Arizona’s Own Language

Arizonans have their own terminology.   I was reminded of this recently when I called a friend and he said he had just finished “cutting the grass.”

He grew up in New York.  In Arizona, we “mow the lawn.”

I also called my mom in Iowa recently and she had just finished “eating supper.”  In Arizona, we “eat dinner.”

My mother-in-law, who grew up in Wisconsin, “warshes” her clothes.

Arizona is not unlike many other regions, where the dialect, word usage and pronunciations are unique to the area.  With a heavy influence of Spanish and Native American languages, we have a mini-dictionary of words in which the spelling and pronunciation do not match – especially for newcomers.

For most of us in State 48, we throw the textbooks away when it comes to pronouncing Arizona cities’ names, as well.  The city of Casa Grande is pronounced “Cassa Grand,” with a short “a” and not GRAHN-day like we learned in Spanish 101.  The city of Prescott is pronounced PRESS-cut, with the emphasis similar to “biscuit.“

Even within our industry there are variations.  In Arizona, we will hold a news conference.  In the East, they have press conferences.  We might send out a news release while they would distribute a press release.

Are there more?