AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: roadman65 on November 22, 2021, 12:51:47 PM

Title: What’s in a name?
Post by: roadman65 on November 22, 2021, 12:51:47 PM
Well depending on what state or region you are from terms can vary. Not in dictionary talk though, but in common verbiage.

Example in New York a freeway is coined an expressway, but in Jefferson City, MO the Expressway is an arterial with limited access. Hence the Long Island Expressway in the former and Whitton Expressway in the latter. Both are expressways in name but in nature they are different types a roadways. 

Then Route verses Highway. Some states like NJ and NY called numbered routes as routes while Florida will call the same as highways. Route 46 in NJ or Route 17 in NY while it's Highway 46 and Highway 17 in the Sunshine State. Yet US 1 in both NJ/ NY is called Route 1 in those states, but unlike other US Highways in Florida which are called "Highway X"  it is called US 1 here. No Floridian ever says Highway One for this particular route.

Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: hotdogPi on November 22, 2021, 12:53:20 PM
Turn signals:

(https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/LcA8OSCKIupT1-z2N_ASO4pM7jo=/1440x0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-bostonglobe.s3.amazonaws.com/public/ZE2KNGWXXUI6HATESEATNEIGQY.jpg)
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: JayhawkCO on November 22, 2021, 01:32:16 PM
Kitty-corner vs. Catty-corner
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: SkyPesos on November 22, 2021, 01:37:53 PM
For US highways, it seems like that "Route 66" is the only one frequently called with the "route" prefix, and the others either use "US" or "highway" in front of it, or even no prefix.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: tigerwings on November 22, 2021, 05:12:25 PM
No route or Highway in Michigan, State routes are M-wherever.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: Max Rockatansky on November 22, 2021, 07:15:03 PM
SoCal slang generally is "The insert route number"  regardless the classification of highway.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: Big John on November 22, 2021, 07:32:36 PM
Another Wisconsin-Illinois rivalry as WI uses "highway" and IL uses "route".
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: US20IL64 on November 23, 2021, 12:02:39 PM
Yeah, in No. IL, some use 'Route' for State highways, "Rt. 53/83". But mostly folks just say #'s:
90, 55, 94, 294, 41, 20, 30, 34, 120 ...  :cool:

Closer to city/inner burbs, street names used. Nobody calls Lake Shore Dr. "the 41", ;-)

Also, said a few times, 'freeway' here means So. CA vacation routes,   :)

Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: roadman65 on November 23, 2021, 12:43:51 PM
Many states the word freeway is used internally but not in common talk.

Funny how from Missouri to IL, which border each other, the same descriptor is used for two different types of roadways. The Whitton Expressway in Jefferson City and the Stevenson Expressway in Chicagoland for example. One a limited access arterial and the other fully controlled access yet both are expressways.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: Roadgeekteen on November 27, 2021, 04:56:40 AM
US Highways and state highways are "route". Freeways are "highways" and sometimes "expressways".
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: 1995hoo on November 27, 2021, 11:05:23 AM
Out west, the word "highway" is sometimes combined with a route number as a proper noun–for example, "take Highway 29 south for two hours." I have a brother-in-law in Phoenix whose wife uses that style and it threw me off briefly when she was riding with us here and she said something about "Highway 7" when we were on I-395–it took me a second to realize what she meant because Virginia Route 7 in that area is an arterial (with that portion of said route ordinarily referred to as King Street), and in this part of the country "highway" is a generic term used more to refer to Interstates or similar (example from when I was in law school: "751 was blocked by an accident, so I had to take the highway," with "the highway" meaning US-15/501).
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: bwana39 on November 27, 2021, 12:49:06 PM
In Texas ROUTE is never used. We laugh about it pronounced ROOT.

Interstates are almost always called "Interstate X", just "X", or by the local freeway name inside the cities. (Such as LBJ Freeway for IH-635 and the part of I-20 that used to be 635.).

