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Bubblers, Pocketbooks and Sneakers, Oh My!

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(@jocelynhoopesmls)
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Having lived in various region of the US, I've found that there are nouns  such as "bubbler" (Milwaukee), and "pocketbook"  (Philly), and sneakers as mentioned in a recent  show  that bob along in our language soup.  The noun  is  used with a  stubborness by  native speakers even if advertisers and marketer  don't use it.  In fact, if a newcomer lives there long enough usually s/he adopts it and children born there will almost always own  it.   Is there a term for  these nouns?   It doesn't seem to be a regionalism, because users know they are different, but  still use them  even on social network sites.  Isn't being prideful about  one's nouns, some kind of language sin????    

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Jocelyn said:

It doesn't seem to be a regionalism, because users know they are different, but  still use them....

How does that mean it isn't a regionalism?   I don't see the connection.

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(@dadoctah)
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Jocelyn said:

The noun  is  used with a  stubborness by  native speakers even if advertisers and marketer  don't use it.

Why should advertisers and marketers cast the deciding vote? To take a non-regional example: everyone else says "toilet paper"; they say "bathroom tissue". Which is the real name for the stuff?

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(@jocelynhoopesmls)
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Bob Bridges said:

Jocelyn said:

It doesn't seem to be a regionalism, because users know they are different, but  still use them....

How does that mean it isn't a regionalism?   I don't see the connection.

I am  trying to open the question on a  fine point, gentlmen.

I always thought a regionalism was a word or term used by the speaker  not knowing that it is limited by geography.   But, when a person becomes aware that a term differentiates them and continues to use it, almost as a test of native-ness (?), then in my mind their behavior indicates that it  has become something different. As to marketers giving it validity, my point is that they must pick the most common term in order to be accepted  by the most consumers. This goes to  basic techniques in persuasion.  I never  said the marketers were The Word, I was simply  noticing their behavior while  attempting  to persuade.

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Posts: 6
Topic starter
(@jocelynhoopesmls)
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Joined: 14 years ago

Bob Bridges said:

Jocelyn said:

It doesn't seem to be a regionalism, because users know they are different, but  still use them....

How does that mean it isn't a regionalism?   I don't see the connection.

I am  trying to open the question on a  fine point, gentlmen.

I always thought a regionalism was a word or term used by the speaker  not knowing that it is limited by geography.   But, when a person becomes aware that a term differentiates them and continues to use it, almost as a test of native-ness (?), then in my mind their behavior indicates that it  has become something different. As to marketers giving it validity, my point is that they must pick the most common term in order to be accepted  by the most consumers. This goes to  basic techniques in persuasion.  I never  said the marketers were The Word, I was simply  noticing their behavior while  attempting  to persuade.

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