A list of words/phrases I never heard or used before moving to NYC:
bridge and tunnel: refers to the people who live outside of Manhattan
e.g., I don't fraternize with the bridge and tunnel people.
brownstone: a type of material that characterizes certain buildings popular in New York, especially in Brooklyn neighborhoods
e.g., It sure would be nice to live in one of those brownstones.
stoop: a small, steep set of stairs leading up to a brownstone, where people can sit and talk like they did on 227.
e.g., I'd sit on my stoop every day if I lived in a brownstone.
to stay or to go: The two options you have when ordering food at a counter at a casual dining establishment.
e.g., "Can I have the chicken please?" "To stay or to go?" "For here...er, I mean to stay."
get/wait/stand on line: Same as get/wait/stand in line.
No example as this makes no sense.
dip your card: Somehow, machines in New York are never swipeable, so you "dip" your card...which implies a vertical plunge, but is also not the case. Indeed, it is more like a "insert and remove quickly" but perhaps they prefer "dip" for simplicity's sake and everyone seems to get it.
scratchiti: Exactly what you think it is.
e.g., Defacing public property is against the law! No graffiti or scratchiti!
A list of words/phrases I used in L.A. that became defunct after moving to NYC:
(no definitions necessary for my Angeleno readers)
dude: all-purpose term that still slips out once in awhile.
e.g., Dude, get out of my way! Dude, that's awesome!
The 405 (emphasis on "the")
e.g., It quickly became apparent that there would be no Carmageddon at the closure of the 405.
Sepulveda Pass (I don't miss this at all)
e.g., Ugh, Obama is in town, and it took me OVER AN HOUR to get through the Sepulveda Pass!
sig alert
e.g., Ugh, there's a sig alert on the Sepulveda Pass!
animal style
e.g., I'll have a double-double animal style, fries extra crispy, and a Neopolitan.
June Gloom (I don't miss this one either)
e.g., "Why is it so gloomy?" "It's June Gloom! We have this every year, don't you remember?" "Oh yeah."
Ha! Your list is great! I have to say, the "bridge and tunnel" term is one that I've heard a lot recently (I guess because a lot of tourists come here in the summer), and I was still unsure of what it meant (I thought maybe it just referred to people from New Jersey). Thanks for clearing that up for me!
ReplyDeleteAlso, to go with stoop, there are always "stoop sales" in Brooklyn on the weekend. No such thing as garage or yard sales!
ReplyDelete