US Highways and State Highways generally are called "Highway X" or Just "X". Of course there are local freeway names (EX US-175 is Hawn Freeway in Dallas. SH-183 is the Airport Freeway in Irving). Except when they are freeways, they are more often referred to by their street names within towns and cities.

Farm to Market Roads are generally called "Farm to Market X", "Farm Road X", or "FM-X" In a couple of cases there are local freeway names attached. (emmett f lowry expressway on FM-1764 in Texas City). In my corner of NE Texas it is generally said FarmMarket -X, leaving out the "to". Sometimes the JUST "X" is used for FM roads.  Generally the street name prevails within a city of town.

Highway is generally anything maintained by the state less than a freeway ; even some rural FM roads. Highways are usually rural.
Freeway is anything controlled access. It may or may not include the tollways.
Street is generally every paved street in a city that is not freeway or tollway.
Turnpike is the universal name for free standing tollways (as opposed to tolled lanes of existing freeways.)

Frontage roads: IN north Texas they are called frontage roads or service roads.  In Houston, they are called feeder roads.


Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: Ketchup99 on November 27, 2021, 01:48:38 PM
In Pennsylvania, it's never "Highway XX," and indeed, "highway" is only really ever used to talk about "big roads" - any freeway, or a divided road with a high speed limit. Typically, we refer to "Route XX" or just "XX" (for instance, "Harrisburg's down 322, while Huntingdon is down Route 26". For interstates, when we give it any prefix (which is rare), it's usually "I-XX" and not "Interstate XX." I'm much more likely to call something "99" than "I-99" or "Interstate 99," and in the same vein, likelier to say "22" than "Route 22" or "US 22".
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: NWI_Irish96 on November 27, 2021, 02:03:01 PM
In Indiana, state highways are commonly referred to as State Road XX, or SR XX. Very few roads are known by their name over their number. The Lloyd Expwy in Evansville and the Indiana Toll Road are the most common ones.

In northern Lake County, you tend to hear Calumet Ave, Indianapolis Blvd, Broadway, and Cline Ave referred to by name more than route number, but by the time you get south of Ridge Rd you're more likely to hear route numbers.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: Bruce on November 27, 2021, 07:16:17 PM
In the Seattle area, it varies but "Highway XX" is more common than "Route [rout] XX". They are also abbreviated to SR on signs and in some news reports.

U.S. Routes are commonly called "Highway XX" and "US XX", presumably to reduce confusion with the state routes.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: Scott5114 on November 28, 2021, 02:48:38 PM
This actually led to a massive fight on Wikipedia in the mid-2000s, where people were renaming hundreds of pages to match what they thought the state highway names should be. It got contentious enough it ended up going all the way to Wiki Supreme Court.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: skluth on November 29, 2021, 07:38:48 PM
I think it far more interesting that some people pronounce route like root while others pronounce it like rout.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: Big John on November 29, 2021, 08:36:15 PM
^^ I always heard Route 66 as "root" and all other routes as "rout".
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: US 89 on November 29, 2021, 08:38:42 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2021, 11:05:23 AM
Out west, the word "highway" is sometimes combined with a route number as a proper noun–for example, "take Highway 29 south for two hours." I have a brother-in-law in Phoenix whose wife uses that style and it threw me off briefly when she was riding with us here and she said something about "Highway 7" when we were on I-395–it took me a second to realize what she meant because Virginia Route 7 in that area is an arterial (with that portion of said route ordinarily referred to as King Street), and in this part of the country "highway" is a generic term used more to refer to Interstates or similar (example from when I was in law school: "751 was blocked by an accident, so I had to take the highway," with "the highway" meaning US-15/501).

