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| Howta Talk Minnesotan |
| The State of Minnesota is composed of many ethnic groups. This is especially true of Northern Minnesota because of the mines on the "Iron Range." Or as they say, "Da Raynch" There is one of the richest sources of iron ore in the world on Da Raynch. The ore is sent to Duluth (Duloot), from where it is sent to the large steel mills in the East. Minnesotans talk faster than most people around the United States. Maybe because if they don't the words will freeze mid-air! Northern Minnesota has the reputation for being mostly Scandinavian, but according to many census reports, Germans outnumbered them. German and Scandinavian languages are very similar, both being "Germanic" languages. Many of the words came from these and several other languages. I guess that's why, in America, we have several words for things. I was trying to figure out how many ways we have of saying "sofa" and found several, coming from many languages. I felt it would be a public service to include a Minnesota Dictionary in my Minnesota pages: Abowt - (About) What something pertains to. Ahunnderd - (A hundred) A large number. Ahmagonna - (I'm going to) What I will do. Alla - (All the) A contraction. An' Stuff - Use in Minnesota instead of et cetera A-Tall - (At all) Usually used by parents when they won't take any more guff Avanage - (Advantage) To have a favorable condition; benefit Bedder - (Better) The best in a comparison Believe-you-me - Really! Bin - (Been) Blaze Ornch - (Blaze Orange) The color of the clothing for hunting deer. B.O. (Body Odor) Smells bad Born-Inna-barn? - What you say when someone leaves a door open. Bott - (Bought) Purchased. Boyce - Male children Brat - (Prounounced Brought) Short for Bratwurst, a German sausage. Broke off - Broke a piece off something or broke up with someone. Budder - (Butter) Buy off - To purchase something from someone else. Callum - (Call him/them) To communicate via telephone Commere - (Come here) Da Cities - (The Cities) Referring to Minneapolis and St. Paul Metro area. Dat - (That) Davenport - One of the many ways to say sofa Dem - (Them) Dere - (There) Dese - (These) Dint - (Didn't) Die-rectly - Go straight without wavering. Usually used by parents telling a child to go to his room. Dis - (This) Don (with a long O) - (Don't) Double-out - To work two shifts together. Duloot - Duluth, the third-largest city in Minnesota, situated on the end of Lake Superior. Disis true - (This is true) Eh? - The Canadian way of ending every sentence. Some Minnesotans have caught it. Ellow - (Hello) Fairta middlin - How you respond when someone asks how you are. Fer Sher - (For sure) Usually means yes but can also be used at the end of most sentnces. Filler - (Fill her) Usually said at gas stations when you want the tank filled. "Filler up". Fort-a-Joo-lye - The holiday that has fireworks after dark. Frozen Tundra - Any place nort of Duloot. Froze up - Past tense. What happens to your gas tank in winter if you don't pluger in. Givit - Hand it to me. Give me a jingle - Call me on the phone. Gohead - (Go ahead) Proceed. Gonna - (Going to) Gro-shrees - (Groceries) What you get at the supermarket. Gozinta - (Goes into) Usually used in math when dividing. Hafta - (Have to) Howda - (How to) Hibbin - (Hibbing) A town north of Duloot. Howd - (How did) Innit - (Isn't it) Jevver - (Did you ever) Jeetchet - (Did you eat yet) Ka-put - Gone bad or broken. It went Kaput. Kordean - (Accordion) Leave it go - (Let it go) Member - (Remember) Nudder - (Another) Oh - Used in numbers, like 2 oh = 20 Pertneer - Close in distance. Qpon - Things you cut out of the Sunday paper to save money at the supermarket. Skonsin - The state next to Minnesota where the Cheeseheads live. Skeeters/Skeetos - Flying bugs that bite you and leave itchy spots. Sposta - (Supposed to) We always do what we're sposta. Tree - The number after two. Tirdy - The number after Twenty-nine. Ufdah - Something to be said when something goes wrong, instead of Shoot! Yoosta - Become accustomed to something. Get yoosta it. Ya - Yes. Goes with sure, you betcha Ya Sure, You Betcha - Scandinavian in origin, means yes. Youse - The plural of you. Up Nort - Anything upstate from da cities. Went - Broke down or died. Wherebouts - Locality; proximity |
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