) |
| b. sleep | | (43.32%) |
| c. sleeper | | (4.56%) |
| d. sleepy | | (4.23%) |
| e. sleepies | | (5.54%) |
| f. sleepy seed | | (1.30%) |
| g. sleepy bugs | | (0.33%) |
| h. eye booger | | (12.38%) |
| i. eye shit | | (0.33%) |
| 83. What do you call an easy course? |
| a. gut | | (4.47%) |
| b. crypt course | | (1.72%) |
| c. crip course | | (39.18%) |
| d. bird | | (1.37%) |
| e. blow-off | | (15.46%) |
| f. meat | | (0.34%) |
| g. other | | (37.46%) |
| 84. What do you call a traffic situation in which several roads meet in a circle and you have to get off at a certain point? |
| a. rotary | | (4.17%) |
| b. roundabout | | (22.12%) |
| c. circle | | (3.85%) |
| d. traffic circle | | (59.62%) |
| f. I have no word for this | | (7.37%) |
| g. other | | (2.88%) |
| 85. What is the thing that women use to tie their hair? |
| a. (hair) elastic | | (7.02%) |
| b. rubber band | | (36.79%) |
| d. hair thing | | (19.06%) |
| e. hair tie | | (16.05%) |
| f. other | | (21.07%) |
| 86. Do you use the word cruller? |
| a. yes | | (31.73%) |
| b. no, but I know what it means | | (46.15%) |
| c. I have no idea what this means | | (22.12%) |
| 87. Do you use the term "bear claw" for a kind of pastry? |
| a. yes | | (59.62%) |
| b. no, but I know what it means | | (36.54%) |
| c. I have no idea what this means | | (3.85%) |
| 88. What do you call someone who is the opposite of pigeon-toed (i.e. when they walk their feet point outwards)? |
| a. duck-footed | | (23.38%) |
| b. slue-footed | | (4.55%) |
| c. splay-footed | | (6.17%) |
| d. bow-legged | | (31.82%) |
| e. toed out | | (2.92%) |
| f. other | | (2.60%) |
| g. I have no word for this | | (28.57%) |
| 89. Can you call coleslaw "slaw"? |
| a. yes | | (80.00%) |
| b. yes, but I can also use it in other forms such as apple slaw or broccoli slaw | | (8.71%) |
| c. no | | (10.00%) |
| e. other | | (1.29%) |
| 90. What do you call the box you bury a dead person in?
|
| a. coffin
| | (59.87%) |
| b. casket
| | (22.33%) |
| c. a coffin and a casket are not the same, and I know the difference
| | (11.00%) |
| d. other | | (6.80%) |
| 91. Do you say "vinegar and oil" or "oil and vinegar" for the type of salad dressing? |
| a. vinegar and oil | | (4.82%) |
| b. oil and vinegar | | (86.82%) |
| c. both sound equally good to me | | (6.75%) |
| d. neither | | (1.29%) |
| e. other | | (0.32%) |
| 92. What do you call it when a driver changes over one or more lanes way too quickly? |
| a. Chinese lane change | | (5.77%) |
| b. Chinese fire drill | | (9.62%) |
| c. other | | (84.62%) |
| 93. When you stand outside with a long line of people waiting to get in somewhere, are you standing "in line" or "on line" (as in, "I stood ___ in the cold for two hours before they opened the doors")?
|
| a. on line
| | (0.64%) |
| b. in line
| | (97.11%) |
| c. both sound equally good
| | (1.29%) |
| e. other | | (0.96%) |
| 94. Do you say "frosting" or "icing" for the sweet spread one puts on a cake? |
| a. frosting | | (17.36%) |
| b. icing | | (31.83%) |
| c. icing is thinner than frosting, white, and/or made of powdered sugar and milk or lemon juice | | (16.40%) |
| d. both | | (33.76%) |
| f. other | | (0.64%) |
| 95. What is "the City"? |
| a. New York City | | (60.28%) |
| b. Boston | | (0.35%) |
| c. DC | | (2.09%) |
| d. LA | | (0.35%) |
| e. Chicago | | (1.39%) |
| f. other | | (35.54%) |
| 96. What is the distinction between dinner and supper?
