Do you drive on the highway or the freeway? Do you like going to a yard sale or tag sale or garage sale for the bargains? On a hot summer day do you enjoy a cold soda or pop? These are just some of the regionalisms we use that tell others where we are from.

Ever wonder why people from Connecticut wear “mi-uns” in the winter instead of miTTens? This accent traces back 400 years.

Did your parents or grandparents have some unusual or colorful expressions? If you know what “gotchies” are, I bet I can guess where your family originated.

The way we use English can tell a lot about our backgrounds. Join Southington Genealogical Society for a light-hearted discussion about words, accents, idioms and those distinctive phrases that define us on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 7pm at the Southington Historical Society. Zoom will be available this month. Program is free. For more information, email southingtongenealogicalsociety@gmail.com.