Are nick-names just a southern thing?

[Seajay]

How does one acquire a nickname like "Tater"

[onejacker]

How does one acquire a nickname like "Tater"

Great question, seajay. I believe the individual I referrenced in my little story had a propensity for eating french-fried potatoes in mass quantities. His evil friends, in an effort to remind him of his affliction, nick-named him "tater", which is "potato" shortened by redneck logic.

Even a redneck like me knows that "french-fried potato eating guy" is too long for a nick-name.

Hope this helps.

pat

[CATEGORY 5]

I'm not sure if nicknames in general are specific to us in the South. However, i do know something yanks do that gets us fired up. The generalization of chief, champ, sport, etc. is apparently considered endearment, in the north. Down here i believe it to be a phrase of patronization, an underhanded insult, or straight up fightin words!! Anybody else experienced this?

[OReely]

Are nick names just a southern thing?

I don't know, I'll call my buddy Two Fingers Tony and ask him. He's usually hanging around with Vinny the Chin and Fat Johnny over at Slick's place.

[Rusty]

Heck yea yall, see, there wuz thezz good ol boyz down in the hollar. Coot, Bubba and lugnut I believe wuz their names. They had this here sheep and ............................................

............................. and......and I shaw do believes that is another story.

No sheeeeeeep were injered or mistreated in this joke.

or any likeness to anyone is strickly coinsidental

[cjohnson]

I think nicknames are more of an east coast thing, anyway. Among my east coast relatives, they have become a requirement, because half the men are names Richard and the rest are mostly named Bill. Without nicknames we'd never tell them apart. Thus, we have Little Ritchie, Big Richie, etc.

In college I was known as OWJ, after Old Wierd Johnson, the Cosby character. Also, on occasion, the Undertaker, for reasons I won't go into here.

[Boz]

How does one acquire a nickname like "Tater"

Ask Ron "Tater Salad" White.