|
| a. supper is an evening meal while dinner is eaten earlier (lunch, for example)
| | (18.39%) |
| b. supper is an evening meal, dinner is the main meal
| | (10.65%) |
| c. dinner takes place in a more formal setting than supper
| | (15.16%) |
| d. there is no distinction; they both have the same meaning
| | (33.55%) |
| e. I do not use the term supper
| | (17.42%) |
| f. I don't use the term dinner
| | (0.97%) |
| g. other | | (3.87%) |
| 97. Which of these terms do you prefer? |
| a. trash can | | (59.35%) |
| b. garbage can | | (11.61%) |
| d. waste(paper) basket | | (0.65%) |
| e. These words refer to different things | | (26.45%) |
| f. other | | (1.94%) |
| 98. Which of these terms do you prefer?
|
| a. By accident
| | (89.07%) |
| b. On accident
| | (3.22%) |
| c. both
| | (5.47%) |
| d. neither
| | (1.93%) |
| e. other | | (0.32%) |
| 99. Which of these terms do you prefer for the small road parallel to the highway? |
| a. frontage road | | (10.49%) |
| b. service road | | (56.07%) |
| c. access road | | (16.72%) |
| d. feeder road | | (1.31%) |
| f. we have them but I have no word for them | | (10.16%) |
| g. I've never heard of this concept | | (3.28%) |
| h. other | | (1.97%) |
| 100. Do you cut or mow the lawn or grass? |
| a. cut the grass | | (30.94%) |
| b. cut the lawn | | (0.65%) |
| c. mow the grass | | (15.64%) |
| d. mow the lawn | | (42.02%) |
| e. other | | (10.75%) |
| 101. Do you pass in homework or hand in homework? |
| a. pass in | | (7.10%) |
| b. hand in | | (61.61%) |
| c. both | | (17.10%) |
| d. neither | | (0.32%) |
| e. other | | (13.87%) |
| 102. What do you call the insect that looks like a large thin spider and skitters along the top of water? |
| a. waterbug | | (48.54%) |
| j. I have no word for this | | (15.21%) |
| k. other | | (0.97%) |
| b. Jesus bug | | (0.97%) |
| c. waterstrider | | (14.89%) |
| d. strider | | (0.65%) |
| e. water-spider | | (11.33%) |
| f. watercrawler | | (0.65%) |
| g. water beetle | | (1.62%) |
| h. backstrider | | (0.32%) |
| i. skimmer | | (4.85%) |
| 103. What do you call the thing from which you might drink water in a school? |
| b. water bubbler | | (0.32%) |
| c. drinking fountain | | (3.56%) |
| d. water fountain | | (95.79%) |
| e. other | | (0.32%) |
| 104. What do you call a public railway system (normally underground)?
|
| a. the subway
| | (85.95%) |
| b. the L, or the El
| | (0.98%) |
| c. the T
| | (0.33%) |
| d. the metro
| | (6.21%) |
| e. BART
| | (0.65%) |
| f. other | | (5.88%) |
| 105. What is your generic term for a sweetened carbonated beverage?
|
| a. soda
| | (38.06%) |
| j. other | | (6.13%) |
| b. pop
| | (3.87%) |
| c. coke
| | (25.48%) |
| e. soft drink
| | (23.87%) |
| g. cocola
| | (1.94%) |
| i. dope
| | (0.65%) |
| 106. What do you call the act of covering a house or area in front of a house with toilet paper? |
| a. tp'ing | | (31.92%) |
| b. rolling | | (41.69%) |
| c. toilet papering | | (15.96%) |
| d. wrapping | | (1.30%) |
| e. papering | | (4.56%) |
| g. I have no word for this | | (3.26%) |
| h. other | | (1.30%) |
| 107. What do you call a traffic jam caused by drivers slowing down to look at an accident or other diversion on the side of the road? |
| a. rubberneck | | (3.23%) |
| j. other | | (3.23%) |
| b. rubbernecking | | (20.32%) |
| c. rubbernecking is the activity (slowing down and gawking) that causes the traffic jam, but I have no word for the traffic jam itself | | (62.90%) |
| d. gapers' block | | (0.32%) |
| e. gapers' delay | | (0.32%) |
| f. Lookie Lou | | (0.65%) |
| g. curiosity delay | | (0.32%) |
| h. gawk block | | (0.32%) |
| i. I have no word for this | | (8.39%) |
| 108. What vowel do you use in bag?