See, that kind of thing fascinates me. I'm originally from Utah where that usage is very much standard, even though the state-maintained roads there are in fact legally "state routes". In fact, it's so standard it is usually what shows up on street signs. Where I grew up north of Salt Lake, the main pre-interstate highway is usually signed as Highway 89 (https://goo.gl/maps/cg4Mg94LufDgTCiG8), and in conversation you'll either hear that or just "US 89". Likewise, the famous scenic highway in southern Utah is "Highway 12", "SR 12", or maybe "State Route 12" or "State Road 12". I have never heard "Route 89" or "Route 12".

It wouldn't even occur to me that this usage might confuse people from "route" parts of the country.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: Dirt Roads on November 29, 2021, 08:40:47 PM
Quote from: skluth on November 29, 2021, 07:38:48 PM
I think it far more interesting that some people pronounce route like root while others pronounce it like rout.

Even better, where I'm from in West Virginia, we say it both ways.  Its a "root" when you are describing how to travel, and its a "rout" when tacked on to a number.  "You want to take this back 'root' to go over to Huntington, and once you hit 'rout' 10 you'll head on up to the Interstate".
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: Rothman on November 29, 2021, 10:19:52 PM
Quote from: US 89 on November 29, 2021, 08:38:42 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2021, 11:05:23 AM
Out west, the word "highway" is sometimes combined with a route number as a proper noun–for example, "take Highway 29 south for two hours." I have a brother-in-law in Phoenix whose wife uses that style and it threw me off briefly when she was riding with us here and she said something about "Highway 7" when we were on I-395–it took me a second to realize what she meant because Virginia Route 7 in that area is an arterial (with that portion of said route ordinarily referred to as King Street), and in this part of the country "highway" is a generic term used more to refer to Interstates or similar (example from when I was in law school: "751 was blocked by an accident, so I had to take the highway," with "the highway" meaning US-15/501).

See, that kind of thing fascinates me. I'm originally from Utah where that usage is very much standard, even though the state-maintained roads there are in fact legally "state routes". In fact, it's so standard it is usually what shows up on street signs. Where I grew up north of Salt Lake, the main pre-interstate highway is usually signed as Highway 89 (https://goo.gl/maps/cg4Mg94LufDgTCiG8), and in conversation you'll either hear that or just "US 89". Likewise, the famous scenic highway in southern Utah is "Highway 12", "SR 12", or maybe "State Route 12" or "State Road 12". I have never heard "Route 89" or "Route 12".

It wouldn't even occur to me that this usage might confuse people from "route" parts of the country.
Heh.  Just the other day my father referred to "89/91" as the main road through American Fork.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: 7/8 on November 29, 2021, 10:20:15 PM
Quote from: US 89 on November 29, 2021, 08:38:42 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2021, 11:05:23 AM
Out west, the word "highway" is sometimes combined with a route number as a proper noun–for example, "take Highway 29 south for two hours." I have a brother-in-law in Phoenix whose wife uses that style and it threw me off briefly when she was riding with us here and she said something about "Highway 7" when we were on I-395–it took me a second to realize what she meant because Virginia Route 7 in that area is an arterial (with that portion of said route ordinarily referred to as King Street), and in this part of the country "highway" is a generic term used more to refer to Interstates or similar (example from when I was in law school: "751 was blocked by an accident, so I had to take the highway," with "the highway" meaning US-15/501).

See, that kind of thing fascinates me. I'm originally from Utah where that usage is very much standard, even though the state-maintained roads there are in fact legally "state routes". In fact, it's so standard it is usually what shows up on street signs. Where I grew up north of Salt Lake, the main pre-interstate highway is usually signed as Highway 89 (https://goo.gl/maps/cg4Mg94LufDgTCiG8), and in conversation you'll either hear that or just "US 89". Likewise, the famous scenic highway in southern Utah is "Highway 12", "SR 12", or maybe "State Route 12" or "State Road 12". I have never heard "Route 89" or "Route 12".

It wouldn't even occur to me that this usage might confuse people from "route" parts of the country.

