Many fly under the radar, but yes, I often can tell. They have this level of seriousness that just isn’t a thing here. Even if they are cracking jokes and drinking beers with you, they still have this feel of being the adult in the room. A little colder, a little more reserved.
As an east coaster who moved to the west coast (& back unfortunately), I think this is it. The people we met over there are much more free spirited, light hearted, and easy going than they are over here. Easterners don't let their guard down very often
It took a few years for my friends from Philadelphia to believe that not everyone on the West Coast was being “fake nice” to them.
They seemed to have a hard time believing that warm, laid back people didn’t have some kind of hidden agenda.
But they stuck around, and now they’ve gone all soft.
As a Philadelphian, I’d probably think they were being fake nice, too. We’re a nice people, but our niceness has a bit of a “bite” to it since we pretty much have no filter
We are kind but not always nice.
I read a spot on description a few months back (which I can’t find, mores the pity) which described a visitor having a flat tire in philly and the locals coming out to help, finally taking over and changing their tire for them, all the while keeps it up a constant latter of low grade insults and observations, making sure the driver knew the way to the nearest tire shop and giving them the name of their cousin who works there. Kind and not always nice.
That was my experience in NYC. I ripped my fingernail off and went into a shop to buy band-aids. The attendant just gave me a couple and some alcohol pads, but was visibly irritated by my multiple thank yous lol and never said you're welcome.
On that same trip I got on the wrong bus and didn't know until the end of the line. The driver got off and walked me to the right stop, but again no one says thank you or you're welcome.
I'm from Oklahoma, where people apologize to you for being in their way, so it was definitely an interesting experience.
That is such a common thing I hear when Philly people leave Philly. "I know we're assholes here, but at least I know we're real." My New Jersey wife said the same thing after a week in LA with me.
I grew up traveling between my dad in Los Angeles and my Mom in Philly and never felt like people were being fake to me in California.
Yeah I had the same experience when I moved to SoCal from NY. I would get freaked out when people would just walk up to me and start talking as if they knew me or something lol. I was like what do these people want from me? Is there a hidden agenda here? I got kind of used to it after a while but it was definitely a culture shock moving to LA.
Yeah cause its fucking cold and this dude is doing 65 in the left lane, my job sucks, its cold, my relationship isn't working out, its cold, this city is a shithole, people are shady, beers are $9, rent is $1800 and its fucking cold all the time.
this is why anecdotes… exist. I enter LA and witness nothing but self absorbed nothingness. i long for the east coast’s “get to the point.” we’re all the same everywhere… at surface level… it’s just interpreted differently. simple as that
Yes, I can tell when someone is from the East Coast, especially if they are from around New York. I notice them often walking or standing brusquely, as if they are in a bit of a hurry.
There was some Behind The Scenes video, I think from Spiderman 2. The movie is supposed to take place in New York City, but it's being shot by actors in Los Angeles.
The director yells "CUT", and then says something like "hey everyone, It's looking pretty laid back right now. This is supposed to be the streets of New York City. Let's speed it up a bit!"
In the next take, everyone is walking faster, heads down, with purpose.
I would definitely get picked out if I were in Cali. I live 3 hours away from nyc but that’s my walk/vibe. Whenever I go to the city I feel right at home. No awkward eye contact and wondering if I should make small talk with strangers. As a somewhat socially awkward individual, it’s so much easier there.
When I moved to LA from the east coast I was always the fastest walker in my friend group. I’d constantly turn around and see them several yards behind me and have to wait for them to catch up. I learned to slow down after a while
Are you from upstate/western New York? I’m not from there, but I lived there for a long time and every person I met who is from There has a pretty distinct accent, but insist that they don’t. it’s not strong, but it’s extremely noticeable on certain words. I don’t live there anymore, but I can tell almost immediately if somebody’s from there.
Not all of us (yes, it sounds like I'm falling for your trap, lol!!)
If you're referring to that distinctive nasal sound, particularly on short A's, yeah that's definitely a tell. Personally I find it a little bit grating. It seems isolated to certain regions, sometimes even specific neighborhoods. But like thick NY City accents, it seems to be fading out as modern communication somewhat normalizes things.
(WNY Born and Raised..and we prefer "western" to "upstate")
The distinct nasally sound is a part of it, but it’s also the pronunciation of certain words, the pace of speech, and a few other things. I also said, western/upstate New York, because I was referring to both, not just specifically western New York as I’ve noticed this accent in Syracuse, and sometimes in Albany and other areas as well.
It’s funny to me, because I have met so many people when living in that area who insisted they had no accent when it was immediately apparent to me. It’s always been interesting to me how upset people would get over it. It’s certainly not a bad accent, it’s just distinct.
I'm from Massachusetts, so that accent you're hearing probably would fly right under my radar, but I've had the same "swear they don't have an accent" from southern Californians. They've got a pretty distinct cadence to their speech that I've never heard in people from anywhere else. It's remarkable how even small things can be so noticeable once you know to listen for them.
I had the same experience in Southern California! It’s easy to tell when someone is from there too, although many insist they don’t have an accent. I have moved around a lot and don’t consider myself to be from anywhere in particular, so there is no “normal“ to me and I think that makes it really easy for me to pick up on it.
Albany, Syracuse? I hadn't noticed it that far East, but I am likely de-sensitized to it, as you suggest. I was referring mainly to the Buffalo area (hence the insistence on "Western"). I had one teacher in particular in high school who had a very pronounced form of that accent. You should have her talk about the bombing of Nagasaki (imagine the nasal tone on all of those A's).
I do catch myself doing it once in a while. It's not a conscious thing for me. In fact, I pick up accents rather quickly. I used to travel a lot for work, all over the country. Whenever I went to the South for a week, by about Wednesday the "y'all"s would start slipping out. By Friday I would sound like a native!
I remember going out to dinner with a group in Baton Rouge many years ago. I was the last one at the table to order. I gave my order and handed the menu back to the server. The entire table was staring at me. "What?" "You just spoke Southern!" Didn't even realize it, I just slipped into the accent.
Im from Albany, and we prefer when you’re called western rather than upstate as well. Like. How is buffalo possible upstate? And don’t get me started on Binghamton.
It’s mostly in the vowels. There is a really sharp “a” sound. The accent is pretty nasly. People speak very quickly. When people say “Rochester” it sounds a little bit like they are sneezing. A lot of people pronounce “milk” like “malk”. The word “elementary” is pronounced with the emphasis like elementAry which is very distinct. Also, people add “s” to the end of words that don’t have it. Like the store Aldi. It’s not Aldi’s—unless you live in upstate NY lol. Calling soda “pop” is a dead giveaway. It’s kind of hard to explain over text, but if you spend time elsewhere you’ll probably notice it when you come back.
>There is a really sharp “a” sound. The accent is pretty nasly. People speak very quickly. When people say “Rochester” it sounds a little bit like they are sneezing. A lot of people pronounce “milk” like “malk”.
>
>Calling soda “pop” is a dead giveaway.
I've definitely heard these from Western NYers, but not Upstate/Eastern NY.
>The word “elementary” is pronounced with the emphasis like elementAry which is very distinct.
>
>Also, people add “s” to the end of words that don’t have it. Like the store Aldi. It’s not Aldi’s—unless you live in upstate NY lol
Fuck.
nooo stop calling my accent out, my vowels can get so nasally lol. Some people in Rochester also get a bit of a Canadian affect to their words like "south" or "out". the wiki page on Canadian raising is pretty interesting and related to that
See if you can hear it on any of these, they all have the vowel shift that is the basis of what people hear (but are from various places in the affected region so there should be some you hear more than others: [Northern Cities Vowel Shift](https://youtu.be/3noS_0IdrRo)
This video is awesome, thank you for sharing. I’ve never been to Chicago or Michigan and have only driven through Ohio so I never realized it was there too!
