4 ms·
It's arbitrary. We generally refer to "West" as 'West of the Mississippi River'. Mid-West as Ohio-ish to around the Mississippi River (i.e. Midwest (Ohio, Ind
by quantumfissure 3y ago
It's arbitrary. We generally refer to "West" as 'West of the Mississippi River'. Mid-West as Ohio-ish to around the Mississippi River (i.e. Midwest (Ohio, Indiana); Upper Midwest (Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois)).
A lot of us still refer to Texas; Iowa; Nebraska; Missouri; etc... as just 'mid-west'. California, Oregon as 'West Coast'; Washington as 'Upper/Northwest Coast'; Arizona/New Mexico as Southwest; and Wyoming/Nevada as West.
Goes back to the days of expansionism in the early to mid-1800's, Texas and the Mississippi River were the "East/West" dividing line. Texas, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, and Oklahoma also have the standard 'west' cartoon and movie stereotype (cowboys; saloons; tumbleweed; desert; etc...). In the mid-west it's more field or forest. And freezing cold wind. Lots of freezing cold wind.
- mulmen 3y agoI was born and raised in Idaho and have lived in Seattle for over 10 years and I have never heard anyone say “Upper coast”. Washington is part of the “west coast” or “northwest”.
- quantumfissure 3y agoI didn't mean "Upper Coast", I implied Upper West Coast with my slash, which is a common referral to northern Oregon and Washington around here. Probably not clear in my reply.
- mulmen 3y agoAh, understood. Where is "here"? I have literally never heard "Upper West Coast" in my life.
- quantumfissure 3y agoEastern PA, Upper West Coast is what I've typically learned it's called. Interchangeable with Northwest Coast. To be fair, it's also normal to say redup; youse; jawns; werter; hoagie. Regional dialects are nuts.