What common NJ things are called elsewhere will make you laugh

You think New Jersey is a language war between North and South? Sure we have battle lines drawn between subs and hoagies (they’re subs), sprinkles and jimmies (they’re sprinkles), Italian ice and water ice (it’s Italian ice).

But you’re about to see what some everyday things in New Jersey are called in other states and some of it may blow your mind.

Now my preferences above are due to me growing up in Union County. You can argue whether that’s Central Jersey or North Jersey, but where I part ways with North Jersey is their calling pork roll Taylor ham. It’s not Taylor ham. It’s not ham. The Taylor packaging doesn’t even say Taylor ham. It says Taylor pork roll. So can we please end that debate and have the North admit they’ve always been wrong?

Doubt it.

Anyway, before you scroll through the goofy things other parts of the country call things like shopping carts, water fountains in school hallways and pot holes, I need to share something you’ll find on the list.

When I moved to Detroit I had the hardest time adjusting to not using the term soda on-air. You see there they call it pop. To my New Jersey born and raised ears pop just sounded like some corny throwback to the 1950s where we should also be saying things like “golly” and “gee whiz.”

“Gee whiz Sally it’s too bad you spilled that pop on your poodle skirt. Golly, that stinks!”

Ugh, then there was everyone in Detroit calling sneakers “tennis shoes.”

Again, just not what we ever called them growing up here. Here in the Dirty Jerz, we didn’t get jumped as kids for our expensive “tennis shoes.” No. They wanted our $200 sneakers when they took our Air Jordans.

So what do they call common things in New Jersey in other parts of the country? Read on and be prepared to shake your head a little. Oh, and number 5? No. We always called it a cart.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

You can now listen to Deminski & Doyle — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite afternoon radio show any day of the week. Download the Deminski & Doyle show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

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