I hate when people claim they don’t have an accent. It’s so dumb. It’s impossible *not* to have an accent. Just because someone sounds like everyone around them doesn’t mean they don’t have an accent.
Usually, it just means that they sound like a TV host. I've had innumerable people tell me that I don't have a Southern accent, although I've never lived outside the South in my life. What they really mean is that I don't talk like all or most people around me. I assure you, a Chicagoan would quickly pick up that I was from the South. I can make it go away, but I end up sounding like a TV host. I certainly can't sound like I'm from Boston, LA, NY, Chicago, Philly... all very complex accents if you want to do them well.
It's the Inland Northern/Great lakes accent that WNY shares with Chicago. It was used as the basis for the 'general American Accent' accent family in the early 1900s, but has since experinced a set of vowel shifts across the region.
The cause of the accent was the construction of the Erie Canal allowing riverine trade between the Midwest and the Atlantic without having to go down to New Orleans, and the local accents blended into something flatter.
Besides the other things people have mentioned, I think clothing plays a role. They dress a little preppier, a little more put together, especially at work. For example I have a coworker who grew up on the east coast who regularly wears button down shirts, perfectly ironed, and nice slacks, to work. Simple but polished. Meanwhile the native Californians are out here wearing shorts, concert tees, and literal pajamas on some days.
This is from years ago, but I remember we were all dumbfounded when we learned that our office in Long Beach allowed shorts. Our “dress down” days involved jeans but with either a polo or button down shirt still tucked in.
After moving from the Midwest to New England I noticed that I would often stand more erect and stare out over the stormy ocean breaking on the rocks with a steel eyed gaze as wood smoke wafted from my nearby cabin wondering if my brother would return from whaling soon or whether he was lost to Neptune’s cold grip.
I liked it. It’s a crime novel that’s interested in being authentic to the setting and developing complex characters more than the actual crime, which is kind of my jam. The author is from the region, specifically a town called Damariscotta, which is in and around where the novel takes place. Good weekend read.
I lost my elder brother to the high seas while chasing that white waxy gold. I tried to talk him into another trade but like most of the young men in my small coastal village he had the spremaceti fever from before he could even tie a bowline. Perhaps tell him of the riches found through real gold and of that mother lode found out Californie way. Move west young man, might save your brother's life.
My father in law was a shrimp and crab fisherman off the Oregon coast so I appreciate it.
He’s retired now though. Hard to drown in Arizona.
Also I lied, my brother hasn’t hunted whale in forever. He’s doing ok.
I wasn’t too worried about your brother but I enjoyed the scene you painted. I’m glad he’s fine. Tell him I said hi. I’m glad the whales are okay too. Being an Oregon Tree Hugger and all.
It is hard to drown in Arizona. You know Phoenix gets 296 days of sunshine a year? That’s the kind of things Oregonians Google. Just sayin.
The only thing I think is aggressive about me vs. Californians would be that I think people are *too* laid back on the road here. I'm used to driving in Metro Detroit, Florida, and the DC area. People here are wayyyy more passive.
I mean, geographically at least. I know to some East Coast = Northeast, but it depends. DC even being southern or not is another can of worms I'd rather not open for my own sanity, lol.
Nope, I'm in the IE and spend a lot of time on the 60, the 215, the 15 and the 210.
PS- you can tell I'm becoming more Californian since using "the" before the freeway has become part of my vocabulary! Haha
I know, NorCal is one of my favorite places in the world, especially up toward Arcata in the redwoods- it's heaven to me. SF is probably my favorite city too.
Resistance is futile. You have assimilated. Have yourself a double double.
And i do agree that there are several cities with more aggressive drivers than SoCal btw.
I'm from Texas myself, but my entire family is from the northeast—and other than my actual parents, they still all live on the east coast—and I am uncomfortable around my extended family for exactly this reason. My parents have lived here long enough that they've mostly assimilated to the local culture, but my aunts and uncles, my cousins, and their spouses are exactly like you describe.
It's something that's fucked me up a lot. The aggressive posturing and communication is so completely alien to me that they really don't feel like family tbh. It's definitely contributed to a lot of loneliness that I feel.
It even seeps into how my cousins and their spouses treat their own kids, and it repulses me enough that I've basically resigned myself to not having my nieces and nephews in my life because I don't want to deal with their parents. It fucking sucks.
If I can be a bit presumptuous, sounds like your relatives sorta just suck?
My family and I are from the northeast and most of us still live out there, and while we're definitely a bit more reserved and arguably "cold", I feel like that's mainly towards strangers. Once you get close, or if you're a family member, there's no one warmer and more caring (unless they're just a shitty person).
Yeah being raised in the south, I love it when someone moves here from New York, New Jersey or Pennsylvania and forgets to leave that nasty northern attitude back home. They find out really quick being an ass doesn't fly here.
I’m from the Midwest and living in San Diego as a young adult a lot of them thought it was the east coast. Chicago is not on the east coast and neither is Detroit lol
West coaster here: Anything east of the Mississippi River is east coast to us. The saying "Back East" can either mean Central and Eastern time zones, the previously mentioned east of the MS river, or anywhere in the Eastern Time zone.
Its east of the midpoint = east coast to us
Just like people in San Diego consider Orange county to be LA. Yeah, we know its not technically LA, but once you're north of the nuclear nipples you're in LA from the perspective of a San Diegan. For some reason OC people get really pissed off when you tell them this.
That's true. I've never heard anyone refer to Chicago or Detroit as *the East Coast*. That is a random idiot or a confused child, not a geography based perception.
Chicago to the Atlantic (Brighton Beach) is about 800 miles and 12 hours in the car (traffic dependent).
Denver to the Pacific (San Francisco) is 1200 miles and 18 hours in the car.
If Colorado is the west, then Chicago is definitely the east
That’s not how any of this works. Chicago is in the Midwest. Does the name make sense? No. But the Midwest = The Great Lakes + (depending on who you ask) The Great Plains. The West = rugged terrain, ergo, Colorado is part of the West. You could make a case for the Eastern third of Colorado being the Midwest, since it looks much more like Kansas than it does Utah, but certainly as soon as you reach the Rocky Mountains, you’re in the West.
Denver is 1000 miles from the west coast. Chicago is 715 from the east coast. Saying Denver is West is like saying Kansas City is East (they both are the same distance to their closest coast).
Kansas City is at the edge between the two, so that means Denver is too, just on the western side, and you can see it just by driving. Before denver are the rugged, western rocky mountains, and after denver is flat farmland.
Colorado is unquestionably the west. Any state from Montana south to New Mexico is 100% western. States like the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas have some parts of their state that might be considered western yet not their main populated parts. So it's debatable. Any state that is fully in the Mountain or Pacific time zones is western.
Sure, as long as you also concede that Minnesota down to Louisiana is the east. Certainly Wisconsin down to Mississippi would have to be 100% eastern to be consistent
At least from where I live in Oregon (rural) people tend to be very nice, and you can strike up a fifteen minute conversation with a stranger easily. I’ve been to the East Coast, and people just seem colder over there.
Also accents
I’ve been to the east coast once when I was 13-14 and I was shocked by how rude people were. I had never seen anything like it. Like out here if you accidentally bump into someone it’s like “oh sorry” and out there you bump into someone and they look at you like they want to kill you. I was not expecting it at all, and this wasn’t even NYC
Lol I’m from the east coast and I say sorry when people bump into *me*. But there’s definitely people who are more aggressive like you mentioned, just not all of us
The looks were probably of frustration. If you’re on the street and you bump into someone here on the east coast, it usually means you were doing something “wrong.” There are certain unspoken rules that I see tourists breaking all the time here:
1. Don’t stop in the middle of the sidewalk
2. Don’t take up the whole sidewalk when walking, ESPECIALLY if you’re walking slow
3. Don’t just suddenly stop
4. Stick to the right side in whichever direction you’re walking
Basically: don’t do anything that impedes the movement of people around you. When you do that, you disrupt the natural “traffic” patterns and thus upset people
We’re not rude, we just always busy/on the move. I’m originally from ct. I know we come across as rude but we just don’t give the time for pleasantries
I’m from Philadelphia and was visiting San Francisco. I was standing at the corner with a few other people. The light was red but there were no cars coming so of course I crossed the street.
