Southern vs Northern Words Quiz

1. Which plural form of “you” is broadly associated with Northern speech, though it is now used throughout much of the country?

2. At a restaurant in parts of the Northern United States, especially the Upper Midwest, which word might a customer use for a sweet carbonated drink?

3. Which name for a small freshwater crustacean is especially associated with Southern speech and cuisine?

4. A driver in New England is told to “take the second exit from the rotary.” What kind of road feature is the driver approaching?

5. During a Southern summer evening, a child points to a glowing insect. Which regional term are they especially likely to use?

6. Someone in the South asks you to “cut on the porch light.” What are they asking you to do?

7. In parts of New England, someone ordering a long sandwich filled with meat, cheese, and vegetables may call it a what?

8. In Wisconsin and a few other Northern communities, what does “bubbler” commonly mean?

9. Rain is falling while the sun is still shining. Which colorful expression has traditional associations with parts of the South?

10. At a Southern grocery store, a cashier asks, “Would you like a sack?” What is being offered?

11. A shopper in the South says, “I left my buggy near the entrance.” What did the shopper most likely leave there?

12. Which expression is most strongly associated with the Southern United States as a plural form of “you”?

13. A Southerner says, “I’m fixing to leave.” What does “fixing to” communicate in this sentence?

14. A Southerner says, “It’s cold, so put on your toboggan.” What should you put on?

15. Two stores stand at diagonally opposite corners of an intersection. Which expression is more characteristic of Northern and Midwestern usage than the Southern form “catty-corner”?

16. Which term for athletic shoes has a particularly strong association with the Northeast, although it is also understood elsewhere?