9 Words That Mean Something Completely Different In Mississippi
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
Like residents of any other state, we Mississippians use a whole slew of words and phrases that’ll make outsiders swear we have our own language. And while our way of talkin’ makes sense to us, have you ever stopped to think about how confusing it can be for others? When you think about it, there are several words that mean something completely different in Mississippi; here are 9 perfect examples.
In the North, "buggy" is the word used when referring to a horse drawn carriage. In the South, it’s used to refer to a much more modern device – the shopping cart.
In most other places, "Coke" is an abbreviation for Coca Cola. Here in Mississippi and many other southern states, it’s used to refer to ALL carbonated drinks, including Coca Cola.
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While the rest of the country uses this word to describe a person’s looks, Mississippians use it to describe a person’s bad attitude or behavior.
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This one seems pretty simple; however things aren’t always as they seem. To others, "carry" means to take objects in your arms and move them from one place to another. We Mississippians, though, use it when referring to transporting people/things via a vehicle, as in, "I had to carry Mama to the doctor."
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The official definition of cut is "make an opening, incision, or wound in something with a sharp-edged tool or object." But if you live in Mississippi, the word has an additional meaning, and that’s to turn something off, such as, "Cut off the lights."
Another one that seems simple yet isn’t. "Mash" is defined as "reducing a food or other substance to a uniform mass by crushing it." However, here in the Magnolia State, it means to press a button, for example, "Please mash the elevator button."
To most, this means "to mend or repair." We Mississippians, however, use it to describe something we’re about to do, such as "I’m fixin’ to go to Wal Mart."
In addition to the obvious meaning of putting letters together to form words, this one can also be used to represent a measure of time. If you’ve lived in Mississippi for any period of time, you’ve undoubtedly been invited to "come sit a spell."
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When used in other places, this word simply means to grill in the backyard. When used in the Magnolia State, you can pretty much guarantee a delicious, slow cooked meat and equally as tasty sides are involved.
What other words would you add to this list? Tell us in the comments section!
If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out “13 Things Every Mississippian Has Said At Least Once.“
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