24 Phrases Only Heard in Chicago

[Marie Joseph]

Originally Posted by HollyhockGarden

"Gaper's Block" is not unique to the Chicago area. It is used all over the country.

Never heard "Gaper's Block" though I grew up in Upstate NY. I've lived in the South and even in the Detroit area and still haven't heard it Maybe it's further west I suppose.

I've heard 'lookie-lou' ,'gawk-block' and 'rubbernecking' for traffic jams caused by people slowing down to stare at an accident scene.

The term 'show' vs. movies was used in Detroit and they also said 'gym shoes' instead of sneakers.

The others seem like they are pretty specific to Chicago though.

Don't recall hearing most of them on the list during my visits to Chicago but I always like coming there

[Kmanshouse]

FRUNCHROOM!!!

I've mentioned this one in another thread and nobody had heard of it. Glad it's memorialized in this article. My dad said this all the time about our front/living room overlooking the street. Said everybody he knew said it when he was a kid on the south side.

[Irishtom29]

I didn’t occur to me that front room was remarkable. Although my wife, who’s from Philly, calls it a living room.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

I didn’t occur to me that front room was remarkable. Although my wife, who’s from Philly, calls it a living room.

I grew up in Cleveland and my parents called the living room the "front room". (But never the "frunchroom", however.)