Vernacular

Published on July 8, 2006 By Dr Guy In Blogging

With Kudos to Mason on the Trucker Lingo, I give you Richmond Va. Lingo.

For those not familiar with it, you cannot go south and talk this lingo. It is very regionalized, even though at one time it was the Capital of the Confederacy. I will try to differentiate.

Y'All - that means one, two or a bunch. It means all of you!

All Y'all - Does not exist. Speak it, and we know you are Yankees

Aboat - Means About. cant you understand English?

Huse - Gee! What do you live in? A house?

Parham - Don't try. Let me spell it out. Pear (as in the fruit) ram (like in old goat).

Henrico - Don't try again. Here it is Hen (female chicken) Rye (like the bread) Co (like in company) Don't worry, most never get that one right.

Powhite - Now we got you! Cause even the natives do not agree. The most common (no, just my interpretation) is Pow (think 65 Batman) Hite. That is them Indian tribe.

The other is Po (as in poor) White. Either one is fine! After all, the natives still cant decide.

JRB - No not a government program. It stands for the James River Bridge.

Pocahontas Parkway - Not even close. It is the mega toll road for the east enders (we decide status on where you live - hey! I did not create the strata!) to get to I-95 or the airport. Or those sorry south siders who cant spend 15 extra minutes to avoid a $2.50 toll.

Belvidere Toll booths. - They do not exist. But did for many years after the debt was paid off. The scars are still there and natives know it as it is the only place you can pull off of I-95 with out getting creamed by a harried driver.

Open areas. Do not tread! There was a battle there about 140 years ago! We are still worshiping the space!

Spent light bulbs - Save them! We have to put them in our museum!

Chicahominy - If you can pronounce it, you can get by. After all, who has ever heard of it?

Rivah - Pronounced Ree - Va. Not the James! But the Rappahanock. if you don't have a place there, don't talk to Those who do. You are not worthy.

River Drive - if you don't have about 20 mil, they wont answer the door.

And finally, the number of Richmonders who believe this stuff is equal to the number of splinters in your thumb. But they still (in their own mind) rule.

My Children? Born here. But they are not "Richmonders". fortunately, my children are in the majority.

yea, I am a stinker!

Comments

Ionolast

on Jul 08, 2006

Funny.

Don't Henrico and Po kind of go together?

Trudygolightly

on Jul 08, 2006

Interesting! I'd never fit in there I know that! I'm such a northern girl it ain't funny

MasonM

on Jul 08, 2006

Having lived in VA for over 7 years, I'm familiar with all of them. I drove for a trucking company out of Richmond for a couple of years. And everyone knows it's Po Hite.

bakerstreet

on Jul 08, 2006

"All Y'all - Does not exist. Speak it, and we know you are Yankees"

Eh, huh? Think you got that one wrong, at least in terms of 'yankees'. I've lived from North Georgia to West Virginia and I have heard it spoken, authentically, many times. Understand that most of the places I lived would consider Richmond, Virginia folks to be yankees more often than not, these days.

My apologioes to General Lee and all yuns up there, but facts is facts.

MasonM

on Jul 08, 2006

Understand that most of the places I lived would consider Richmond, Virginia folks to be yankees more often than not, these days.

I've lived most of my life even further South and even you would be considered a Yankee here.

Dr Guy

on Jul 08, 2006

Don't Henrico and Po kind of go together?

Yep! But do not try to get logic out of a richmonder. They just want to put the old light bulb into a museum!

Dr Guy

on Jul 08, 2006

Interesting! I'd never fit in there I know that! I'm such a northern girl it ain't funny

Actually you would. As the natives are down to 40% and falling. The other 60% would accept you just fine, since most are northerners!

Dr Guy

on Jul 08, 2006

Having lived in VA for over 7 years, I'm familiar with all of them. I drove for a trucking company out of Richmond for a couple of years. And everyone knows it's Po Hite.

Until you talk to the others. I call it Pow Hite. But my wife insists it is Po White. So if you want to call it Po Hite, who is going to argue?

MasonM

on Jul 08, 2006

As the natives are down to 40% and falling. The other 60% would accept you just fine, since most are northerners!

Get another 30% and it would be just like Florida!

Dr Guy

on Jul 08, 2006

No applogies necessary. But if you cant trace your roots to the Honorable General - you cant be a native Richmonder!

MasonM

on Jul 08, 2006

Until you talk to the others. I call it Pow Hite. But my wife insists it is Po White. So if you want to call it Po Hite, who is going to argue?

Everbody?

I always loved that name exactly for that reason.

Dr Guy

on Jul 08, 2006

I've lived most of my life even further South and even you would be considered a Yankee here.

The real truth is that the south is not having a lot of babies. They are just picking up the Northern ones that aren't too proud to move to a new area. Scarlett would be shocked, but Atlanta has more northerners than most northern cities!

But they just hide their roots to fit in.

MasonM

on Jul 08, 2006

#12 by Dr. Guy
Sat, July 08, 2006 5:07 PM

[Dr. Guy]

I've lived most of my life even further South and even you would be considered a Yankee here.

The real truth is that the south is not having a lot of babies. They are just picking up the Northern ones that aren't too proud to move to a new area. Scarlett would be shocked, but Atlanta has more northerners than most northern cities!

But they just hide their roots to fit in.

Sad yet true.

BTW, you have mail

foreverserenity

on Jul 10, 2006

This is one displaced Yankee who have no clue as to the meaning of most of these words! I live in the South now, although I'm centrally located and I wouldn't dare use any of them since I have no clue how to use them, except y'all!

And since I dont' even talk that way.....

Dr Guy

on Jul 11, 2006

Somehow, you never seemed to be a Yankee. You are the epitome of a true southern lady!

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