Just what defines a Flatlander

Rattlesnake Guy · 05-22-2010, 03:54 PM

I grew up in NH drinking "tonic". When I started traveling in my 20s for work, I changed what I drink to "soda" to be understood in most regions of the country and to stop having to explain why I would want to drink tonic. My cousin's out west drink "pop". Never heard it here in the Granite State. Now I drink Diet Coke with my 1200 calorie sandwich.

BGB2 · 05-22-2010, 07:47 PM

A "flatlander" is someone like me who used this forum to help decide where to retire. After realizing that I'm a "flatlander" and maybe a "swamp yankee" and that my wife is a "Masshole" with "red neck" roots, I decided the lakes region is my favorite place to visit, but it will never be home.

WinnDixie · 05-23-2010, 01:57 PM

[ Now I drink Diet Coke with my 1200 calorie sandwich.

[/QUOTE]

Oh do I hear you, Rattlesnake Guy!! This native coming up from the flatlands will be turned loose in Sawyers very soon now...and the order will be.."a lobster roll, onion rings, a peppermint stick sugar cone, with chocolate jimmies...and a Diet Coke"!! Ah, sweet denial!

Newbiesaukee · 05-23-2010, 02:44 PM

Wikipedia agrees with my perception...so I must be correct.

"A pejorative term for a person who lives at lower altitude, used by those living at higher altitudes."

The urban dictionary is more humerous (and less "G" rated so check out the link: (hope it works)

"http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=flat+lander"

(not really a link..you need to cut and paste...I hate technology)

jmen24 · 05-24-2010, 09:07 AM

Growing up I would spent lots of time at my grandparents house. Living there was my great grandmother that was born at the turn of the century. It was always refered to as tonic, if I was mowing the lawn and it was 150 degrees, it was a tonic that I was offered, not water.

My family did not say "pop", but I knew a few that did. Now it is soda for me, but I rarely request it that way, mostly it is a Mountain Dew or Coke or Cherry Coke.

My thought on the "cella" is this, being right around 6 feet tall I can't stand up straight in my grandparent's "cella", I can however in my basement.

The porch has always been a porch for me as that is what my grandparents called it. And I will tell you one thing, if your screen door don't creek when it opens and slap when it shuts, you ain't from around here.

Argie's Wife · 05-24-2010, 10:08 AM

And the "Other" category is:
Soda Pop (Midwest)
Soft drink (W Coast)
Tonic (Boston)
Co-cola (Deep South)
Fizz, Fizzy Pop, Fizzy Drink
Dr Pepper (Texas)
Pepsi (South)

(Source: www.popvssoda.com)

LIforrelaxin · 05-24-2010, 11:41 AM

Little did I know the conversation I was starting... what a thread.... I think I am going to go grab, a ummm, well you know, ahhh... hummm,,,,, a soda, pop, tonic, sorta thing, but definitely not moxie....

jrc · 05-24-2010, 12:16 PM

If you go to the Market Basket in Concord the aisle sign still says Tonic over the aisle with Coke and Pepsi. I don't know if they have Moxie.

jmen24 · 05-24-2010, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrc

If you go to the Market Basket in Concord the aisle sign still says Tonic over the aisle with Coke and Pepsi. I don't know if they have Moxie.

Yes, they do.

SIKSUKR · 05-24-2010, 01:58 PM

I'm going with soft drink.

Begonezvous · 05-24-2010, 08:05 PM

I grew up in Northeast Mass and my family always called it Tonic. My wife grew up in the same town and she claims to have never heard the term. Go figure.
I was in Iowa for work and asked the office manager where i could find a soda machine. "why do you need a sewing machine?" she asked. When I explained that I wanted a diet coke, she said "oh, you want a pop".

RI Swamp Yankee · 05-24-2010, 12:21 PM

Actually it doesn't matter what you call me ..... so long as you don't call me late for supper

ApS · 06-17-2010, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Guy

"...I grew up in NH drinking "tonic"...I changed what I drink to "soda"...My cousin's out west drink "pop"..."