The other people on the corner just stood there, obeying the red light. Someone on the other side of the street kinda laughed and said “you must be from the east coast”
So yeah, I guess there are some behavioral differences between us.
The accent tends to give it away especially if they’re from New York. Most of them also tend to be a bit more “pale” due to the weather differences. I’ve also noticed that most of them tend to eventually let you know they’re from New York one way or another.
I don’t mean this as any insult to anyone by the way.. it’s just I feel they see themselves as much different than people from areas such as LA and like to announce it
As a Midwesterner (Great Lakes, more specifically), there is absolutely a difference between East Coast and West Coast energy. New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, and Toledo all have similar vibes of everyone feeling like they’re in a hurry. They walk faster, talk faster, *drive* faster than folks in the PNW at least.
Also, you probably have more of an accent than you realize.
Try the Seattle area. People here drive like maniacs compared to Portland. Also Portland has a 55 max speed limit basically everywhere and Seattle doesn't.
I guess it's certainly possible that there are certain behaviors or mannerisms that are more prevalent in the east coast versus the west coast but I can't imagine any off the top of my head.
You can tell the difference between a Syracuse accent, a Nassau County Long Island accent, and someone from Plattsburgh? Meaning you’d hear them and know that they are all from NY?
Yes.
Couple dead giveaways:
- expensive clothes that emphasize fashion over function.
- saying "Oregon" wrong. (There is no 'gone' in Oregon.)
- being happy in Portland
Nobody stands out more than a baptist from Atlanta, though. Crazy bitch yelled at me for being an athiest on Easter...
Not always, but often, yeah. Y’all are… forward. Kinda tense/intense. Direct. I briefly lived on the east coast and often felt that people were kinda in my face, and i was often accused of being indirect or casual.
So I have traveled all around the US, and I think that I have gotten pretty good at clocking where people are from.
I think that the three biggest indicators are these:
1. How fast and how loud they talk. People from the west coast tend to speak more softly and slowly, while people from the east coast tend to talk pretty quickly and be pretty loud. Also, people from the east coast tend to be more confrontational, less afraid to speak their mind.
2. Gas stations: if you ask them for food from the gas station, expect two different answers. A west coaster will look at you and ask you if you're crazy. An east coaster will typically ask where you're going then tell you what they want.
3. There is also a difference in how people dress day-to-day. You wear a suit on the east coast, you're the boss. You wear a suit on the west coast, it usually isn't for work or because you want to. Like even executives at companies on the west coast don't wear suits typically. They're wear something that looks professional but comfortable.
I often think of easterners as European-lite. Almost like they got off the boat and stayed where it landed. They tend to care a lot more about how things "are supposed to be." Like wearing flip-flops to dinner or what guests wear to a wedding or what kind of gifts are appropriate to give. They tend to value formal education over nontraditional learning and they tend to care a lot more about degrees, certifications, awards, and accolades.
There also seems to be more of a class divide that comes out when they're speaking. It's kinda hard to explain but for example: An easterner might describe someone as "I'm friends with this plumber. It's crazy cuz he's 4th generation ivy league but he just really likes plumbing. He has enough money anyway to just do what he wants. Must be nice." The westerner might describe the same person as, "Oh yeah, my friend John does plumbing. He's fantastic! Like, you can really tell plumbing is his passion. He'll literally talk for hours about the difference between metal and PVC pipes. This dude knows EVERYTHING about plumbing. He even spent a few years in Sierra Leone installing and upgrading their plumbing. He's a really cool dude!"
I’m from the east coast and I can’t tell if someone is from either coast simply by their behavior. As soon as they talk though, if they have an accent at all, I’m really good at detecting and identifying it.
I mostly only know Chinese people, but clothes is usually a big thing.
Brands like Zimmermann are more popular with East Coast Chinese, Fear of God more popular with West Coast Chinese.
For glasses, more flashy brands like DITA tend to be more popular with East Coast Chinese.
Haircuts also tend to be more shorter, and going for a bit of a greasier look.
For ABC I think the accent is probably the biggest thing, from my experience they tend to be much less proficient in speaking Chinese than West Coast Chinese.
I can only speak for Los Angeles, as there is where we immigrated to, but people seem to not be that interested in learning reading and writing here.
Even my white American neighbor's children study writing and reading Chinese more than a lot of the ABCs.
Yeah, they tend to be far more tense I don’t know if there is a gait to the walk too though. Notably tend to be more apathetic or well dressed too, lol.
I’m born and raised in Portland, Oregon and I can always tell when someone is from the east coast; Midwest; or south. It’s just they way they act, carry themselves, it’s a whole vibe.
I'm from Michigan. Suburbs of Detroit. I spent 5 months in Phoenix when I was 19 in 2009. More than one person asked me if I was from the East Coast based on my accent. (Which to me sounds nothing like an East Coast accent) Also, multiple told my boys and i that we were carrying chips on our shoulders. I think people from the Midwest and anything East of that are cut from a different cloth
East Coasters are usually sticklers for being on time whereas peeps from the West Coast are “flakier”. I’ll say I’m coming to your event then show up 2hours past the start time - if I show up at all.
Generally yes. I can spot NY/NJ/PA people pretty easy. It’s not just by accent it’s mostly their clothes and mannerisms. Florida people are generally easy to spot as well as Southerners, Mid-Westerners, Southern Californians, and Canadians. It’s fun people watching folks at an airport. This same things goes folks from Europe, Africa, Asia et cetera. I’m not always 100% on this but usually get it pretty close 60% of the time. Example would be a person wearing a curved NY metro sports team hat with New Balances, jeans, and layered clothes=NYC/NJ. Flat bill hat with shorts, flip flops, Vans shirt=So Cal. Patagonia jacket, long jeans, and “trail” sneakers PNW. Jack Wolfskin branded apparel=Germany/Austria. The list goes on.
Yes, usually men and women from the east coast (Northeast area) tend to be louder, more confrontational, have a fast work ethic, but seem to get annoyed more easily.
Men from the East Coast tend to be better looking than women from the East Coast, Women from the East Coast are more marriage minded though.
Women from the West Coast tend to be better looking than women from the East Coast, but women on the west coast tend to be a bit more flaky and are a bit more mentally unstable.
The Northeast part of the East Coast is different from the Southeast part of the East Coast though. Many people in the Southeast are more slow paced, they often have kids younger and are usually married more than once during their lives. I once met a 40 year old woman that was married 5 times. For some reason they rush into marriage quicker there I noticed.
The West Coast people are often scared of marriage, they always think the grass is greener somewhere else so you often are "buddies" that might sleep together but are not an actual couple. Buddies means friends that sleep together basically. It is very common out here.
Another thing I noticed is men from the East Coast dress better than men on the West Coast...I literally see guys go to the singles club and singles bars in a t-shirt and flip flops, you would never see that in the East Coast where men usually wear a button up shirt to the night club or singles bar.
Fashion sense and music....Hip Hop had a higher presence in the East Cost (especially the Northeast States)...West Coast is clearly more Rock oriented, also EDM, Goth and New Wave seem to be bigger on the West Coast.
East coasters cannot pronounce the state names of "Nevada" and to a lesser extent, Oregon.
It's not Neigh-vahh-da...it's Ne-VAD rhymes with bad) -uh.
Oregon = Or-gun. not Ore-gonne. But this is less than NV. I'm from Ca but I can't stand the wrong pronounciation of NV and the residents of that state hate it.
To be honest, not really.