Yeah, this basically applies to Ontario too. People say "highway" not "route" (which would be pronounced "root"). Here's an example of a sign for Highway 27.
(https://i.imgur.com/gQO5YG9l.jpg)

The exception are the 400-series highways, which are "The __" (ex: the four-oh-one).
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: 7/8 on November 29, 2021, 10:24:59 PM
Quote from: skluth on November 29, 2021, 07:38:48 PM
I think it far more interesting that some people pronounce route like root while others pronounce it like rout.

I found this map showing it's distribution in the US. I had no idea "rout" is so common!
(https://languagesoftheworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/route.jpg)
Image source article: https://www.languagesoftheworld.info/geolinguistics/new-maps-american-english-dialects-novel.html (https://www.languagesoftheworld.info/geolinguistics/new-maps-american-english-dialects-novel.html)
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: wanderer2575 on November 29, 2021, 10:53:21 PM
In Michigan, one does not pay tolls at the Mackinac Bridge and Canada border crossings.  One pays fares.

(https://i.imgur.com/vV290Ep.jpg)
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: hotdogPi on November 30, 2021, 07:45:13 AM
Quote from: 7/8 on November 29, 2021, 10:24:59 PM
Quote from: skluth on November 29, 2021, 07:38:48 PM
I think it far more interesting that some people pronounce route like root while others pronounce it like rout.

I found this map showing it's distribution in the US. I had no idea "rout" is so common!
(https://languagesoftheworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/route.jpg)
Image source article: https://www.languagesoftheworld.info/geolinguistics/new-maps-american-english-dialects-novel.html (https://www.languagesoftheworld.info/geolinguistics/new-maps-american-english-dialects-novel.html)

Red/yellow/green/blue is not the way to do it. With four options that must add up to 100%, you have three degrees of freedom. One way to do it is with the computer's RGB system for three options and no color for the fourth option that still gets totaled into percentages; this uses a lot more of the color space and tells you how much of each option, not just the leading option.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: 1995hoo on December 01, 2021, 10:19:30 AM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on November 29, 2021, 08:40:47 PM
Quote from: skluth on November 29, 2021, 07:38:48 PM
I think it far more interesting that some people pronounce route like root while others pronounce it like rout.

Even better, where I'm from in West Virginia, we say it both ways.  Its a "root" when you are describing how to travel, and its a "rout" when tacked on to a number.  "You want to take this back 'root' to go over to Huntington, and once you hit 'rout' 10 you'll head on up to the Interstate".

I come from a family where everyone has generally said "rout" (the map above notwithstanding, as both of my parents grew up in Brooklyn). I recall my grandfather grumbling about people who think it should be "root" because he had always said "rout."

However, this thread is making me remember that when I was a little kid (probably first grade) I liked reading Beverly Cleary's "Henry Huggins" books. One of the books was Henry and the Paper Route. This thread is making me recall that when I first read that book, I asked my mom if it should be "paper root" or "paper rout." She suggested that the assigned houses comprise a "root" and that Henry Huggins was to "rout" the papers to each house–effectively distinguishing between "route" as a noun ("root") and as a verb ("rout"). Interesting theory, and I suppose it's consistent with the standard pronunciation of the word "router" as to the piece of electronic infrastructure (I think I've heard one person one time pronounce it like "rooter," and it sounded utterly absurd), though of course that word was unknown to ordinary people like us in the late 1970s when I would have asked my mom that question.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: triplemultiplex on December 01, 2021, 02:05:53 PM
Calling everything "highway" in Wisconsin gets so ingrained that there's a local TV commercial in southern Wisconsin that refers to it's location "...just off highway I-39".  :pan:
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: ethanhopkin14 on December 01, 2021, 02:26:41 PM
Quote from: bwana39 on November 27, 2021, 12:49:06 PM
In Texas ROUTE is never used. We laugh about it pronounced ROOT.

