3 ms·

Oddly enough "sorry" is also quite common in the upper Midwest US. If I bump into someone else by accident, and it's my fault, they will reflexively say "sorry.

Oddly enough "sorry" is also quite common in the upper Midwest US. If I bump into someone else by accident, and it's my fault, they will reflexively say "sorry."

AngryData 6mo ago
Yeah, this would read just as well for the upper midwest. Although "Ope!" is also interchangeable with sorry in a lot of situations.
- thrownthatway 6mo ago
  This is use in Australia and is short for ”oops, sorry about that”.
  - SyneRyder 6mo ago
    "Ope" is in use in Australia? Sandgroper here and I've never heard it before. Is it only in certain cities, or a generational / social group thing? Or do I just need to get away from screens more often?
    - thrownthatway 6mo ago
      It’s probably just me. Tend to pick up things I’ve heard once somewhere. On the other hand, I hadn’t heard sandgroper before and had to search to find out it meant Western Australian. Although, I definitely don’t get out much.
      - SyneRyder 6mo ago
        Sandgroper is just a shibboleth for Perth & WA people, I think, but it might also be generational. I'm old enough that Fat Cat & Humphrey B Bear mean something to me and are a shared experience, but probably not for people younger than me. Helpful off-topic instructional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWv3L6J1YVE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWv3L6J1YVE But saying sorry as a pre-emptive "oops didn't mean to step in front of you, mate" (when the other person had clearly walked into you), that has existed in Perth as long as I can remember.
        defrost 6mo ago
        How about Humphrey B. Flaubert (or Humphrey B. Flow Bear, if you prefer)?
brg 6mo ago
From Green Bay to Dickinson, the complete utterance is “Op Sorry.” If one is not in a hurry it is sometimes “Oops, Sorry.”
- analog31 6mo ago
  That's quite a ways.
  - dmoy 6mo ago
    I'd argue it's not just Green Bay-Dickenson on the east end, but also extending to like souix falls/Fargo on the west end "Oop, sorry" was viscerally familiar to me
- RajT88 6mo ago
  I say "ope, sorry". Never realized it until I saw the midwest memes.
milleramp 6mo ago
In Los Angeles, its the same in person, in a car it's the finger. (Unfortunately)
- DonHopkins 6mo ago
  A hippie driving a VW Microbus leaned out the window and flashed me a peace sign, so I gave him half a peace sign in response.
zjp 6mo ago
Yeah I'm from Kansas and none of these meanings were new to me.

Oddly enough "sorry" is also quite common in the upper Midwest US. If I bump into someone else by accident, and it's my fault, they will reflexively say "sorry."

AngryData 6mo ago

Yeah, this would read just as well for the upper midwest. Although "Ope!" is also interchangeable with sorry in a lot of situations.

thrownthatway 6mo ago
This is use in Australia and is short for ”oops, sorry about that”.
- SyneRyder 6mo ago
  "Ope" is in use in Australia? Sandgroper here and I've never heard it before. Is it only in certain cities, or a generational / social group thing? Or do I just need to get away from screens more often?
  - thrownthatway 6mo ago
    It’s probably just me. Tend to pick up things I’ve heard once somewhere. On the other hand, I hadn’t heard sandgroper before and had to search to find out it meant Western Australian. Although, I definitely don’t get out much.
    - SyneRyder 6mo ago
      Sandgroper is just a shibboleth for Perth & WA people, I think, but it might also be generational. I'm old enough that Fat Cat & Humphrey B Bear mean something to me and are a shared experience, but probably not for people younger than me. Helpful off-topic instructional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWv3L6J1YVE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWv3L6J1YVE But saying sorry as a pre-emptive "oops didn't mean to step in front of you, mate" (when the other person had clearly walked into you), that has existed in Perth as long as I can remember.
      - defrost 6mo ago
        How about Humphrey B. Flaubert (or Humphrey B. Flow Bear, if you prefer)?

brg 6mo ago

From Green Bay to Dickinson, the complete utterance is “Op Sorry.” If one is not in a hurry it is sometimes “Oops, Sorry.”

analog31 6mo ago
That's quite a ways.
- dmoy 6mo ago
  I'd argue it's not just Green Bay-Dickenson on the east end, but also extending to like souix falls/Fargo on the west end "Oop, sorry" was viscerally familiar to me
RajT88 6mo ago
I say "ope, sorry". Never realized it until I saw the midwest memes.

milleramp 6mo ago

In Los Angeles, its the same in person, in a car it's the finger. (Unfortunately)

DonHopkins 6mo ago
A hippie driving a VW Microbus leaned out the window and flashed me a peace sign, so I gave him half a peace sign in response.

zjp 6mo ago

Yeah I'm from Kansas and none of these meanings were new to me.