With the population exploding in Nashville and the Midstate area, newcomers should be aware that there are certain words and phrases that did not exist in their previous habitats and would be good to know.

Additionally, there are words that are pronounced differently here. It’s La-FAY-it Street, not LAH-fi-et Not doing so will expose the speaker as new to the territory.

There are other things to get used to.

For openers, those who are married should be excited if roses are delivered to their doors. However, they do not want a letter from Rose delivered to their door.

Rose Palermo is arguably the most famous and one of the most celebrated – and cursed – divorce attorneys in the history of the fair city. Her won/loss record is second only to that of Pat Summit.

For those unfamiliar with Pat Summitt, she was the winningest women’s basketball coach of all time while serving at the University of Tennessee, where she won 1,098 games. She won with grit and grace and is revered in the state.

She also is a fellow Middle Tennessean, having been born in Clarksville.

Speaking of UT, the initials do, in fact, stand for The University of Tennessee, not The University of Texas. The school’s nickname is the Volunteers, often shortened to Vols or Big Orange. Orange is often pronounced as “Arnje,” which can also substitute for “Aren’t,” at times in the same sentence.

“Arnje you pullin’ for the Big Arnje Saturday?” The Big Orange plays its game on campus in Knoxville, a site also known as “The Hill.”

The University of Tennessee covers the state, but slightly to the South is a university known whose founders humbly named it “The University of the South,” but it is better known as Sewanee, the town in which it is located. Its students and alums refer to it as “The Mountain.”

In 1899, Sewanee’s football team went 12-0 and, during a six-day road trip, the 13-player team defeated Texas A&M, Texas, Tulane, LSU and Ole Miss. On the seventh day, they rested.

There are no ranches in Tennessee, just “farms.” A group of Tennesseans went to Texas in search of farmland in 1836. They were led by Davy Crockett, who along with his friends at the Alamo gave another Tennessean, Sam Houston, time to assemble and train an army. Without Tennesseans, there is no San Jacinto Day.

Some feel that Memphis is not really in Tennessee. These people are sometimes referred to as Republicans. They often will acknowledge that Sun Records, where Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash began their respective careers, is in a Tennessee city. They’ll also concede Beale Street and Graceland are in Memphis, and that part is in Tennessee.

Memphis was once better than Nashville and an odds-on favorite to get a professional football team. When the city was snubbed in favor of Nashville, the ownership of the Oilers thought naming the team the Tennessee Titans rather than the Nashville somethings would appease the Memphians. It didn’t.

Nashville natives have learned most of the rules for the game of hockey and love their Predators, even when they have no knowledge of what the team in doing. A vocal lot, they are skilled at interjecting the correct response at the appropriate time. For example, “Fang Fingers,” “Thanks Paul” and “It’s all your fault.” They sing along with Tim McGraw’s “I Like it, I Love It’” and they always seem to want some more of it.

Few remember that the expression, “I like it. I love it. I want some more of it” was coined by legendary radio air personality Carl P. Mayfield for his alter ego Bubba Skynyrd, who constantly uttered the expression. Mayfield and songwriter David Kent wrote their own version, but the McGraw song was penned by Mark Hall, Jeb Stuart Anderson and Steve Dukes.

A large portion of the Preds-loving fans visit the Bridgestone Arena for people-watching. That’s because everyone is there.

In the early days of Nashville hockey, a national publication visited to report on the franchise. The writer was surprised to see the arena full late in the third period with the team losing by a large margin. A member of the ownership group responded, “Shh. They think there are four quarters.”

Sale of the Week

Veteran Realtor Nathan Matwijec discovered a method to calm the piranha-filled waters of the Nashville residential real estate market. Perhaps having grown tired of multiple offers with many at more than list price and being forced to discern which of the offers with the varying terms was actually the best – all the while running the risk of alienating scores of agents – Nathan devised a plan. And it worked.

4914 Lealand Lane

He priced a home on Lealand Lane for $6.95 million. And why wouldn’t he? Everything else is selling like mad. Matwijec did not receive offers of more than list price, but he sold it for $6.3 million.

One thing is certain: Had he not listed it for $6.9 million, he would not have gotten $6.3 million.

In order to rid himself and the property of noisy home tourists, Matwijec required a letter verifying the financial stability of anyone wanting to take a hike through the home’s 14,657 square feet. With six bedrooms, 8 full bathrooms and three half-baths, the house would be an expensive project to construct.

Nathan’s description on Realtracs notes the house is a “one-owner home offering timeless, sophisticated and transitional style elements.” Understandably, the buyer’s agent is timeless, sophisticated and transitional in the form of Jack Miller with Parks.

Matjiwec is in the Sotheby’s castle of agents.

The home is situated on 2.7 gated acres, a lot bigger than most. With a five-car garage and an elevator running to three floors, the home is not lacking in any area.

“One-of-a-kind lower-level entertaining area with a private entrance,” Matwijec wrote, adding there is a hobby room on the terrace level. For those that wish to be entertained outside, even in the case of inclement weather, there is a covered outdoor entertaining area with a spa and grilling area.

In 47 days, Miller and Matwijec accomplished the impossible. In a couple of weeks, if all goes according to plan, there will be sales that will leave the city dumbfounded.

Richard Courtney is a licensed real estate broker with Fridrich and Clark Realty, LLC and can be reached at [email protected].