Interstates are almost always called "Interstate X", just "X", or by the local freeway name inside the cities. (Such as LBJ Freeway for IH-635 and the part of I-20 that used to be 635.).

US Highways and State Highways generally are called "Highway X" or Just "X". Of course there are local freeway names (EX US-175 is Hawn Freeway in Dallas. SH-183 is the Airport Freeway in Irving). Except when they are freeways, they are more often referred to by their street names within towns and cities.

Farm to Market Roads are generally called "Farm to Market X", "Farm Road X", or "FM-X" In a couple of cases there are local freeway names attached. (emmett f lowry expressway on FM-1764 in Texas City). In my corner of NE Texas it is generally said FarmMarket -X, leaving out the "to". Sometimes the JUST "X" is used for FM roads.  Generally the street name prevails within a city of town.

Highway is generally anything maintained by the state less than a freeway ; even some rural FM roads. Highways are usually rural.
Freeway is anything controlled access. It may or may not include the tollways.
Street is generally every paved street in a city that is not freeway or tollway.
Turnpike is the universal name for free standing tollways (as opposed to tolled lanes of existing freeways.)

Frontage roads: IN north Texas they are called frontage roads or service roads.  In Houston, they are called feeder roads.

Nice.

In Texas ROUTE is never used. We laugh about it pronounced ROOT. Never, to the point that I never understood until I was in my mid 30's why everyone called it Route 66.

Interstates are almost always called "Interstate X", just "X", or by the local freeway name inside the cities. (Such as LBJ Freeway for IH-635 and the part of I-20 that used to be 635.). Or just LBJ.  In Austin, everyone calls US-290/TX-71 Ben White, but calls US-183, just 183.  Maybe because it has a billion names.  Interstates in Texas are also called I-XX or IH-XX.

US Highways and State Highways generally are called "Highway X" or Just "X". Of course there are local freeway names (EX US-175 is Hawn Freeway in Dallas. SH-183 is the Airport Freeway in Irving). Except when they are freeways, they are more often referred to by their street names within towns and cities. I will say in Austin we call a US highway U.S. Highway XXX.  I think that's because of the street blades here spelling it out exactly like that.  For the most part I think everyone thinks it's awkward to call state highways SH-XX or TX-XX, so instead they all say just XX.

Farm to Market Roads are generally called "Farm to Market X", "Farm Road X", or "FM-X" In a couple of cases there are local freeway names attached. (emmett f lowry expressway on FM-1764 in Texas City). In my corner of NE Texas it is generally said FarmMarket -X, leaving out the "to". Sometimes the JUST "X" is used for FM roads.  Generally the street name prevails within a city of town. Interesting.  I have never heard FarmMarket

Highway is generally anything maintained by the state less than a freeway ; even some rural FM roads. Highways are usually rural.
Freeway is anything controlled access. It may or may not include the tollways.
Street is generally every paved street in a city that is not freeway or tollway.
Turnpike is the universal name for free standing tollways (as opposed to tolled lanes of existing freeways.) I think that comes from one of the first tollways in Texas was the Dallas-Ft. Worth Turnpike.

Frontage roads: IN north Texas they are called frontage roads or service roads.  In Houston, they are called feeder roads. In Austin they are sometimes called access roads and in El Paso they are called gateways!
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: ran4sh on December 01, 2021, 05:31:50 PM
I prefer to distinguish the words rout, route, and root by pronouncing all of them differently.

Rout has one listed pronunciation in the dictionary.
Route has two listed pronunciations, I use the one that isn't the same as rout.
Root has two listed pronunciations, I use the one that isn't the same as route.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: LilianaUwU on December 01, 2021, 05:44:42 PM
Quote from: ran4sh on December 01, 2021, 05:31:50 PM
I prefer to distinguish the words rout, route, and root by pronouncing all of them differently.

Rout has one listed pronunciation in the dictionary.
Route has two listed pronunciations, I use the one that isn't the same as rout.
Root has two listed pronunciations, I use the one that isn't the same as route.

