dialect - noun – a particular form of a language which is particular to a specific region or social group.
— from the Oxford Dictionary of English
Though I have lived in various parts of the United States and in Germany, I spent the first twenty two years of my life in the Midwest and it makes itself known in the way that I speak. I definitely, and unashamedly, speak a Midwestern dialect of American English.
The most obvious way this makes itself known is the pop vs. soda vs. Coke debate. In the East, parts of the South and parts of the West, the sweet carbonated beverage that most Americans drink is called “soda.” In other parts of the South (especially Georgia), it is called “Coke,” no matter if it is Coke, Mountain Dew, or Sprite.
And in the Midwest and parts of the West it is called “pop.” I drink “pop.” I always have, I always will. Granted, I got some quizzical looks when I referred to it as such when I lived in Texas and Mississippi, but the word is ingrained in me and asking me to change it is like asking me to change my hair color. Theoretically, I could, but why? It is part of who I am.
I have always taken for granted the fact that people understood my dialect. When I lived in the South, of course people thought I talked funny and much too fast, but they understood me. Though English is not his native language, by the time I met A. he had lived for nearly eight years in America (in the Midwest no less!) and speaks so fluently, I am quite amazed each time I use a word for something in my Midwestern dialect that he doesn’t comprehend.
The latest example of this is the word that I use for the soft-soled shoes that we wear everyday. Mine are Reeboks, his are Nikes. For some, they are “sneakers,” for others they are “trainers,” for still others they are “Nikes.” But for me they are “tennis shoes,” even though correctly pronounced it is more like “tennashoes.”
While I do play tennis, I would never wear the Reeboks that I wear for everyday out on the tennis court. The word that I use for these shoes doesn’t have anything to do with their function or the sport associated with them. It comes purely from my Midwestern dialect. Never did I hear anyone at home refer to their Nikes as sneakers, gym shoes, or trainers. They were always “tennis shoes,” even if they wore them to play basketball.
Much like I will always drink “pop,” I will always wear “tennis shoes.” The problem is, though I have explained to A. that I don’t actually mean tennis shoes when I say “tennis shoes,” whenever I tell him it is time to buy him a new pair of tennis shoes he inevitably replies, “Why? I don’t play tennis!”
letti says:
that was a wonderful post. Back in Malaysia, we have “manglish” ( the term pretty much speaks for itself..we do mangle the language in a certain way )..Like instead of “never mind”, we say “neh mine” or for “already”, we say “oreddy”
Because of the huge western influence in malaysia, and coming from an english speaking family, I could adapt and even adopt an “american accent” ( is that an oxymoron? ).. but being in Texas, sometimes I still give my fiance a look when i can’t catch what an old timer’s saying 
and he’ll try to “interpret” it
p/s: I’m adding a link to you too on my blog
have a great day.
6 February 2005 at 17:40
Michele says:
Wonderful post. I actually drink soda-pop, yes both words are used. I also wear sneakers but I call them Keds even if they were not made by Keds.
Of course if I were to wear my Keds and walk to the corner store to purchase a soda-pop I would take a few loonies with me. Yes, we Canadians are funny that way, EH.
8 February 2005 at 00:19
Dawn says:
They will always be tennis shoes and pop to me also :).
8 February 2005 at 03:38
Isabelle says:
Hi Renée! maybe you’ll find it funny that in France we say either “des baskets” (short for “des chaussures de basket”, “chaussures” meaning “shoes”) or “des tennis” (short for “chaussures de tennis”)! Not far from your “tennashoes” eh!
8 February 2005 at 08:00
Cheryl says:
You are so right about the “coke” thing. Here in Tennessee we call everything a “coke”, and if it’s not and still fizzy, we call it a “cold drank”
8 February 2005 at 16:08
Dave says:
East coast style here…soda and sneakers! (plural…sodas)
12 February 2005 at 21:46