Regional variations of words: Word-atlas

[Ray Zdybrow]

I noticed the name for woodlice in Kent is Peabugs. I wonder if originally this was Pee bugs. In Dutch we call woodlice 'pissbeds' and the story is that (a loooong time ago) children who wet their beds were given a medicine which contained grind woodlice.
Anyway, none of these names seem to make much sense, including woodlice.

Peabugs (and pillbugs) because (some kinds) roll up into a pea-like (or pill-like) ball. Btw "pissabed" is one of the common English names for a dandelion

 

[hitmouse]

I could not work out why the bap photo was of a chip butty.

Local words in places I have lived for “bro”:
Mush- Southampton
Me duck, Ducky - Leicestershire
Mate : everywhere
Boy, Boyo, Butt, Bach, Fella : S Wales

 

[hitmouse]

For local British invertebrate names and cultural aspects I recommend this splendid book:

 

[Astro Pen]

Here in south wales a scratch is called a "Scram". "The bloody kitten scrammed me again!"
"Tidy" refers to just about anything going right or being good,
and "Butty" means mate, I think it is derived from buddy
One of my favourites here is "Tamping mad" for being angry.

 

[Ursa major]

I've heard the word, bleb, but I'm not sure whether it was used as a regional name -- my parents (who came from Cumberland, i.e. the far north-west of England) may have used it in that way -- or as the medical term it is.

I suspect it's the former, but can't be sure.

 

[Harpo]

And here are the US woodlice names

 

[Swank]

More US variations

View attachment 91814

Awesome! I had a Rhode Island girlfriend that said "Bubber" like we did in Milwaukee (it's a brand).

I am disturbed that I grew up in "buddy" territory. However, Buddy was my grandfather's nickname. People in the '40s seemed to all have nicknames - one of his friends was "Razorass".


Years ago I had a hilarious Irish co-worker. One time he told me straight faced that Australian men had stopped using "mate" to refer to each other and had transitioned entirely the to the C-word.

 

[Harpo]

.....cobber?

 

[Mouse]

How about regional variations of counting sheep? Yan tan tethera - Wikipedia

 

[Harpo]

How about regional variations of counting sheep? Yan tan tethera - Wikipedia

Splendid, I knew about yan tan tethera but not those 20+ other variations

 

[KiraAnn]

I have considerable doubts about those maps of the US. Doesn't fit what I experience and have experienced. Anymore,age is a more determining factor in the US.

 

[hitmouse]

Here in south wales a scratch is called a "Scram". "The bloody kitten scrammed me again!"

This is a good example of a Welsh loan word into local English dialect. From the song Sospan Fach:

Mae bys Meri-Ann wedi brifo,
A Dafydd y gwas ddim yn iach.
Mae'r baban yn y crud yn crio,
A'r gath wedi sgramo Joni bach.

Tr: And the cat scratched little Johnny

 

[hitmouse]

Here in south wales a scratch is called a "Scram". "The bloody kitten scrammed me again!"

This is a good example of a Welsh loan word into local English dialect. From the song Sospan Fach:

Mae bys Meri-Ann wedi brifo,
A Dafydd y gwas ddim yn iach.
Mae'r baban yn y crud yn crio,
A'r gath wedi sgramo Joni bach.

Tr: the cat scratched little Johnny

 

[THX1138]

I have also heard them called 'Mudbugs'
They are crayfish to me here in the Rocky's

 

[Swank]

I have also heard them called 'Mudbugs'
They are crayfish to me here in the Rocky's
View attachment 92181

Looking at the map, I'm pretty sure everyone who uses the word "crawdad" learned it from TV.

 

[Harpo]

 

[Harpo]

Not words, but perhaps just as important....

 

[Harpo]

 

[Astro Pen]

Thanks @Harpo all very useful for a largely earth bound writer like myself. I had always thought Father Ted invented 'Feck' but apparently not.

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

Also, what do you call the bits of batter left over? 'Scratchings' or 'bits' or something else?

Northeast England/North North Yorkshire they are 'Scraps' - (and the best fish and chips can be found in Whitby)

a 'spelk' is a 'splinter'

I've got a 'spell' in my finger