Being a native French speaker, I pronounce "route" fairly differently, and pronounce "root" (as in "root beer", the only instance I think "root" is used commonly) as it should be pronounced.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: US 89 on December 01, 2021, 07:09:17 PM
Quote from: ran4sh on December 01, 2021, 05:31:50 PM
Root has two listed pronunciations, I use the one that isn't the same as route.

Heh. Today I learned. I didn't believe you until I went to Merriam-Webster, and apparently you can pronounce "root" to rhyme with "put". I have never, ever heard that.

As far as I'm concerned, you have two pronunciations to distribute between three words. "Route" for me can really go either way - as a verb it's always "rout", and it's always "Root 66" ... but at the same time, I find myself saying "State Rout 154" ...
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: Scott5114 on December 01, 2021, 07:21:03 PM
Quote from: US 89 on December 01, 2021, 07:09:17 PM
Heh. Today I learned. I didn't believe you until I went to Merriam-Webster, and apparently you can pronounce "root" to rhyme with "put". I have never, ever heard that.

My mom uses that pronunciation, but usually only in reference to things like tree roots. She wouldn't use it when she's rooting for the Chiefs while drinking root beer.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: andrepoiy on December 01, 2021, 08:47:07 PM
Quote from: 7/8 on November 29, 2021, 10:20:15 PM
Quote from: US 89 on November 29, 2021, 08:38:42 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2021, 11:05:23 AM
Out west, the word "highway" is sometimes combined with a route number as a proper noun–for example, "take Highway 29 south for two hours." I have a brother-in-law in Phoenix whose wife uses that style and it threw me off briefly when she was riding with us here and she said something about "Highway 7" when we were on I-395–it took me a second to realize what she meant because Virginia Route 7 in that area is an arterial (with that portion of said route ordinarily referred to as King Street), and in this part of the country "highway" is a generic term used more to refer to Interstates or similar (example from when I was in law school: "751 was blocked by an accident, so I had to take the highway," with "the highway" meaning US-15/501).

See, that kind of thing fascinates me. I'm originally from Utah where that usage is very much standard, even though the state-maintained roads there are in fact legally "state routes". In fact, it's so standard it is usually what shows up on street signs. Where I grew up north of Salt Lake, the main pre-interstate highway is usually signed as Highway 89 (https://goo.gl/maps/cg4Mg94LufDgTCiG8), and in conversation you'll either hear that or just "US 89". Likewise, the famous scenic highway in southern Utah is "Highway 12", "SR 12", or maybe "State Route 12" or "State Road 12". I have never heard "Route 89" or "Route 12".

It wouldn't even occur to me that this usage might confuse people from "route" parts of the country.

Yeah, this basically applies to Ontario too. People say "highway" not "route" (which would be pronounced "root"). Here's an example of a sign for Highway 27.
(https://i.imgur.com/gQO5YG9l.jpg)

The exception are the 400-series highways, which are "The __" (ex: the four-oh-one).

I wouldn't say that would be a good example due to Highway 27 being downloaded.

Here's a better example of a non-downloaded Ontario Highway which is also referred to as Highway 48.

(https://i.imgur.com/DEQsYBM.png)

But that does raise something interesting:
Lots of decommissioned Ontario Highways are still referred to as "Highway X" as their street name, even when it doesn't match the new designation.
For example, York Regional Road 1 in Holland Landing ON is named Highway 11 and used to actually be Ontario Highway 11.
Other decommissioned Highways retained their name (e.g Highway 7 through York Region, Highway 50, Highway 27) and were assigned a corresponding route number.
Some other decommissioned highways have conflicting street name blades. I can't remember exactly which one, but I remember seeing one where they had a "Regional Road X" street blade at one point and a "Highway X" at another point.
Here's an even more interesting case: Ottawa Road 174 in Ottawa is referred to as Highway 174, even though Highway 174 was never the Ontario designation (it used to be Highway 17)

But I'd say Ontario never got the "Route" lexicon because Ontario Highways are called "King's Highways".
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: Dirt Roads on December 02, 2021, 09:58:54 AM
Quote from: US 89 on December 01, 2021, 07:09:17 PM
Heh. Today I learned. I didn't believe you until I went to Merriam-Webster, and apparently you can pronounce "root" to rhyme with "put". I have never, ever heard that.

