Things That Only Make Sense To People From The El Paso Area
No matter where you live, there are certain words and phrases that only you and your homies understand. Here are a few El Paso-isms.
There are some words, phrases, nicknames, etc that everyone gets, whether they're from a certain area or not. For example, "Mickey Dees" is a pretty well known way of referring to McDonalds.
Some things are completely foreign to outsiders or newbies though.
In and around El Paso, we have a lot of references that only we really get. Tell a recent arrival you're "going up Tranny" and they'll have no idea you're driving over Trans Mountain Road.
Technically, it's Woodrow Bean/Trans Mountain Road. "Woodrow Bean" was added decades after the roads construction. (Another thing outsiders wouldn't know.)
Here are a few more...
- "Take Scenic" = Travel via Scenic Drive Road. Ex - Avoid I-10, take Scenic.
- "The Haskins" or "The Don" = The Don Haskins Center. Ex - Metallica are playing at the Haskins ... or ... at the Don.
- "The Pan Am" = The Pan American Center. Ex - Metallica are playing at the Pan Am.
- "A" Mountain = Tortugas mountain in Las Cruces. EX - The Pan Am is right across from "A" mountain.
- "Chap" = The town of Chaparral, New Mexico. Ex - I'm going to Chap.
- "Alamo" = The city of Alamogordo, New Mexico. Ex - I'm going to Alamo.
- "The Wall" = An area near Santa Teresa popular with off roaders. Ex - We went four-wheeling at the wall.
- "The Gap" = New Mexico state Highway 404, otherwise known as the Anthony Gap or just "The Gap". Ex - To avoid traffic delays, take the Gap.
Ay Ay, (pronounced eye-eye), is a Spanish phrase that, (we know), can mean pretty much anything.
"I don't believe you" = Ay Ay
"Whatever" = Ay Ay
Hearing the punchline of a joke = Ay Ay
The list goes on and on ...