If you grew up in the Midwest, then you totally understand how it can become our own little world.

You travel anywhere outside of the Midwest and ask somebody for an ice-cold pop and you'll get some WEIRD looks. They probably won't understand what you're really asking for.

But if you're from the Midwest, you know you're asking for a ...

Photo by James Yarema on Unsplash
Photo by James Yarema on Unsplash
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I decided to put my own mini Midwest slang test on Facebook to test this theory. I chose pop as a test, but I also added a few more photos the the collage. Here's what I asked -

Over 200 comments later we have a lot of different names for all of these things. So let's break it down.

We start with this stuff ...

Photo by Michael C on Unsplash
Photo by Michael C on Unsplash
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Here are ALL the things people call this stuff -

  • "Pop"
  • "Pop cans"
  • "Soda"
  • "Drinks"
  • "Coke"
  • "Soda Water"
  • "Aluminum Cans"

Personally, being born in Illinois, I say pop.

Next on the list are these ...

Photo by Warren Jones on Unsplash
Photo by Warren Jones on Unsplash
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So what do Illinois residents call these?

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash
Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash
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Here's the list -

  • "Sneakers"
  • "Tennis Shoes"
  • "Tennies"
  • "Gym Shoes"
  • "Trainers"
  • "Shoes"

As a born Illinoisan, I say tennis shoes.

Next up, this thing -

Photo by Daniel Hooper on Unsplash
Photo by Daniel Hooper on Unsplash
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When you're thirsty in a public place and need some water you go to the __________?

Photo by Tina Witherspoon on Unsplash
Photo by Tina Witherspoon on Unsplash
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Here's what we saw on Facebook -

  • "Drinking fountain"
  • "Shut off for COVID"
  • "Water fountain"
  • "Wooder fountain"
  • "Bubbler"

On the Steve Shannon Show, Steve being a Wisconsin native says "bubbler" and me being an Illinois native, I say "water fountain".

So what's the final thing we're taking a look at?

Photo by Nikola Markelov on Unsplash
Photo by Nikola Markelov on Unsplash
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What do you call this?

Photo by Jared Murray on Unsplash
Photo by Jared Murray on Unsplash
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As someone who drives on I-90 every day, I call it a pain in my a**.

But here are all the names Facebook had for it -

  • "Tollway"
  • "Expressway"
  • "Highway"
  • "Freeway"
  • "Interstate"
  • "Too many lanes of traffic"

Apparently, midwesterners normally say "expressway". Personally, I say highway.

So are you a true midwesterner? If you are, you'll say -

  • Pop
  • Tennis Shoes
  • Bubbler
  • Expressway

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