Do Rhode Islanders speak English?
OR....What the hell did he say??
Hey there!...this is a quick lesson in speaking Rhode Islandese. This page will guide you and help you to understand the things that we RI'ers say. And give you a pronounciation lesson too!!Just so you dont stand out like a foreigner when you visit RI.
First some things that are JUST Rhode Island....
- )Quahogs..(kwah-hogs) native American word for BIG friggin clam!!
- )Jonny cake..(Jonny cake!)native American pancake made from ground corn meal(mmmm good....NOT!)
- )Coffee Milk..(kaw-fee milk) Milk with a sweet coffee syrup added(its like a 12oz cup of coffee with about 15 sugars and 9 ounces of milk)
- )Cabinet..(kab-in-et) basically its a milk shake.
- )Coffee Cabinet..(kaw-fee kab-in-et)Hmmm...figure it out!!
- )Saugy's..(saw-geez)RI hot dog company..err franfurt...oh whatever!Its a hot dog known for its "crunch".
- )Grinder..(grindah)a submarine sandwich,a hero;a sandwich usually about 6" to as much as 6'longstuffed with anything from ham and cheese to meatballs to eggplant.(grindah is spelled in RI talk. pronounced the way it is spelled.)
- )Big Blue Bug..(big blu bug)Found in Providence on the roof of the New England Pest Control building,near the southbound lane of route I-95,on the Thurbers Ave corner.##aliases##....Big blue rudolph the red nosed reindeer*;Big blue witch**;big blue cool dude,drinkin a Del's***;Big blue movie star****.
- )Del's lemonade{delz lem-in-ayde)frozen slush treat like dumping country tyme into a snow bank.(often seen being consumed by big blue bugs)Or by Bill at PBruin games
*during christmas holiday season,BBB has been known to sport anlers and a red nose.
**During Halloween,BBB sports a black witches hat.
***during this 1997 summer season,BBB was sporting shades and drinking an enormous Del's.
****BBB is seen in the beginning of the movie..."Dumb and Dumber"
with his co stars;Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels!
Here is a RI to English guide to help you understand what I said!.....
- Ommy-a fighting force,used in wars.
- Bonn-a place where cows are kept,Or where I used to hang out.
- Bubblah- you normal folks would call this a water fountain.
- Bah-a place that sells alcoholic beverages.
- Cah-could be a Ford or a Chevy... you would know this as a CAR...
- Calenda-keeps track of the yeeah.
- Cods-usually Bicycle makes em,used for poker or Blackjack.
- Culliz- there are many culliz in the rainbow.
- Dinna-evening meal....
- Daww-entrance to the staww,or your home.
- Flaridda-that place where Disneyworld is.
- Grindah-long sandwich,also known as submarine or hero.
- Hahrah-I really like hahrah movies.ooooh veddy scatty(scary)!!
- Joonya- a third year student,or a person like Robert Downey,joonya.OR Raymond "Joonya" Patriarca.....
- Oh-shin-where the fish swim,you would know it as the ocean!
- Peppiz- a green vegetable,usually cooked with sawsidge.
- Potty-birthday,anniversary,surprise,going away....a celebration.
- Pock-could be what you do with a Cah,or a place with trees and stuff.
- Ro-dylin- the state I live in...Rhode Island,
- Saw-sidge-sometimes cook with peppiz,greasy pork meat in a flesh tube.
- Seenya-This is a type of elderly citizen, or parent of a Joonya.
- Socca-a sport that uses a black and white ball.
- Staww-place to buy food, clothes etc.
- Shaw-where the land meets the oh-shin...
- Suppa-also the evening meal
- Weeniz-hot dogs with lotsa crap on em!!
- Yeeah-365 days in a yeeah.
If by now you havent noticed,Ro-dylandas dont use alot of the "R"s we are supposed to. I guess its lazy talk!!But here is something,I was in Soopa Stop an Shop today,and heard the funniest thing....this lady said she was sorry she went to this store, and she shoulda gone to
- Shores Market
(obviously she was talkin about "Shaw's Market!) But she added the R where she didnt need it. I also know of a few other words RI'ers have added the R's they dont use in some words.....
they would be:
- Alfer....Alpha
- Omayger...Omega