As a native Californian, can you tell a lifelong Californian when out of state? (San Diego: college, live)

[Snort]

I honestly can't tell Californians apart from non-Californians if I don't hear a pronounced accent.....but I can tell you that, by the look in their eyes, that tiger is on quaaludes and Cal is on uppers (always was!).

[Mvn2nc]

Living in N.C for the past 2 years ( Cali. born and raised for 45 years!) i can say plenty of people know where i come from.Calif. people according to people here say we sound like "very proper english" and speak very clear.

[Raivere]

I second that. I live in N.C. and can tell. though it is kind of hard to tell an accent. The way Cali's talk and act give them away.

[formercalifornian]

Originally Posted by Adriatica

No--there is so much variety amongst Californians in terms of speech that it's not really possible. Even in my own family, full of native Californians, there's a big range of speech habits--from people saying "warsh" for "wash" to people who insert "like" as every third word. Lots of variety here!

The "warsh" people may be transplants from Ohio. It drives me insane when my family speaks that way.

As far as particular verbal clues, one dead giveaway for someone from southern California is prefacing highways with the, as in "Take the 101 north." You can't pick out a northern Californian this way, because they just say 101 like everybody else in the country.

One way you can tell if somebody isn't a native is if they call the state "Cali" (which is a city in the South American country of Columbia). You hardly ever hear people call our state Cali in California, but it's not unusual to hear uneducated people from outside the state using the incorrect name.

It's the same with Frisco. People north of the bridge just say, "We're going to the city," and it's assumed they mean San Francisco.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by formercalifornian

"Take the 101 north."

Even better is taking the 101 north or 101 south anwhere between Gaviota and North Hollywood as that stretch of the 101 runs west and east.

[formercalifornian]

Originally Posted by Charles

Even better is taking the 101 north or 101 south anwhere between Gaviota and North Hollywood as that stretch of the 101 runs west and east.

Well, then that would definitely be the litmus test for a northern vs. southern Californian!

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by formercalifornian

Well, then that would definitely be the litmus test for a northern vs. southern Californian!

That and the use of "hella".

[formercalifornian]

I have never heard the term "hella." Is that supposed to "Hello?"

[Fontucky]

No, it's a nonsense word that some (usually young) Northern Californians insert in front of adjectives. Example: "That burrito was hella good".

[formercalifornian]

Hmmm. That's a new one for me. Apparently, I'm over the hill and out of the loop.