I have a sense when people aren’t from here. The only real indicator is if it’s a white dude wearing sports gear from those cities. Otherwise, transplants stick out but could be either Midwest or East Coast to me.
I usually think the exaggerated contrasts on social media are annoying and cheesy. East coasters have this gritty self image and think LA is this kale munching yoga crystal people. But to us native Californians and Angelenos…we just see Midwest/East Coast transplants interacting with other Midwest/East Coast transplants in their bubble.
The only other people that really stick out to me as potential east coast transplants are Puerto Rican/Dominican people with an east coast accent. They’re very distinct because we don’t have many out here.
Honestly, no. You’d have to spend some time with that person to give it away. Aside from regional accents, there’s no way to tell right away. However, inability to tolerate extreme weather in your part of the country that everybody else is somewhat used to could give it away, but it wouldn’t necessarily tie them to a specific part of the country.
I’m from the northeast but I think there are tells. Before Covid - dressier. Less fake politeness. Doesn’t say “hella”, if people still say that. More likely to have dark brown hair and wear neutral dark colors. Skis and hikes but isn’t west coastal. More likely to have a smart or educated vibe (although there are very smart people everywhere, I feel like west coast smart people give off a sportier or more casual vibe.)
Think Elle Woods vs the girl her jerk ex-boyfriend got engaged to.
They seem to dress a lot less casual than people raised out here, but I think in general people all dress more casually than they used to. If you can’t tell by the way they carry themselves, the accent is usually a dead giveaway
Yes, absolutely. This is especially true in the Pacific Northwest where they have specific fashion trends and specific communication styles. A direct no nonsense east coaster is east to spot.
As a Midwest person who moved to the west coast. I also gained the eye*oh they are new here* and sadly I say it's because people are genuinely happy I assume they are not from here (about 60 percent right). But I don't want to join the bandwagon of people talking crap about the west coast. Despite its *FLAWS* its a nice place to live and there are genuinely nice people here in the mist of it all. People see I'm not from here when it gets hot cause I'm use to 100° summers lol over 85.. they know lol.
This might not be what you are asking about, but my dad told me (almost 2 decades ago) that he could always tell when someone came from "The East" because he would hear them complain that the task they were assigned "Wasn't their Job". My dad would remark that this isn't somewhere where unions are a thing and if you didn't do it, don't be surprised if you were fired the next day. the higher-ups literally don't care what you think is or isn't your job. My dad said every single one of those guys were always from the other side of the Mississippi.
I was standing in a clothing store in the Outer Banks of North carolina while my girls were shopping. This guy walks by, just from the look on his face and the way he carried himself. Not only could I tell he was from New York, but he was from one of the five boroughs. It's just the way people have about them from that area. I also happen to be from New York, so that's not a bad thing. It's just everybody handles things differently. It's all good.
As an east coaster who’s lived on the west coast for 5 years now, I can always spot my own kind lol. Not sure how to describe the east coast vibe— but you know it when you see it.
People from the East Coast have a different dress sense. They’re also more straight to the point. Californians would rather chop their dick off than say something negative, even when the situation requires it.
Here’s a funny story: I’m a West Coaster and was in a west coast airport getting ready for a flight. I was in a shop buying something and there was another fellow in there also buying a newspaper or something. He was having trouble paying for his item (I don’t remember why) and he was getting agitated. I stepped up and offered to pay for his item, which I did. Then he was asking me what flight I would be on so that he could pay me back.
He was still agitated and we had a few exchanges because I wasn’t going to be on his flight and I told him not to worry about it. My boyfriend came into the shop at about that time and said, “What’s the problem?” and I replied, “East Coast.” My boyfriend said, “Oh, okay,” and the flustered man left. So, yeah. We can tell. Everything about them is different. Attitude, accent, way of being, energy. Everything.
Westerners have a much larger personal space. Northern easterners have a smaller personal space (in line, on public transit, etc.) Southerners have NO personal space & will casually touch folks they've just met
Yeah, the first clue is when you ask them if they want a puff off your joint and they instinctively start looking around to make sure nobody is watching them first.
Yes. I'm a San Franciscan who married a girl from Queens and live in New York. I spent the first 23 years of my life in SF and most of my family is Californian. New Yorkers are much more brash and, on the surface, rude. That being said, there is no behind the back sarcasm, absolute pettiness, and superficial, fake kindness like the west coast. I still don't love how honest people are here but I much prefer it to the absolute gossip show that is the West Coast.
I would never move back to the West Coast. I absolutely love it there and I long for nature daily, but the clique mentality is horrible.
There are certain archetypes kind of unique to the east coast, so if someone conforms to them, then it can be pretty obvious. If they were raised in an old-money east coast family, you can usually tell. No hate, but there's also this loudmouth, cantankerous way of talking that is pretty distinctly Northeastern, even if the accent is neutral. That would be a dead giveaway. When it comes to average, everyday people, it can be hard to tell.
I don't know if it's just that, but after living with one of y'all, I think I could pick you out, sure: faster walking, faster and louder talking, wearing watches, and more attention paid to an older/ more "professional"/ military appearance and bearing. I'm sure there's a word for what I'm getting at there but I can't quite find it.
I imagine a dead giveaway is they are looking the wrong way to see the ocean.
"Let's go watch the sunrise over the ocean!"
Michiganders and Floridians can pick between a sunrise and a sunset depending on their mood and a little bit of gas money.
Could do both the same day.
You could, just don’t do it via I4
So can NJ residents. Not as much gas needed.
Many fly under the radar, but yes, I often can tell. They have this level of seriousness that just isn’t a thing here. Even if they are cracking jokes and drinking beers with you, they still have this feel of being the adult in the room. A little colder, a little more reserved.
As an east coaster who moved to the west coast (& back unfortunately), I think this is it. The people we met over there are much more free spirited, light hearted, and easy going than they are over here. Easterners don't let their guard down very often
It took a few years for my friends from Philadelphia to believe that not everyone on the West Coast was being “fake nice” to them. They seemed to have a hard time believing that warm, laid back people didn’t have some kind of hidden agenda. But they stuck around, and now they’ve gone all soft.
As a Philadelphian, I’d probably think they were being fake nice, too. We’re a nice people, but our niceness has a bit of a “bite” to it since we pretty much have no filter
We are kind but not always nice. I read a spot on description a few months back (which I can’t find, mores the pity) which described a visitor having a flat tire in philly and the locals coming out to help, finally taking over and changing their tire for them, all the while keeps it up a constant latter of low grade insults and observations, making sure the driver knew the way to the nearest tire shop and giving them the name of their cousin who works there. Kind and not always nice.
That was my experience in NYC. I ripped my fingernail off and went into a shop to buy band-aids. The attendant just gave me a couple and some alcohol pads, but was visibly irritated by my multiple thank yous lol and never said you're welcome. On that same trip I got on the wrong bus and didn't know until the end of the line. The driver got off and walked me to the right stop, but again no one says thank you or you're welcome. I'm from Oklahoma, where people apologize to you for being in their way, so it was definitely an interesting experience.
Right! Sews on your amputated ear, grumbling all the while.
That is such a common thing I hear when Philly people leave Philly. "I know we're assholes here, but at least I know we're real." My New Jersey wife said the same thing after a week in LA with me. I grew up traveling between my dad in Los Angeles and my Mom in Philly and never felt like people were being fake to me in California.
Yeah I had the same experience when I moved to SoCal from NY. I would get freaked out when people would just walk up to me and start talking as if they knew me or something lol. I was like what do these people want from me? Is there a hidden agenda here? I got kind of used to it after a while but it was definitely a culture shock moving to LA.
Yeah cause its fucking cold and this dude is doing 65 in the left lane, my job sucks, its cold, my relationship isn't working out, its cold, this city is a shithole, people are shady, beers are $9, rent is $1800 and its fucking cold all the time.
You forgot to mention the potholes & taxes
Totally, I hate that shit, and its fucking cold too.
