How to Speak
American

Many words, phrases and product names that Americans use leave readers and writers from other countries scratching their heads wondering what on earth they could possibly mean. Here is a list that will be added to as questions arrise.


WHAT IS A...

charlie horse - one of those harmless but excruciatingly painful muscles spasms that occur in the calf muscle of the leg. Can also refer to similar spasms in the neck and shoulders.
Devil Dog - an small oblong devil's food cake filled with a creamy white icing-like substance
Hoosier - a person born and raised in the US state of Indiana (which many presume describes Chris Larabee)
Peeps - sugar-coated, chewy marshmallow candies vaguely shaped like chicks and sometimes rabbits, sold at Easter in a variety of bright colors. (They taste better than they look.)
s'more - Hershey's chocolate and hot, toasted marshmallows sandwiched between graham crackers (so named because they are so good, you will want s'more)
Snapple - non-caronated soft drink made with real fruit juice.
Snowball - a chocolate cupcake filled with a creamy white icing-like substance and covered with cocoanut and marshmallow. Marshallow is usually white, but can be pink or other colors.
Twinkie - an small, oblong yellow sponge cake filled with a creamy white icing-like substance

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