The Soda Pop Board of America liked Cola in the 1950s:

Argie's Wife · 06-18-2010, 08:23 AM

WOW... and I thought marketing directed at young parents was bad today...

"Start Junior on Cola now so that he will be accepted by his peers when he's a teenager."

Makes me sorta glad my kids hate the stuff - "Eewwww! Bubbles!"

eillac@dow · 06-18-2010, 08:39 AM

Growing up south of Boston, it was always known as Tonic.

Sometimes today, I catch myself not using the word "tonic" and it kills me to lose that terminology.

I think I may be one of the few in my area that use it. Hope not!

Lucky1 · 06-18-2010, 07:59 PM

Flatlanders: noun, associated with elves, Santa, Easter Bunny, Toothfairy, etc.

trfour · 06-21-2010, 03:12 AM

However, I do know all about folks from MA. getting a little ticked off from being called folks from Massa'chewsus!

I'm a very proud and was born at Boston's MEMorial Hospital a while back in 1944, [ In The AM ] so's I was wide awake at the getGo! I hit the ground running in Southy, no LESS!

OH, were them ever the days...

05-22-2010, 07:47 PM	#2
BGB2 Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 28 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Another Definition A "flatlander" is someone like me who used this forum to help decide where to retire. After realizing that I'm a "flatlander" and maybe a "swamp yankee" and that my wife is a "Masshole" with "red neck" roots, I decided the lakes region is my favorite place to visit, but it will never be home.

05-23-2010, 01:57 PM	#3
WinnDixie Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 239 Thanks: 44 Thanked 75 Times in 17 Posts	[ Now I drink Diet Coke with my 1200 calorie sandwich.[/QUOTE] Oh do I hear you, Rattlesnake Guy!! This native coming up from the flatlands will be turned loose in Sawyers very soon now...and the order will be.."a lobster roll, onion rings, a peppermint stick sugar cone, with chocolate jimmies...and a Diet Coke"!! Ah, sweet denial!

05-24-2010, 10:08 AM	#6
Argie's Wife Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Alton Posts: 1,908 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 533 Thanked 579 Times in 260 Posts	I can't believe someone did a study on this... And the "Other" category is: Soda Pop (Midwest) Soft drink (W Coast) Tonic (Boston) Co-cola (Deep South) Fizz, Fizzy Pop, Fizzy Drink Dr Pepper (Texas) Pepsi (South) (Source: www.popvssoda.com)

05-24-2010, 11:41 AM	#7
LIforrelaxin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas, Lake Ray Hubbard and NH, Long Island Winnipesaukee Posts: 2,971 Thanks: 1,064 Thanked 912 Times in 539 Posts	Little did I know the conversation I was starting... what a thread.... I think I am going to go grab, a ummm, well you know, ahhh... hummm,,,,, a soda, pop, tonic, sorta thing, but definitely not moxie.... __________________ Life is about how much time you can spend relaxing... I do it on an island that isn't really an island.....

05-24-2010, 01:58 PM	#10
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	I'm going with soft drink. __________________ SIKSUKR

05-22-2010, 03:54 PM	#1
Rattlesnake Guy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,254 Thanks: 423 Thanked 366 Times in 175 Posts	I grew up in NH drinking "tonic". When I started traveling in my 20s for work, I changed what I drink to "soda" to be understood in most regions of the country and to stop having to explain why I would want to drink tonic. My cousin's out west drink "pop". Never heard it here in the Granite State. Now I drink Diet Coke with my 1200 calorie sandwich.