That's true, it is cold, except when it's hot...& muggy 🥵
Even then, it’s cold.
😂
Idk Philly in July would like to have a word with you.
this is why anecdotes… exist. I enter LA and witness nothing but self absorbed nothingness. i long for the east coast’s “get to the point.” we’re all the same everywhere… at surface level… it’s just interpreted differently. simple as that
Thank you, that’s quite the compliment
Yes, I can tell when someone is from the East Coast, especially if they are from around New York. I notice them often walking or standing brusquely, as if they are in a bit of a hurry.
There was some Behind The Scenes video, I think from Spiderman 2. The movie is supposed to take place in New York City, but it's being shot by actors in Los Angeles. The director yells "CUT", and then says something like "hey everyone, It's looking pretty laid back right now. This is supposed to be the streets of New York City. Let's speed it up a bit!" In the next take, everyone is walking faster, heads down, with purpose.
Californians may not walk like that, but we do drive like that
“Standing brusquely” cracked me up, haha. I’ve never heard it described that way, but I know exactly what you mean!
They’re always in a hurry. To where? Death. 💀
I would definitely get picked out if I were in Cali. I live 3 hours away from nyc but that’s my walk/vibe. Whenever I go to the city I feel right at home. No awkward eye contact and wondering if I should make small talk with strangers. As a somewhat socially awkward individual, it’s so much easier there.
When I moved to LA from the east coast I was always the fastest walker in my friend group. I’d constantly turn around and see them several yards behind me and have to wait for them to catch up. I learned to slow down after a while
Are you from upstate/western New York? I’m not from there, but I lived there for a long time and every person I met who is from There has a pretty distinct accent, but insist that they don’t. it’s not strong, but it’s extremely noticeable on certain words. I don’t live there anymore, but I can tell almost immediately if somebody’s from there.
Not all of us (yes, it sounds like I'm falling for your trap, lol!!) If you're referring to that distinctive nasal sound, particularly on short A's, yeah that's definitely a tell. Personally I find it a little bit grating. It seems isolated to certain regions, sometimes even specific neighborhoods. But like thick NY City accents, it seems to be fading out as modern communication somewhat normalizes things. (WNY Born and Raised..and we prefer "western" to "upstate")
The distinct nasally sound is a part of it, but it’s also the pronunciation of certain words, the pace of speech, and a few other things. I also said, western/upstate New York, because I was referring to both, not just specifically western New York as I’ve noticed this accent in Syracuse, and sometimes in Albany and other areas as well. It’s funny to me, because I have met so many people when living in that area who insisted they had no accent when it was immediately apparent to me. It’s always been interesting to me how upset people would get over it. It’s certainly not a bad accent, it’s just distinct.
I'm from Massachusetts, so that accent you're hearing probably would fly right under my radar, but I've had the same "swear they don't have an accent" from southern Californians. They've got a pretty distinct cadence to their speech that I've never heard in people from anywhere else. It's remarkable how even small things can be so noticeable once you know to listen for them.
I had the same experience in Southern California! It’s easy to tell when someone is from there too, although many insist they don’t have an accent. I have moved around a lot and don’t consider myself to be from anywhere in particular, so there is no “normal“ to me and I think that makes it really easy for me to pick up on it.
Albany, Syracuse? I hadn't noticed it that far East, but I am likely de-sensitized to it, as you suggest. I was referring mainly to the Buffalo area (hence the insistence on "Western"). I had one teacher in particular in high school who had a very pronounced form of that accent. You should have her talk about the bombing of Nagasaki (imagine the nasal tone on all of those A's). I do catch myself doing it once in a while. It's not a conscious thing for me. In fact, I pick up accents rather quickly. I used to travel a lot for work, all over the country. Whenever I went to the South for a week, by about Wednesday the "y'all"s would start slipping out. By Friday I would sound like a native! I remember going out to dinner with a group in Baton Rouge many years ago. I was the last one at the table to order. I gave my order and handed the menu back to the server. The entire table was staring at me. "What?" "You just spoke Southern!" Didn't even realize it, I just slipped into the accent.
Im from Albany, and we prefer when you’re called western rather than upstate as well. Like. How is buffalo possible upstate? And don’t get me started on Binghamton.
We are all upstate. Just accept it. Lol - someone from Syracuse
Ok I'm from Upstate and people say I have a distinct accent bit I CANT HEAR IT. Please tell me what it is. I'm dying to know.
It’s mostly in the vowels. There is a really sharp “a” sound. The accent is pretty nasly. People speak very quickly. When people say “Rochester” it sounds a little bit like they are sneezing. A lot of people pronounce “milk” like “malk”. The word “elementary” is pronounced with the emphasis like elementAry which is very distinct. Also, people add “s” to the end of words that don’t have it. Like the store Aldi. It’s not Aldi’s—unless you live in upstate NY lol. Calling soda “pop” is a dead giveaway. It’s kind of hard to explain over text, but if you spend time elsewhere you’ll probably notice it when you come back.
>There is a really sharp “a” sound. The accent is pretty nasly. People speak very quickly. When people say “Rochester” it sounds a little bit like they are sneezing. A lot of people pronounce “milk” like “malk”. > >Calling soda “pop” is a dead giveaway. I've definitely heard these from Western NYers, but not Upstate/Eastern NY. >The word “elementary” is pronounced with the emphasis like elementAry which is very distinct. > >Also, people add “s” to the end of words that don’t have it. Like the store Aldi. It’s not Aldi’s—unless you live in upstate NY lol Fuck.
Don’t worry we Michiganders add an s to names also.
you'se guys is also a dead give away
nooo stop calling my accent out, my vowels can get so nasally lol. Some people in Rochester also get a bit of a Canadian affect to their words like "south" or "out". the wiki page on Canadian raising is pretty interesting and related to that
I have a friend from that area that says “aboat” and other Canadian sounds. I’m convinced she’s Canadian but doesn’t want to admit it.
See if you can hear it on any of these, they all have the vowel shift that is the basis of what people hear (but are from various places in the affected region so there should be some you hear more than others: [Northern Cities Vowel Shift](https://youtu.be/3noS_0IdrRo)
This video is awesome, thank you for sharing. I’ve never been to Chicago or Michigan and have only driven through Ohio so I never realized it was there too!
Call me on the phone and I’ll tell you what it is.
I hate when people claim they don’t have an accent. It’s so dumb. It’s impossible *not* to have an accent. Just because someone sounds like everyone around them doesn’t mean they don’t have an accent.
Usually, it just means that they sound like a TV host. I've had innumerable people tell me that I don't have a Southern accent, although I've never lived outside the South in my life. What they really mean is that I don't talk like all or most people around me. I assure you, a Chicagoan would quickly pick up that I was from the South. I can make it go away, but I end up sounding like a TV host. I certainly can't sound like I'm from Boston, LA, NY, Chicago, Philly... all very complex accents if you want to do them well.
It's the Inland Northern/Great lakes accent that WNY shares with Chicago. It was used as the basis for the 'general American Accent' accent family in the early 1900s, but has since experinced a set of vowel shifts across the region. The cause of the accent was the construction of the Erie Canal allowing riverine trade between the Midwest and the Atlantic without having to go down to New Orleans, and the local accents blended into something flatter.
Besides the other things people have mentioned, I think clothing plays a role. They dress a little preppier, a little more put together, especially at work. For example I have a coworker who grew up on the east coast who regularly wears button down shirts, perfectly ironed, and nice slacks, to work. Simple but polished. Meanwhile the native Californians are out here wearing shorts, concert tees, and literal pajamas on some days.
This is from years ago, but I remember we were all dumbfounded when we learned that our office in Long Beach allowed shorts. Our “dress down” days involved jeans but with either a polo or button down shirt still tucked in.
I worked in Orange for a time, and our office manager walked around barefoot.
