WNY colloquialisms and accents (New York, Buffalo: college, companies, school)

[I'minformed2]

Originally Posted by UpstaterInBklyn

NYC residents define anything east of New Jersey, west of the Rockies and north of the Mason-Dixon line as "Midwest", a distinction which generally comes with a good amount of derision.

That area doesn't exist geographically....east of NJ and west of the Rockies? I'm assuming you meant to say it the other way around. lol

[UpstaterInBklyn]

Oops... my mistake... Yes, EAST of the Rockies

In the interest of not wasting this post and furthering the topic, I'd like to present a list of words and phrases that only Buffalonians would know the true meaning or significance of:

"The Canadian Ballet"
"Pogeying"
"Genny Pounder", "Blue" and "Golden"
"The Big Blue Water Tower"
"The Mainline"
"Vodka Tea"
"Father Baker's"
"BOCES" (both as a noun and adjective)
"Ski Country"
"The S-Curves"
"Slime Dog"

How about some people who will be recognized by first name or nickname:
"Irv"
"Goldie"
"Commander Tom"
"Gilbert" (Pronounced in French)
"Jimmy Six Pack"
"Robbie and Johnny"

Does anyone want add any others?

[smalltownusa]

Talk about being clueless. I always considered our accent rather universal !!! But there is one Buffalonian colloquialism that always drove me crazy: yous guys. Ouch!

[I'minformed2]

you guys isn't a buffalo thing, or a wny thing...its all around northern. I used to think "you guys" was strictly Rochester....but after living in "y'all" country for over 12 years; I came to realize that "you guys" is fairly universal for the north.

[smalltownusa]

Originally Posted by I'minformed2

you guys isn't a buffalo thing, or a wny thing...its all around northern. I used to think "you guys" was strictly Rochester....but after living in "y'all" country for over 12 years; I came to realize that "you guys" is fairly universal for the north.

I honestly never heard "yous guys" in the south of Rochester area I grew up in and it wasn't until I worked with people from Buffalo that I heard it.....that was years ago and since then, I've heard it often but it's always out of the mouths of Buffalo area people....guess moving out of the area like you have defines area phrases clearer

[oktaren]

Originally Posted by Sean34597

I read that Rochester is the nation's dividing line between the use of "pop" and "soda." To me this is a huge deal--way bigger than the Mason-Dixon line (otherwise known as the IHOP/Waffle House line). Why isn't there some kind of landmark up in Rochester to signify this? Why doesn't everyone know about it? To me Rochester should rename itself, "A City With Pop," or something to that effect. And you think I'm joking...

That may have something to do with the fact that Roch isn't really part of WNY

[I'minformed2]

don't even start with that again lol. You don't even live here anymore. Rochester is, in any description or definition you read of it, defined as "a western new york city". Sorry you don't agree with that, but its just the truth.

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This Roch·es·ter (rŏch'ĭ-stər, -ěs'tər) Pronunciation Key

1. <LI minmax_bound="true">A city of southeast Minnesota southeast of St. Paul. The Mayo Clinic (founded in 1889) is located here. Population: 95,000.
2. A city of western New York east-northeast of Buffalo on the New York State Barge Canal near Lake Ontario. It was first settled c. 1812 and grew rapidly after the opening of the Erie Canal (1825). Population: 211,000.

Western New York refers to the westernmost region of New York State. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, Lockport, Batavia, Olean, Salamanca, Dunkirk, North Tonawanda, Lackawanna, Tonawanda and Jamestown

[oktaren]

Originally Posted by I'minformed2

don't even start with that again lol. You don't even live here anymore. Rochester is, in any description or definition you read of it, defined as "a western new york city". Sorry you don't agree with that, but its just the truth.

Sorry you are just wrong...

The regional knowledge network of U.B. (Regional Knowledge Network - RKN) has stated that "historians, scholars and others consider the Western New York border to be at the Monroe–Orleans County line."

Therefore Rochester is outside that boundary. 'upstate' -> Yes; 'western new york' -> A resounding NO. I never lived in Rochester, I lived in WNY

[rochacha]

Im_Informed...

Wait, you are arguing to be lumped in with Buffalo? I'd be glad to be separate...I lived there for several years...great place to visit, not to live. We have not as much urban blight, less dependent on the government, no control board. The region is even fully dependent on Canadian shoppers and Rochester for the economy and sports teams -- Golisano saving the Sabres, not sure if it is true but I have seen that 1/3 of attendees at Bills games are from Rochester. I think even the Rochester metro is on pace to overcome Buffalo in population in the near future (I'll leave the actuals stats to Shibanu)

Of course, this is all in the spirit of neighborly teasing over something stupid about who is Western New York. The fact is that we are in this boat together and need to cooperate. This is not a zero-sum game.

[oktaren]

Originally Posted by rochacha

Im_Informed...

Wait, you are arguing to be lumped in with Buffalo? I'd be glad to be separate...I lived there for several years...great place to visit, not to live. We have not as much urban blight, less dependent on the government, no control board. The region is even fully dependent on Canadian shoppers and Rochester for the economy and sports teams -- Golisano saving the Sabres, not sure if it is true but I have seen that 1/3 of attendees at Bills games are from Rochester. I think even the Rochester metro is on pace to overcome Buffalo in population in the near future (I'll leave the actuals stats to Shibanu)

Of course, this is all in the spirit of neighborly teasing over something stupid about who is Western New York. The fact is that we are in this boat together and need to cooperate. This is not a zero-sum game.

Yeah, Buffalo sucks, but so does Rochester. The rest of western new york is the real gem, not the cities.