Why do they say the “lakes”

Dr Winston O'Boogie Senior Member

3,345 posts 36 reps Joined Oct 2010

Tue, May 7, 2019 7:58 AM

All my life I have occasionally heard people refer to Lake Erie as “the lakes”. I hear it rarely, but consistently. Example: “We’re headed up to the lakes to fish this weekend. Probably Sandusky.”

Why? Are they talking about the Great Lakes in general? That makes no sense though. That would be like taking a trip from Ohio to Indiana and saying you were headed to “the states”.

Any ideas?

Zunardo Senior Member

815 posts 15 reps Joined Nov 2010

Tue, May 7, 2019 8:31 AM

Sounds trendy, like "going to the Hamptons".

Fab4Runner Tits McGee

6,997 posts 64 reps Joined Nov 2009

Tue, May 7, 2019 8:47 AM

I've never heard anyone say that in my life, despite living in northern Ohio and spending a lot of time on Lake Erie.

vball10set paying it forward

26,788 posts 121 reps Joined Nov 2009

Tue, May 7, 2019 8:52 AM

posted by Fab4Runner
I've never heard anyone say that in my life, despite living in northern Ohio and spending a lot of time on Lake Erie.

ditto

Dr Winston O'Boogie Senior Member

3,345 posts 36 reps Joined Oct 2010

Tue, May 7, 2019 9:07 AM

It's not something I've heard commonly, but occasionally. Specifically in Delaware and Mansfield. Maybe it's a north central Ohio thing. I've only heard it from people who are now 60+ years old.

jmog Senior Member

7,737 posts 52 reps Joined Nov 2009

Tue, May 7, 2019 9:31 AM

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie
All my life I have occasionally heard people refer to Lake Erie as “the lakes”. I hear it rarely, but consistently. Example: “We’re headed up to the lakes to fish this weekend. Probably Sandusky.”

Why? Are they talking about the Great Lakes in general? That makes no sense though. That would be like taking a trip from Ohio to Indiana and saying you were headed to “the states”.

Any ideas?

Honestly never heard it as "lakes", only "lake". Maybe down here in Akron people just understand grammar?

Verbal Kint Senior Member

1,062 posts 16 reps Joined Jul 2017

Tue, May 7, 2019 9:54 AM

posted by vball10set
ditto

ditto

Verbal Kint Senior Member

1,062 posts 16 reps Joined Jul 2017

Tue, May 7, 2019 9:56 AM

posted by jmog
Honestly never heard it as "lakes", only "lake". Maybe down here in Akron people just understand grammar?

Akron is considered to be the best grammar and enunciation in the United States

Except somehow they created the grass between the sidewalk and street to be deemed "devil's strip"

Laley23 GOAT

33,369 posts 133 reps Joined Nov 2009

Tue, May 7, 2019 10:10 AM

Never heard that in my life.

like_that 1st Team All-PWN

29,228 posts 321 reps Joined Apr 2010

Tue, May 7, 2019 10:17 AM

Sounds like the classic Midwest move to add an "s" to everything. Krogers, Meijers, states (when referring to the state tournament), etc...

BRF Senior Member

11,621 posts 111 reps Joined Nov 2009

Tue, May 7, 2019 11:21 AM

I have never heard it either.

I think like_that is on to something with his explanation of it.

BTW, Akron area mothers in the 1920’s told their kids that that strip of grass was where the devil lived to keep them away from the street.

Ironman92 Administrator

56,729 posts 168 reps Joined Nov 2009

Sun, May 12, 2019 9:56 PM

posted by like_that
Sounds like the classic Midwest move to add an "s" to everything. Krogers, Meijers, states (when referring to the state tournament), etc...

The Kroger one drives me crazy

Con_Alma Senior Member

12,320 posts 31 reps Joined Nov 2009

Mon, May 13, 2019 8:52 AM

I live "on" Lake Erie and have never heard it referred to that way. I agree with like_that in that it's probably just one more thing that folks are deciding to tag an S on to. ...living "on" the lake of course being a shortened form of saying living on the lake shore.

Anyway(s)....

superman Senior Member

4,377 posts 71 reps Joined Nov 2009

Mon, May 13, 2019 8:57 AM

I've never heard that. Of course I never heard of Krogers or Meijers before moving to Cincinnati.

Why do they say the “lakes”

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