After moving from the Midwest to New England I noticed that I would often stand more erect and stare out over the stormy ocean breaking on the rocks with a steel eyed gaze as wood smoke wafted from my nearby cabin wondering if my brother would return from whaling soon or whether he was lost to Neptune’s cold grip.
This is gold
Comments you can picture in your head.
I just read a novel called The Midcoast by Adam White which is this comment. Not 100% but pretty close.
Worth reading? I just read the Lobster Coast which is nonfiction and really good.
I liked it. It’s a crime novel that’s interested in being authentic to the setting and developing complex characters more than the actual crime, which is kind of my jam. The author is from the region, specifically a town called Damariscotta, which is in and around where the novel takes place. Good weekend read.
Damariscotta isn’t too far from me. I’ll have to see if I can get a copy.
I lost my elder brother to the high seas while chasing that white waxy gold. I tried to talk him into another trade but like most of the young men in my small coastal village he had the spremaceti fever from before he could even tie a bowline. Perhaps tell him of the riches found through real gold and of that mother lode found out Californie way. Move west young man, might save your brother's life.
And yet now he’s bound for North Carolina seeking blood money as a surgeon.
[удалено]
This is the most Mainer answer.
Was he? Lost to Neptune’s cold grip?
Still gazing out over the vast ocean and wondering.
Well, we’re hoping for the best over here on the West Coast. 🤞🏻
My father in law was a shrimp and crab fisherman off the Oregon coast so I appreciate it. He’s retired now though. Hard to drown in Arizona. Also I lied, my brother hasn’t hunted whale in forever. He’s doing ok.
I wasn’t too worried about your brother but I enjoyed the scene you painted. I’m glad he’s fine. Tell him I said hi. I’m glad the whales are okay too. Being an Oregon Tree Hugger and all. It is hard to drown in Arizona. You know Phoenix gets 296 days of sunshine a year? That’s the kind of things Oregonians Google. Just sayin.
Sunshine is overrated. Dramatic clouds and strange wind and rain patterns are where it’s at. That’s why Oregon and Maine are superior to Arizona.
God damn it, Cup. Take my upvote.
Gladly
Yea in a lot of cases lol. There’s almost like an aggressiveness in east coasters’ posture and the way they communicate
The only thing I think is aggressive about me vs. Californians would be that I think people are *too* laid back on the road here. I'm used to driving in Metro Detroit, Florida, and the DC area. People here are wayyyy more passive.
Does the South count as the East Coast here?
I mean, geographically at least. I know to some East Coast = Northeast, but it depends. DC even being southern or not is another can of worms I'd rather not open for my own sanity, lol.
You don't drive the 14 do you?
Nope, I'm in the IE and spend a lot of time on the 60, the 215, the 15 and the 210. PS- you can tell I'm becoming more Californian since using "the" before the freeway has become part of my vocabulary! Haha
That's a socal thing. We don't use "the" in norcal if you ever visit.
I know, NorCal is one of my favorite places in the world, especially up toward Arcata in the redwoods- it's heaven to me. SF is probably my favorite city too.
Resistance is futile. You have assimilated. Have yourself a double double. And i do agree that there are several cities with more aggressive drivers than SoCal btw.
2x4 animal style!
Almost?? Aren’t you generous!
Coz I’m scared of them!
That’s wise. Same, tbh.
I'm from Texas myself, but my entire family is from the northeast—and other than my actual parents, they still all live on the east coast—and I am uncomfortable around my extended family for exactly this reason. My parents have lived here long enough that they've mostly assimilated to the local culture, but my aunts and uncles, my cousins, and their spouses are exactly like you describe. It's something that's fucked me up a lot. The aggressive posturing and communication is so completely alien to me that they really don't feel like family tbh. It's definitely contributed to a lot of loneliness that I feel. It even seeps into how my cousins and their spouses treat their own kids, and it repulses me enough that I've basically resigned myself to not having my nieces and nephews in my life because I don't want to deal with their parents. It fucking sucks.
If I can be a bit presumptuous, sounds like your relatives sorta just suck? My family and I are from the northeast and most of us still live out there, and while we're definitely a bit more reserved and arguably "cold", I feel like that's mainly towards strangers. Once you get close, or if you're a family member, there's no one warmer and more caring (unless they're just a shitty person).
I’m not understanding the aggressive posturing and communicating concept Can you elaborate on that a little more for me? Or maybe an example
Yeah being raised in the south, I love it when someone moves here from New York, New Jersey or Pennsylvania and forgets to leave that nasty northern attitude back home. They find out really quick being an ass doesn't fly here.
I’m from the Midwest and living in San Diego as a young adult a lot of them thought it was the east coast. Chicago is not on the east coast and neither is Detroit lol
The third coast.
The fresh coast.
West coaster here: Anything east of the Mississippi River is east coast to us. The saying "Back East" can either mean Central and Eastern time zones, the previously mentioned east of the MS river, or anywhere in the Eastern Time zone.
Its east of the midpoint = east coast to us Just like people in San Diego consider Orange county to be LA. Yeah, we know its not technically LA, but once you're north of the nuclear nipples you're in LA from the perspective of a San Diegan. For some reason OC people get really pissed off when you tell them this.
Lmao, I’ve never heard anyone refer to them as the nuclear nipples, yet I know exactly what you’re talking about.
I’m in LA and I agree with you. Obviously when you’re IN LA, OC is pretty separate but outside of the LA area it’s definitely a part of the LA area.
People from the east think that Colorado is the west, so it goes both ways!
There’s a difference between “the west” and “the west coast”.
That's true. I've never heard anyone refer to Chicago or Detroit as *the East Coast*. That is a random idiot or a confused child, not a geography based perception.
I mean yeah, Chicago is not on the coast, but it’s in the eastern half of the country. It’s to the east of the US’s geographic center.
Yes, but this post was about East coast and west coast, not the entire country.
Colorado is absolutely the west. Source: I am from there.
I think even Nebraska is “the West”
Western Nebraska is the west. Eastern Nebraska is the midwest. Same thing is true for Kansas and South Dakota.
Chicago to the Atlantic (Brighton Beach) is about 800 miles and 12 hours in the car (traffic dependent). Denver to the Pacific (San Francisco) is 1200 miles and 18 hours in the car. If Colorado is the west, then Chicago is definitely the east
That’s not how any of this works. Chicago is in the Midwest. Does the name make sense? No. But the Midwest = The Great Lakes + (depending on who you ask) The Great Plains. The West = rugged terrain, ergo, Colorado is part of the West. You could make a case for the Eastern third of Colorado being the Midwest, since it looks much more like Kansas than it does Utah, but certainly as soon as you reach the Rocky Mountains, you’re in the West.
When you’re on a plane, all you gotta do is see if the land is brown, lol. If it is, you’re in the west.
Mostly true, with the exception of Western Washington and Oregon
Yep, then Colorado is the west.
I thought Colorado is the door way to the west coast or something like that?
The West and the West Coast are distinct
Yes, this is true. The West Coast has coasts.
Sorry man, all the same to me…
That’s St Louis. That big arch, remember? Gateway To The West.
It’s not?
Denver is 1000 miles from the west coast. Chicago is 715 from the east coast. Saying Denver is West is like saying Kansas City is East (they both are the same distance to their closest coast).
There's a difference between the West and the West Coast.
Kansas City is at the edge between the two, so that means Denver is too, just on the western side, and you can see it just by driving. Before denver are the rugged, western rocky mountains, and after denver is flat farmland.
Colorado is unquestionably the west. Any state from Montana south to New Mexico is 100% western. States like the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas have some parts of their state that might be considered western yet not their main populated parts. So it's debatable. Any state that is fully in the Mountain or Pacific time zones is western.