|
| a. [] as in "sat"
| | (96.74%) |
| b. [] as in "set"
| | (0.33%) |
| c. [e:] as in "say"
| | (2.93%) |
| 109. What do you call the paper container in which you might bring home items you bought at the store?
|
| a. bag
| | (91.00%) |
| b. sack
| | (7.40%) |
| c. poke
| | (1.29%) |
| d. other | | (0.32%) |
| 110. What do you call the night before Halloween? |
| a. gate night | | (0.32%) |
| b. trick night | | (0.32%) |
| c. mischief night | | (2.27%) |
| e. goosy night | | (0.32%) |
| f. devil's night | | (3.25%) |
| g. devil's eve | | (0.97%) |
| h. I have no word for this | | (87.66%) |
| i. other | | (4.87%) |
| 111. What do you call the end of a loaf of bread? |
| a. end | | (17.53%) |
| b. heel | | (62.34%) |
| c. crust | | (8.12%) |
| d. nose | | (0.32%) |
| e. butt | | (4.22%) |
| g. I have no word for this | | (2.92%) |
| h. other | | (4.55%) |
| 112. How do you pronounce the word for the type of drug that acts as central nervous system depressant and is used as a sedative or hypnotic? (Please do not look up the word in a dictionary before answering this question.) |
| a. barbituate | | (78.39%) |
| b. barbiturate | | (10.32%) |
| c. I don't use either of these | | (10.65%) |
| d. other | | (0.65%) |
| 113. amphitheater |
| a. f | | (41.37%) |
| b. p | | (57.98%) |
| c. other | | (0.65%) |
| 114. citizen |
| a. [s] | | (33.66%) |
| b. [z] | | (65.70%) |
| c. other | | (0.65%) |
| 115. What do you call a point that is purely academic, or that cannot be settled and isn't worth discussing further?
|
| a. a moot point
| | (86.82%) |
| b. a mute point
| | (5.79%) |
| c. either one of the above
| | (1.93%) |
| d. I have no idea
| | (5.47%) |
| 116. How do you pronounce the -sp- sequence in "thespian" (the word meaning "actor")?
|
| a. [sp] (as in "desperate")
| | (74.59%) |
| b. [zb] (rhymes with "lesbian")
| | (24.76%) |
| c. other | | (0.65%) |
| 117. What do you call the level of a building that is partly or entirely underground? |
| a. basement | | (63.34%) |
| b. cellar | | (0.64%) |
| c. I use both, and they mean the same thing | | (6.75%) |
| d. A basement is finished (for example with plastered or painted walls, carpets, etc.), whereas a cellar is unfinished (made up of bare stone or cement, used only for storage). | | (19.29%) |
| e. A cellar has an outside entrance (some call this a "bulkhead"), whereas a basement does not | | (9.00%) |
| f. other | | (0.96%) |
| 118. What do you call a drive-through liquor store? |
| a. brew thru | | (14.33%) |
| b. party barn | | (0.33%) |
| d. beer barn | | (1.30%) |
| e. beverage barn | | (1.30%) |
| f. we have these in my area, but we have no special term for them | | (27.69%) |
| g. I have never heard of such a thing | | (45.93%) |
| h. other | | (9.12%) |
| 119. What do you call food that you buy at a restaurant but then eat at home?
|
| a. take-out
| | (72.26%) |
| b. carry-out
| | (4.52%) |
| c. either take-out or carry-out
| | (21.61%) |
| d. other | | (1.61%) |
| 120. What do you say when you want to lay claim to the front seat of a car? |
| a. dibs | | (15.91%) |
| b. shotgun | | (77.27%) |
| e. I have no term for this | | (4.22%) |
| f. other | | (2.60%) |
| 121. What word do you use for gawking at someone in a lustful way? |
| a. ogle | | (41.10%) |
| b. oogle | | (14.56%) |
| c. oggle (pronounced to rhyme with "boggle", but may still be spelled "ogle") | | (24.60%) |
| d. I use both oogle and ogle interchangeably | | (2.91%) |
| e. I use both ogle and "oggle" | | (4.53%) |
| f. I have no word for this activity | | (8.74%) |
| g. other | | (3.56%) |
| 122. Do you say "expecially", or "especially"? |
| a. expecially (or "ecspecially" or "ekspecially") | | (2.90%) |
| b. especially | | (93.87%) |
| c. I use both interchangeably | | (1.61%) |
| d. neither | | (0.32%) |
| e. other | | (1.29%) |
|