05-23-2010, 02:44 PM	#4
Newbiesaukee Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Coral Gables, winter; Long Island, summer Posts: 1,366 Thanks: 967 Thanked 575 Times in 300 Posts	Wikipedia agrees with my perception...so I must be correct. "A pejorative term for a person who lives at lower altitude, used by those living at higher altitudes." The urban dictionary is more humerous (and less "G" rated so check out the link: (hope it works) "http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=flat+lander" (not really a link..you need to cut and paste...I hate technology)

The Following User Says Thank You to Newbiesaukee For This Useful Post:
LIforrelaxin (05-23-2010)

05-24-2010, 09:07 AM	#5
jmen24 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,139 Thanks: 223 Thanked 319 Times in 181 Posts	Growing up I would spent lots of time at my grandparents house. Living there was my great grandmother that was born at the turn of the century. It was always refered to as tonic, if I was mowing the lawn and it was 150 degrees, it was a tonic that I was offered, not water. My family did not say "pop", but I knew a few that did. Now it is soda for me, but I rarely request it that way, mostly it is a Mountain Dew or Coke or Cherry Coke. My thought on the "cella" is this, being right around 6 feet tall I can't stand up straight in my grandparent's "cella", I can however in my basement. The porch has always been a porch for me as that is what my grandparents called it. And I will tell you one thing, if your screen door don't creek when it opens and slap when it shuts, you ain't from around here.

The Following User Says Thank You to Argie's Wife For This Useful Post:
Rattlesnake Guy (05-25-2010)

05-24-2010, 12:16 PM	#8
jrc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NH Posts: 2,689 Thanks: 33 Thanked 439 Times in 249 Posts	If you go to the Market Basket in Concord the aisle sign still says Tonic over the aisle with Coke and Pepsi. I don't know if they have Moxie.

05-24-2010, 08:05 PM	#11
Begonezvous Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Tuftonboro Posts: 50 Thanks: 7 Thanked 17 Times in 13 Posts	popsodatonic I grew up in Northeast Mass and my family always called it Tonic. My wife grew up in the same town and she claims to have never heard the term. Go figure. I was in Iowa for work and asked the office manager where i could find a soda machine. "why do you need a sewing machine?" she asked. When I explained that I wanted a diet coke, she said "oh, you want a pop".

05-24-2010, 12:21 PM	#12
RI Swamp Yankee Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: North Kingstown RI Posts: 688 Thanks: 143 Thanked 83 Times in 55 Posts	Actually it doesn't matter what you call me ..... so long as you don't call me late for supper __________________ Gene ~ aka "another RI Swamp Yankee"

06-18-2010, 08:23 AM	#14
Argie's Wife Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Alton Posts: 1,908 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 533 Thanked 579 Times in 260 Posts	Interesting Ad... WOW... and I thought marketing directed at young parents was bad today... "Start Junior on Cola now so that he will be accepted by his peers when he's a teenager." Makes me sorta glad my kids hate the stuff - "Eewwww! Bubbles!"

06-18-2010, 08:39 AM	#15
eillac@dow Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Dow Island & Weymouth, MA Posts: 365 Thanks: 294 Thanked 94 Times in 48 Posts	Tonic, Tonic, Tonic! Growing up south of Boston, it was always known as Tonic. Sometimes today, I catch myself not using the word "tonic" and it kills me to lose that terminology. I think I may be one of the few in my area that use it. Hope not!

06-18-2010, 07:59 PM	#16
Lucky1 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Moultonborough and FL Posts: 459 Thanks: 318 Thanked 123 Times in 53 Posts	Flatlanders: noun, associated with elves, Santa, Easter Bunny, Toothfairy, etc. Last edited by Lucky1; 06-18-2010 at 11:31 PM.

06-21-2010, 03:12 AM	#17
trfour Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Lakes, Central NH. and Dallas/Fort Worth TX. Posts: 3,694 Blog Entries: 3 Thanks: 3,067 Thanked 472 Times in 236 Posts	I'm Not 'Shore About Y'ALL... However, I do know all about folks from MA. getting a little ticked off from being called folks from Massa'chewsus! I'm a very proud and was born at Boston's MEMorial Hospital a while back in 1944, [ In The AM ] so's I was wide awake at the getGo! I hit the ground running in Southy, no LESS! OH, were them ever the days... __________________ *trfour* Always Remember, The Best Safety Device In The Boat, or on a PWC Snowmobile etc., Is YOU! Safe sledding tips and much more; http://www.snowmobile.org/snowmobiling-safety.html

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