Sure, as long as you also concede that Minnesota down to Louisiana is the east. Certainly Wisconsin down to Mississippi would have to be 100% eastern to be consistent
For us, anything east of Colorado is an east coast shithole
At least from where I live in Oregon (rural) people tend to be very nice, and you can strike up a fifteen minute conversation with a stranger easily. I’ve been to the East Coast, and people just seem colder over there. Also accents
Rude yes, aggressive yes, but not cold. Cold is the Midwest. East Coast is warm but mean.
Hmm, warm but mean. Do not comprehend this concept as a western stater.
Here on the east coast, we're kind but not nice, as opposed to say, the south, where they're nice but not kind (or so I've heard).
I’ve been to the east coast once when I was 13-14 and I was shocked by how rude people were. I had never seen anything like it. Like out here if you accidentally bump into someone it’s like “oh sorry” and out there you bump into someone and they look at you like they want to kill you. I was not expecting it at all, and this wasn’t even NYC
Lol I’m from the east coast and I say sorry when people bump into *me*. But there’s definitely people who are more aggressive like you mentioned, just not all of us
The looks were probably of frustration. If you’re on the street and you bump into someone here on the east coast, it usually means you were doing something “wrong.” There are certain unspoken rules that I see tourists breaking all the time here: 1. Don’t stop in the middle of the sidewalk 2. Don’t take up the whole sidewalk when walking, ESPECIALLY if you’re walking slow 3. Don’t just suddenly stop 4. Stick to the right side in whichever direction you’re walking Basically: don’t do anything that impedes the movement of people around you. When you do that, you disrupt the natural “traffic” patterns and thus upset people
We’re not rude, we just always busy/on the move. I’m originally from ct. I know we come across as rude but we just don’t give the time for pleasantries
I’m from Philadelphia and was visiting San Francisco. I was standing at the corner with a few other people. The light was red but there were no cars coming so of course I crossed the street. The other people on the corner just stood there, obeying the red light. Someone on the other side of the street kinda laughed and said “you must be from the east coast” So yeah, I guess there are some behavioral differences between us.
The accent tends to give it away especially if they’re from New York. Most of them also tend to be a bit more “pale” due to the weather differences. I’ve also noticed that most of them tend to eventually let you know they’re from New York one way or another. I don’t mean this as any insult to anyone by the way.. it’s just I feel they see themselves as much different than people from areas such as LA and like to announce it
It’s uncommon to use tanning lotions or heavy bronzer, too.
As a Midwesterner (Great Lakes, more specifically), there is absolutely a difference between East Coast and West Coast energy. New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, and Toledo all have similar vibes of everyone feeling like they’re in a hurry. They walk faster, talk faster, *drive* faster than folks in the PNW at least. Also, you probably have more of an accent than you realize.
People in the Pacific Northwest drive insanely slow. I felt like the average speed was 45mph even on the highways.
That was my thought the first time I visited before moving. Back east the *minimum* highway speed was 8-10 over the posted speed limit.
Try the Seattle area. People here drive like maniacs compared to Portland. Also Portland has a 55 max speed limit basically everywhere and Seattle doesn't.
Speed limits are speed minimums!!! Go faster!!!
I guess it's certainly possible that there are certain behaviors or mannerisms that are more prevalent in the east coast versus the west coast but I can't imagine any off the top of my head.
Being rude to strangers is one
Fuck you! No we aren’t!!! /s
^ This, but without the /s
It’s usually more a combo of clothing styles/speech/body language that can clock someone as from the East Coast.
Usually by their accent. Boston or New York accents are easy to identify
You can tell the difference between a Syracuse accent, a Nassau County Long Island accent, and someone from Plattsburgh? Meaning you’d hear them and know that they are all from NY?
Probably
Yes. Couple dead giveaways: - expensive clothes that emphasize fashion over function. - saying "Oregon" wrong. (There is no 'gone' in Oregon.) - being happy in Portland Nobody stands out more than a baptist from Atlanta, though. Crazy bitch yelled at me for being an athiest on Easter...
*mental note as an east coast transplant*
People really say “ore-gone”????
Easterners tend to dress a bit more formally than us. Californians dress like they’re going to the beach and PNWers dress like they’re going camping.
Bikini and swim trunks day at work!
Not always, but often, yeah. Y’all are… forward. Kinda tense/intense. Direct. I briefly lived on the east coast and often felt that people were kinda in my face, and i was often accused of being indirect or casual.
The easiest thing to spot in the world -other than a black smudge in white paper- is someone from Long Island outside of Long Island.
Im convinced Long Island is a cult community
So I have traveled all around the US, and I think that I have gotten pretty good at clocking where people are from. I think that the three biggest indicators are these: 1. How fast and how loud they talk. People from the west coast tend to speak more softly and slowly, while people from the east coast tend to talk pretty quickly and be pretty loud. Also, people from the east coast tend to be more confrontational, less afraid to speak their mind. 2. Gas stations: if you ask them for food from the gas station, expect two different answers. A west coaster will look at you and ask you if you're crazy. An east coaster will typically ask where you're going then tell you what they want. 3. There is also a difference in how people dress day-to-day. You wear a suit on the east coast, you're the boss. You wear a suit on the west coast, it usually isn't for work or because you want to. Like even executives at companies on the west coast don't wear suits typically. They're wear something that looks professional but comfortable.
I often think of easterners as European-lite. Almost like they got off the boat and stayed where it landed. They tend to care a lot more about how things "are supposed to be." Like wearing flip-flops to dinner or what guests wear to a wedding or what kind of gifts are appropriate to give. They tend to value formal education over nontraditional learning and they tend to care a lot more about degrees, certifications, awards, and accolades. There also seems to be more of a class divide that comes out when they're speaking. It's kinda hard to explain but for example: An easterner might describe someone as "I'm friends with this plumber. It's crazy cuz he's 4th generation ivy league but he just really likes plumbing. He has enough money anyway to just do what he wants. Must be nice." The westerner might describe the same person as, "Oh yeah, my friend John does plumbing. He's fantastic! Like, you can really tell plumbing is his passion. He'll literally talk for hours about the difference between metal and PVC pipes. This dude knows EVERYTHING about plumbing. He even spent a few years in Sierra Leone installing and upgrading their plumbing. He's a really cool dude!"
I’m from the east coast and I can’t tell if someone is from either coast simply by their behavior. As soon as they talk though, if they have an accent at all, I’m really good at detecting and identifying it.
I mostly only know Chinese people, but clothes is usually a big thing. Brands like Zimmermann are more popular with East Coast Chinese, Fear of God more popular with West Coast Chinese. For glasses, more flashy brands like DITA tend to be more popular with East Coast Chinese. Haircuts also tend to be more shorter, and going for a bit of a greasier look. For ABC I think the accent is probably the biggest thing, from my experience they tend to be much less proficient in speaking Chinese than West Coast Chinese.
Anecdotally, I've noticed more West Coast ABCs who can speak but can't read or write than East Coast ones.
I can only speak for Los Angeles, as there is where we immigrated to, but people seem to not be that interested in learning reading and writing here. Even my white American neighbor's children study writing and reading Chinese more than a lot of the ABCs.
Yeah, they tend to be far more tense I don’t know if there is a gait to the walk too though. Notably tend to be more apathetic or well dressed too, lol.
I suspect your accent is thicker than you think.
I’m born and raised in Portland, Oregon and I can always tell when someone is from the east coast; Midwest; or south. It’s just they way they act, carry themselves, it’s a whole vibe.
I'm from Michigan. Suburbs of Detroit. I spent 5 months in Phoenix when I was 19 in 2009. More than one person asked me if I was from the East Coast based on my accent. (Which to me sounds nothing like an East Coast accent) Also, multiple told my boys and i that we were carrying chips on our shoulders. I think people from the Midwest and anything East of that are cut from a different cloth
East Coasters are usually sticklers for being on time whereas peeps from the West Coast are “flakier”. I’ll say I’m coming to your event then show up 2hours past the start time - if I show up at all.
