Is there a word or phrase that’s particular to your hometown? The editors of the Oxford English Dictionary would like to hear about it. In Cincinnati, for example, three-way refers to a kind of style of serving chili. You can contribute your examples on the OED’s site, or talk about it on Twitter using the hashtag #wordswhereyouare. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Words Where You Are”
You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it.
I’m Grant Barrett.
And I’m Martha Barnette.
One of the delights of traveling around the country and talking about language is going to a town and asking people what is the one word or phrase that marks you as being from this area.
Yes, absolutely.
Well, because you and I have this fascination with this kind of thing, I’ve been getting a kick out of a hashtag on Twitter called Words Where You Are.
And this is one that was started by the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary. They want people to send them words for them to investigate as being particularly local.
And I’ve had a great time going through and looking at some of the things that people are suggesting that they look into.
And one of them that rang a bell for me was the word three-way.
But it’s not the three-way you think.
Not the three-way you’re thinking.
No, this is a Cincinnati term.
Do you know it?
Is this a kind of intersection?
No.
No.
What is it?
Oh, that’s a good guess.
I don’t know what it is.
But no, it’s a kind of food.
Cincinnati chili, which itself is a really specific kind of chili, it’s started in the Macedonian community there, and it’s chili that’s seasoned with Mediterranean spices.
But Cincinnati chili is made lots of different ways, including two-way, which is spaghetti topped with chili, and three-way, which is spaghetti, chili, and cheese, and there’s a four-way and a five-way.
And if you’re from that area, you absolutely know what three-way means.
I should have guessed food.
I should have guessed food.
Of course, right?
Yes, absolutely.
And the hashtag again is?
Words where you are.
Well, I can imagine that you’re going to share some more of this later in the show.
I just might.
And, you know, this show is also about words where you are.
We take calls from all over, including yours, 877-929-9673.
And we are happy to receive as much email as you want to send.
Words@waywordradio.org, and let’s chat on Twitter @wayword.
