A Lesson on Regional Dialect: The Everglades

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Photo courtesy of Daniel Martone

In my last post [2], I shared several of the terms and abbreviations that I encountered during a recent research trip to the Florida Keys [3]. To continue this fun – and, hopefully, helpful – series about regional dialects in America, I've compiled a list of terms and features that I discovered while traveling through the Everglades, which will also be explored in the upcoming Moon Florida Keys guidebook. Here's just a sample of what you'll see and hear in the Florida Everglades:

airboat: a small, open boat driven by a caged, rear-mounted airplane propeller and capable of traveling at relatively high speeds through marshes and shallow water; also called a swamp boat
Alligator Alley: a nickname for the stretch of Interstate 75 that runs from Naples, through the Everglades, to Fort Lauderdale; also called Everglades Parkway
backcountry: areas that consist of shallow water and islands close to shore, ideal for fishing and kayaking
brackish water: a mixture of fresh and salt water
coastal prairie: a region of vegetation that lies between the tidal mud flats of Florida Bay and dry land
cypress dome: a dense cluster of cypress trees in water-filled depressions, found in Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve
epiphyte: a plant, such as an orchid, moss, or fern, that grows on the branches, trunks, and leaves of trees and derives its water and nutrients from the air
estuary: a partially enclosed body of water along the coast, where the fresh water from a river mixes with the salt water of the ocean
fire ants: large, aggressive red ants, prevalent in tropical areas, capable of building large mounds, and inclined to inflict painful stings
flats: shallow-water areas that compose most of the backcountry in the Everglades, often covered by sand, rocks, or grass
grass flats: shallow-water areas covered in grass
gumbo limbo: a fast-growing, salt-tolerant tropical tree, which flourishes in the Everglades and has featherlike leaves and a shiny red exfoliating bark; also called the tourist tree for its resemblance to a sunburn
hardwood hammock: a dense growth of trees on a slightly elevated area above a marshy region, prevalent in the Everglades
manatee: the endangered state marine mammal, a giant yet gentle vegetarian preferring warm waters; also called a sea cow
mangrove swamp: a coastal marine swamp prevalent in southern Florida and dominated by tight thickets of red, black, and white mangrove trees
marsh: a flat, flooded, treeless area in the Everglades, containing plants such as sawgrass and cattails
no-see-um: a tiny biting gnat that thrives in coastal areas, especially in the summer; also known as a punkie
Old Florida: a term used to describe Florida prior to theme parks and other commercial developments; now refers to the state parks, sleepy villages, and vast wildlands that still exist
pineland: a type of terrain that contains slash pine forest, saw palmettos, and a wide array of tropical plant varieties
sawgrass: any of several sedges that have spiny, serrated leaf blades, prevalent in the Everglades
saw palmetto: a hardy fan palm that has spiny leafstalks and can grow in large clumps, in places as varied as hammocks and coastal sand dunes
slough: a channel of slow-moving water in a marshland
Spanish moss: a specific epiphyte that resembles a grayish, lacy cluster and typically hangs from tree branches
Tamiami Trail: the alternate name for U.S. Highway 41, which connects Tampa to Miami and traverses the Everglades
watershed: a region drained by a river, a river system, or another body of water
wetland: a lowland area saturated by surface or ground water, with vegetation adapted to such conditions, prevalent throughout the Everglades

If I've forgotten any terms, please let me know by commenting below. In the meantime, you can consult Everglades National Park [4] or the Everglades Area Chamber of Commerce [5] for more information about this fragile region. And, if you're curious about the terms and expressions used in other American locales, read my posts about the Florida Keys [2], New Orleans [6], and Michigan [7].

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As always, I’m open to ideas for future posts. If you have any suggestions, burning questions, or destinations that you’d like me to explore in greater detail, please comment below or contact me via laura [at] wanderingsoles [dot] com.