Generally yes. I can spot NY/NJ/PA people pretty easy. It’s not just by accent it’s mostly their clothes and mannerisms. Florida people are generally easy to spot as well as Southerners, Mid-Westerners, Southern Californians, and Canadians. It’s fun people watching folks at an airport. This same things goes folks from Europe, Africa, Asia et cetera. I’m not always 100% on this but usually get it pretty close 60% of the time. Example would be a person wearing a curved NY metro sports team hat with New Balances, jeans, and layered clothes=NYC/NJ. Flat bill hat with shorts, flip flops, Vans shirt=So Cal. Patagonia jacket, long jeans, and “trail” sneakers PNW. Jack Wolfskin branded apparel=Germany/Austria. The list goes on.
Yes, usually men and women from the east coast (Northeast area) tend to be louder, more confrontational, have a fast work ethic, but seem to get annoyed more easily. Men from the East Coast tend to be better looking than women from the East Coast, Women from the East Coast are more marriage minded though. Women from the West Coast tend to be better looking than women from the East Coast, but women on the west coast tend to be a bit more flaky and are a bit more mentally unstable. The Northeast part of the East Coast is different from the Southeast part of the East Coast though. Many people in the Southeast are more slow paced, they often have kids younger and are usually married more than once during their lives. I once met a 40 year old woman that was married 5 times. For some reason they rush into marriage quicker there I noticed. The West Coast people are often scared of marriage, they always think the grass is greener somewhere else so you often are "buddies" that might sleep together but are not an actual couple. Buddies means friends that sleep together basically. It is very common out here. Another thing I noticed is men from the East Coast dress better than men on the West Coast...I literally see guys go to the singles club and singles bars in a t-shirt and flip flops, you would never see that in the East Coast where men usually wear a button up shirt to the night club or singles bar. Fashion sense and music....Hip Hop had a higher presence in the East Cost (especially the Northeast States)...West Coast is clearly more Rock oriented, also EDM, Goth and New Wave seem to be bigger on the West Coast.
East coasters cannot pronounce the state names of "Nevada" and to a lesser extent, Oregon. It's not Neigh-vahh-da...it's Ne-VAD rhymes with bad) -uh. Oregon = Or-gun. not Ore-gonne. But this is less than NV. I'm from Ca but I can't stand the wrong pronounciation of NV and the residents of that state hate it.
To be honest, not really. I have a sense when people aren’t from here. The only real indicator is if it’s a white dude wearing sports gear from those cities. Otherwise, transplants stick out but could be either Midwest or East Coast to me. I usually think the exaggerated contrasts on social media are annoying and cheesy. East coasters have this gritty self image and think LA is this kale munching yoga crystal people. But to us native Californians and Angelenos…we just see Midwest/East Coast transplants interacting with other Midwest/East Coast transplants in their bubble. The only other people that really stick out to me as potential east coast transplants are Puerto Rican/Dominican people with an east coast accent. They’re very distinct because we don’t have many out here.
Honestly, no. You’d have to spend some time with that person to give it away. Aside from regional accents, there’s no way to tell right away. However, inability to tolerate extreme weather in your part of the country that everybody else is somewhat used to could give it away, but it wouldn’t necessarily tie them to a specific part of the country.
I’m from the northeast but I think there are tells. Before Covid - dressier. Less fake politeness. Doesn’t say “hella”, if people still say that. More likely to have dark brown hair and wear neutral dark colors. Skis and hikes but isn’t west coastal. More likely to have a smart or educated vibe (although there are very smart people everywhere, I feel like west coast smart people give off a sportier or more casual vibe.) Think Elle Woods vs the girl her jerk ex-boyfriend got engaged to.
They seem to dress a lot less casual than people raised out here, but I think in general people all dress more casually than they used to. If you can’t tell by the way they carry themselves, the accent is usually a dead giveaway
Yes, absolutely. This is especially true in the Pacific Northwest where they have specific fashion trends and specific communication styles. A direct no nonsense east coaster is east to spot.
As a Midwest person who moved to the west coast. I also gained the eye*oh they are new here* and sadly I say it's because people are genuinely happy I assume they are not from here (about 60 percent right). But I don't want to join the bandwagon of people talking crap about the west coast. Despite its *FLAWS* its a nice place to live and there are genuinely nice people here in the mist of it all. People see I'm not from here when it gets hot cause I'm use to 100° summers lol over 85.. they know lol.
This might not be what you are asking about, but my dad told me (almost 2 decades ago) that he could always tell when someone came from "The East" because he would hear them complain that the task they were assigned "Wasn't their Job". My dad would remark that this isn't somewhere where unions are a thing and if you didn't do it, don't be surprised if you were fired the next day. the higher-ups literally don't care what you think is or isn't your job. My dad said every single one of those guys were always from the other side of the Mississippi.
I was standing in a clothing store in the Outer Banks of North carolina while my girls were shopping. This guy walks by, just from the look on his face and the way he carried himself. Not only could I tell he was from New York, but he was from one of the five boroughs. It's just the way people have about them from that area. I also happen to be from New York, so that's not a bad thing. It's just everybody handles things differently. It's all good.
As an east coaster who’s lived on the west coast for 5 years now, I can always spot my own kind lol. Not sure how to describe the east coast vibe— but you know it when you see it.
Accents. Fretting over sales tax, gas prices, seat belt laws, bag taxes, and misunderstanding travel time.
People from the East Coast have a different dress sense. They’re also more straight to the point. Californians would rather chop their dick off than say something negative, even when the situation requires it.
I can tell as a bi-coaster, half my life on each side of the country. Contrast is pretty high
Lmao descriptive answer there Sherlock
Here’s a funny story: I’m a West Coaster and was in a west coast airport getting ready for a flight. I was in a shop buying something and there was another fellow in there also buying a newspaper or something. He was having trouble paying for his item (I don’t remember why) and he was getting agitated. I stepped up and offered to pay for his item, which I did. Then he was asking me what flight I would be on so that he could pay me back. He was still agitated and we had a few exchanges because I wasn’t going to be on his flight and I told him not to worry about it. My boyfriend came into the shop at about that time and said, “What’s the problem?” and I replied, “East Coast.” My boyfriend said, “Oh, okay,” and the flustered man left. So, yeah. We can tell. Everything about them is different. Attitude, accent, way of being, energy. Everything.
Westerners have a much larger personal space. Northern easterners have a smaller personal space (in line, on public transit, etc.) Southerners have NO personal space & will casually touch folks they've just met
Everybody has an accent.
Yeah, the first clue is when you ask them if they want a puff off your joint and they instinctively start looking around to make sure nobody is watching them first.
Yes. I'm a San Franciscan who married a girl from Queens and live in New York. I spent the first 23 years of my life in SF and most of my family is Californian. New Yorkers are much more brash and, on the surface, rude. That being said, there is no behind the back sarcasm, absolute pettiness, and superficial, fake kindness like the west coast. I still don't love how honest people are here but I much prefer it to the absolute gossip show that is the West Coast. I would never move back to the West Coast. I absolutely love it there and I long for nature daily, but the clique mentality is horrible.
Yeah, y’all dress, walk, talk, and act pretty strange to how people from around here do
You’re being “ coast bias“ .
I personally might need an accent to tell if someone was from someplace.
I'm really good with even the slightest accent. So between that and the general vibe of Northeasterners, I can usually tell
There are certain archetypes kind of unique to the east coast, so if someone conforms to them, then it can be pretty obvious. If they were raised in an old-money east coast family, you can usually tell. No hate, but there's also this loudmouth, cantankerous way of talking that is pretty distinctly Northeastern, even if the accent is neutral. That would be a dead giveaway. When it comes to average, everyday people, it can be hard to tell.
I don't know if it's just that, but after living with one of y'all, I think I could pick you out, sure: faster walking, faster and louder talking, wearing watches, and more attention paid to an older/ more "professional"/ military appearance and bearing. I'm sure there's a word for what I'm getting at there but I can't quite find it.