How to speak like a native - Part 1

People in Colorado don't have accents. Which leads me to believe that maybe I do. Every now and then someone stops to ask "I'm sorry, what did you say?" But they are just too polite to say why they didn't catch it.

I've also noticed very few differences in expressions or slang. However, there are a few things that are clearly specific to the region:

• They pronounce the name of the state: Call-oh-RAD-oh not Call-oh-ROD-oh. People who reside here are Call-oh-RAD-ans.
• They use the extension "as balls" in place of the word "very" quite at bit: "It's as hot as balls today!" "She's bossy as balls today."
• They refer to tourists as "flatlanders" - as in people from flatter regions of the country - specifically the eastern states.
• Locals refer to the mountains as the 14ers as in the 14,000+ feet above sea level peaks.
• Fort Collins is FoCo or "The Fort" [I've also heard people refer to it as Vanilla Valley or Vanilla Bean City]
• There's Cowtown (Greeley), Hippieville (Boulder), The Springs (Colorado Springs), The 3-oh-3 or D-town (Denver)
• You're a Durangatan (if you are from Durango) or a Boulderite (if from Boulder)
• I've been told that ski-related slang is also used during the season: pow-pow (new as in powder) and flip the bitch (as in U-turn) - gaper (someone who's stunned - as in never skied a mountain before) - can't say that I've heard anyone use these so far....
• People say "I'm not gonna lie..." or "I'm just sayin'..." "no worries..." quite a bit - you also hear dude, man and bro used a lot
• I find they tend to put an 's after store names: Walmarts, King Soopers, Safeways...
• I think carbonated beverages are "pop" here - not "soda"

But I find it endearing to hear how much people love living here when they use expressions like:

• We're living the dream!
• The view looks a lot better from the top of the world!

c