All cities have developed their own slang for certain phrases. Out of towners are quick to notice but, natives of St. Louis aren’t even aware of the differences. Here are 10 phrases that will make you swear St. Louisans have their own language:
1. "Going to the Landing"
Don't worry if you hear you're going to the Landing. You won't spend the day watching airplanes touch down. You're going to "Laclede's Landing" on the Riverfront which consists of St. Louis dining and nightlife.
2. "You wanna throw some warshers?"
Well this sure seems like a weird question. First of all, when we say "warsh" we mean wash. It's the same when we say "warsher," we mean washer. When we say we wanna throw some "warshers" we don't mean anything Maytag.
"Warshers" is a really fun game and we like to drink beer and barbeque when we play it.
3. "The Bootheel"
When we speak of "the bootheel" we mean the bottom Southeast corner of Missouri.
4. "Go to the boat"
In St. Louis when we say "go to the boat" we don't mean for a ride on the river. "The boat" is one of the several casinos in and around St. Louis.
5. "I go to SLU"
When we refer to SLU we either mean St. Louis University College or St. Louis University Hospital.
6. "The Loop"
When we talk about "The Loop" we mean the Delmar loop in U-City (University City). "The Loop" is a really awesome area in St. Louis with great food, live music, and unique shops.
7. "She must be from Jeffco"
When we refer to someone as "being from Jeffco," we mean
Jefferson County on the other side of the Meramec River.
8. "We are having a beer in Dogtown"
Dogtown is the Irish part of St. Louis. There are lots of great pubs and little family-owned grocery stores.
9. "The Hill"
The Hill is our Italian neighborhood in St. Louis. The Hill is a great place to find authentic Italian bakeries, grocery stores, restaurants, and mom-and-pop trattorias.
10. "Let's head East" or "Time to hit the East Side"
If you're visiting friends in St. Louis and out at the bar when it closes and someone yells "EAST SIDE, call a cab quick!" This means you are dangerously close to crossing the bridge and partaking in an all night party in East St. Louis. Trust me, East St. Louis is sketchy at best and only people in St. Louis can handle that kind of party.
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