Arizona / Desert State Terminology

Every state has their own set of terminology or slang that people local to those areas would understand easily; however, outsiders may be confused at first or be completely lost when hearing some of the things other states say. Arizona is no exception and certainly has its own selection of terminology that people local to the area or from neighboring states may be able to understand. Although the terms listed within here are meant to refer to Arizona terminology, it is also likely shared terminology with neighboring states.

To begin with, I think most of us are familiar with the word "snowbird" and how we use it. However, for those who are unaware of what "snowbird" is used for, it is often said when referring to someone who comes to Arizona during winter time because their home state or country is much colder than Arizona during winter. In a sense, they are "migrating" to Arizona to escape the cold despite "snow" being part of the name. It can be used in any grammatically and logically correct statement as it is a stand alone noun linked to no particular fixed expression. You may hear people say "Oh boy, here come the snowbirds again" and an endless amount of other comments.

Continuing on the topic of seasons, many Arizona residents are likely familiar with the Monsoon season as it is something that can be liked or hated by others. The Monsoon season begins around August and is a period of time where Arizona receives a large amount of rainfall in comparison to the rest of the year. People may really enjoy this time as Arizona rarely receives rain in comparison to fellow states of America; however, others may also dislike this time as it becomes incredibly humid along with many mosquitoes. Because the term isn't fixed with any sort of expression, you'll hear the word term used in various sentences like the common phrase "I hate the monsoon season."

One of the things that is unique to Arizona and perhaps other desert like states within America is our dust storms, which are also referred to as haboobs. The world is acquainted with what dust storms are, but I believe that people from non-arid regions are not terribly aware of the term "haboob". A haboob is simply one of the terms used when referring to dust storms. Once again, because a haboob is simply a noun, it can be used with any sort of statement so long as it is grammatically correct and makes sense. Although the term itself may not be used by average people very often, it is often seen on news channels as an alert.

The next term that I'd like to discuss is adobe, as it is relevant to some people of Arizona. Many are familiar with the brand, Adobe, which is responsible for creating various programs that allow people to experiment with their own creative nature. However, that is NOT the adobe that I am referring to. The adobe that I am referring to is the building material that has been used to construct pueblo homes as well other things. Although it is often used when referring to constructions using mud as a building material, it has been used to refer to other constructions that use earth as a material.

Although other neighboring states likely use the next term, it is a relevant and well known term used within Arizona. Many of us probably understand what a border town is, and I imagine that outsiders would likely understand it quickly if they don't already know what it means. A border town is simply put: a town that is on the border of two or more states/countries. In the case of Arizona, some people may be familiar with Nogales, which is a town that borders Arizona and Mexico.

Who is fond of peccaries? Maybe you don't know what a peccary is, but I bet most Arizona residents are familiar with what a javelina is (the name used to identify peccaries within Arizona). Even though most Arizona residents probably know what a javelina is, I imagine that there are quite a few people whom have not had the opportunity to encounter one. A javelina may sometimes be regarded as a pig as they look very similar. A javelina, however, is not necessarily a hog as they belong to separate groups of mammals (for those interested in the differences between the two).

Continuing with the topic of nature, people all over the world are quite aware of what a cactus is albeit not a native plant in many locations of the globe. However, within Arizona, there are many different types of cacti such as the famously known Saguaro cactus. Even Arizona residents who aren't aware of the different types of cacti know the name (and usually the appearance too) of what a saguaro cactus is. Some saguaro cacti can grow upwards to 40 feet tall and they can be found almost everywhere within Arizona. Saguaro cacti are able to grow flowers which have become the official flower of Arizona.

And finally, who remembers what those balls of weeds and sticks that are often seen in cowboy films? They like to tumble across the background of many cowboy films and can be seen within deserts. Yep, I'm talking about tumbleweeds, which I cannot recall seeing them very much elsewhere. If you take the time to walk through the deserts of Arizona (although I don't know why you would want to), it's likely that you'll come across some tumbleweeds along the way. Tumbleweeds form from plants that detach themselves from their roots as a result of drying up.

These terms don't necessarily intend to separate or put a ring around people of Arizona and outsiders. However, it does show how Arizona, like other states, has terminology that may be unfamiliar to people from other parts of the United States that do not share similar qualities with Arizona's environment.There are many other terms used within Arizona (and the Southwest in general), but I believe that these are the most common ones that practically anyone within Arizona should probably be familiar with. I encourage people to continue looking into terminology that is used within Arizona as well as other states within America.