We use that phrase all the time in Appalachia (and in the Deep South), but it kinda goes like "rut it out".  I've never seen that phrase spelled out as "root it out", but that is how it was supposed to be spelt (my Mom was an English teacher).
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: 1995hoo on December 02, 2021, 10:40:11 AM
Quote from: US 89 on December 01, 2021, 07:09:17 PM
Quote from: ran4sh on December 01, 2021, 05:31:50 PM
Root has two listed pronunciations, I use the one that isn't the same as route.

Heh. Today I learned. I didn't believe you until I went to Merriam-Webster, and apparently you can pronounce "root" to rhyme with "put". I have never, ever heard that.

....

I'd never heard that either, but now you're making me remember that my father pronounced the word "booger" with the "oo" rhyming with the word "boo" (as in, the sound of disapproval you direct at the ref or the umpire) rather than with "book." It led to great fun when he said it that way at a Boy Scout event and one of the other kids asked, "What the hell is a 'boooo-ger'?"

Returning to the pronunciation of "route," I work directly with three people who are all from different parts of the country (California, Indiana, and Louisiana). I asked them about this issue. The one from California didn't respond; the one from Indiana voted for "rout" except for the "[Root] 66" context (she suggested that's probably due to the song); the one from Louisiana voted for "rout" without comment. My wife grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and she voted for "root" (she also thinks it's because of the ubiquity of "[Root] 66").
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: hbelkins on December 02, 2021, 11:19:52 AM
Anyone else think the famous song about getting your kicks on a famously-decommissioned US route skews the pronunciation of the word "route" toward the way it's pronounced in that song?

Around here, for many years mail was delivered not to street addresses ("1234 Name of Road" or "5678 Highway Number") but to rural routes ("Route 1" or "Rural Route 1, Box 1234") and the word "route" was pronounced "rowt."

Quote from: Scott5114 on December 01, 2021, 07:21:03 PM
Quote from: US 89 on December 01, 2021, 07:09:17 PM
Heh. Today I learned. I didn't believe you until I went to Merriam-Webster, and apparently you can pronounce "root" to rhyme with "put". I have never, ever heard that.

My mom uses that pronunciation, but usually only in reference to things like tree roots. She wouldn't use it when she's rooting for the Chiefs while drinking root beer.

Reminds me of a movie quote, the source of which I cannot recall at this time. "Don't you root for the (name of team, I want to think it was the Tennessee Vols?" The answer was, "Hogs root." Wish I could recall that clip.
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: mgk920 on December 02, 2021, 11:35:57 AM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on November 27, 2021, 04:56:40 AM
US Highways and state highways are "route". Freeways are "highways" and sometimes "expressways".

Here in Wisconsin, it is a 'highway'.  Cross the state line into Illinois, it immediately becomes a 'route'.

Mike
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: mgk920 on December 02, 2021, 12:16:06 PM
Really weird in the 'highway' v 'route' v 'root' debate is the Post Office.  In USPS parlance, they make you address mail to a location on a state or county highway as "(grid address number)STATE/COUNTY ROAD XX CITY,ST/ZIP CODE", regardless of how the locals generally say it.

Mike
Title: Re: What’s in a name?
Post by: roadman65 on November 25, 2022, 10:30:48 AM
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/52444478111/in/dateposted-public/
To some this could be considered controversial.

However, there is a city in Kansas with this name, but I'm sure it's not politically motivated.