Number 1 in the 2385 part series of things that annoy me. Today’s topic is use (or should I say ‘misuse’) of the word “Midwestâ€.
I really hate when people use the term “Midwest†to basically mean anything west of New York and east of Los Angeles. (Besides, we all know that the proper term for that is “Flyover Countryâ€) As someone who was born and bred in the actual Midwest, I can’t stand people assigning random states as Midwestern.
Media outlets are the biggest offenders. A great example is found in today’s headlines: Over 200,000 still without power in the Midwest
Opening line of the article: “More than 200,000 homes and businesses remained without power Tuesday after snow and ice storms January 27-28 left almost 1.7 million customers in the dark from Oklahoma to Pennsylvania, local utilities reported.†Other states mentioned in the story: Kentucky and Alabama. What do all of these states have in common? Besides having been affected by a recent winter storm… None of them is in the Midwest!
The Midwest, as defined by the Census Bureau consists of twelve states starting with Ohio in the east, and ending with the Dakotas in the west. Bordered by Canada to the north, the Ohio River to the southeast, and the southern borders of Missouri and Kansas to the south.
The Midwest is *not* Pennsylvania. It is *not* Kentucky. And it sure as hell isn’t Alabama.
A corollary to this pet peeve is the use of Plains States, or Great Plains. The strict definition (well, as strict as Wikipedia is) of Great Plains is far different since there is some geological aspects to it; but in casual use I don’t think anyone would consider Michigan or Ohio “Plains Statesâ€.
Another corollary is the use of “Heartlandâ€. Let’s get something straight, Heartland = Midwest. If you are from Kentucky or Tennessee or Arkansas you are *not* from “America’s Heartlandâ€; I hate to be the one to break this to you, but you’re from the South.
That is all.
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