It's Official Now...

[ilikegunspdx]

And it's easy to tell western Oregonians when they pronounce Wallowa as wollow-uh instead of Wall-ow-uh.

How about "El-ginn" instead of "El-jin"? Probably tons of those type. Ooh I've heard "ma-drass" instead of "mad-rus". Some other will come to me I'm sure. Usually the Indian names get pretty twisted.

 

[monks]

How about "El-ginn" instead of "El-jin"? Probably tons of those type. Ooh I've heard "ma-drass" instead of "mad-rus". Some other will come to me I'm sure. Usually the Indian names get pretty twisted.

We don't mention Elgin here.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

We don't mention Elgin here.

Just don't use "MF" as short for Milton-Freewater.

For Eastern Wa we always called toppenish "2-penis". Yakima was always "yaka-Vegas" for some reason I never understood.

 

[monks]

Just don't use "MF" as short for Milton-Freewater.

For Eastern Wa we always called toppenish "2-penis". Yakima was always "yaka-Vegas" for some reason I never understood.

I've got a friend who had a coworker who got in trouble for messing with an underage girl. He was from Touchet, so my buddy called it "touch it" whenever we drove through and it stuck. It's now officially "Touch it".

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I've got a friend who had a coworker who got in trouble for messing with an underage girl. He was from Touchet, so my buddy called it "touch it" whenever we drove through and it stuck. It's now officially "Touch it".

Talked with some of the descendants of original settlers of that area who still live there and originally was the French pronunciation which got lost pretty fast as I understand it. There is still an area there called "Frenchtown".

 

[sobo]

Talked with some of the descendants of original settlers of that area who still live there and originally was the French pronunciation which got lost pretty fast as I understand it. There is still an area there called "Frenchtown".

Correct on the second count only. Touchet was originally called Tuushi, from the Walla Walla Indians who lived there first.

Wikipedia

Touchet is along the Touchet River that flows out of the Blue Mountains above Dayton, and Frenchtown is just west of Walla Walla.

 

[sobo]

Just don't use "MF" as short for Milton-Freewater.

For Eastern Wa we always called toppenish "2-penis". Yakima was always "yaka-Vegas" for some reason I never understood.

Here's why (there's an interesting story that goes along with that sign...):



Yakivegas is also known locally as Crakima, for obvious reasons...

 

[monks]

Here's why (there's an interesting story that goes along with that sign...):

View attachment 2040703

Yakivegas is also known locally as Crakima, for obvious reasons...

I've never been to Palm Springs, but based on that sign on the freeway I don't want to go and don't understand why anyone would want to!

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Correct on the second count only. Touchet was originally called Tuushi, from the Walla Walla Indians who lived there first.

Wikipedia

Touchet is along the Touchet River that flows out of the Blue Mountains above Dayton, and Frenchtown is just west of Walla Walla.

Guess they were full of bubblegum then.

 

[sobo]

Guess they were full of bubblegum then.

Well, just on the Touchet part. Frenchtown is a real thing.

 

[Mikej]

And it's easy to tell western Oregonians when they pronounce Wallowa as wollow-uh instead of Wall-ow-uh.

that one took some time, but I grew=up and say it Native American now.

 

[Certaindeaf]

When I was 13 my mom and I went out to visit my uncle who lived in Maryland and do a little east coast road trip with them. At one point my mom and I were outside the hotel while she had a smoke and another lady out smoking started talking to us. She asked the standard "where yall from?" question, when my mom said Oregon, I bubblegum you not, this lady asked "Oh are yall still having to fight the Indians out there, like are they still a threat?". This was in 2009

The world thinks we still live in log cabins, for reals.

 

[MTpockets]

The world thinks we still live in log cabins, for reals.

Cabins from logs! Really?
So primitive.... Down here in Amerizona we recently switched from mud construction to stacking stone.



Edit to add: Out of respect to the architects of the structures, I have included a link.

Cliff Dwellings - Mesa Verde National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

 

[3MTA3]

The world thinks we still live in log cabins, for reals.

I thought everybody already knew it's blue tents these days?

 

[made in china]

I thought everybody already knew it's blue tents these days?

Seriously, on my road trip, I can confirm the Portland area has more tents along I-5 than California. Well, at least until LA. That's as far south as I've gone so far.

So, Portland wins?

 

[3MTA3]

Seriously, on my road trip, I can confirm the Portland area has more tents along I-5 than California. Well, at least until LA. That's as far south as I've gone so far.

So, Portland wins?

I think we also have more Californians as well these days, at least it feels that way

 

[Cavedweller]

When I was 13 my mom and I went out to visit my uncle who lived in Maryland and do a little east coast road trip with them. At one point my mom and I were outside the hotel while she had a smoke and another lady out smoking started talking to us. She asked the standard "where yall from?" question, when my mom said Oregon, I bubblegum you not, this lady asked "Oh are yall still having to fight the Indians out there, like are they still a threat?". This was in 2009

I kid you not - one of my first roommates back in the late 70's was from The Bronx. He had a similar conversation with some of his relatives when he relocated here along with his brother.

Similar experience: In 1975 I had a coworker who moved to Portland from New York. I was living in Beaverton at the time. He had never been backpacking before, but wanted to try it, so I agreed to take him on a weekend trip. As we were discussing our plans, he said, "What about Indians?"

After we got over that, he wanted to know how we were going to handle the bears.

And it's easy to tell western Oregonians when they pronounce Wallowa as wollow-uh instead of Wall-ow-uh.

I called into a talk radio show once because the host, who was from the east, kept talking about Vancouver being a suburb of Portlandia. I had to tell him that Vancouver (rhymes with "man") is in Canada. Vancouver (rhymes with "bank") is the suburb of Portlandia.

 

[Member 53867]

I've been pronouncing "Coulee City" as "Festering anal fistula pus" and so far, no one has corrected me.