Since moving to the DEEP SOUTH, often I am given a hard time about the way I talk, I guess those of us who have been lucky enough to be born and raised Way up in Wisconsin have a completely different language
So for all my Southerneze Speaking friends, here is a little Translation Dictionary should you be around me as those famous Wisconsin Adult Beverages start to flow and you can not understand what I am saying...
"Wisconsinisms."
Ain-a-hey:
placed at the end of a profound statement; as in "isn't It?"
Bart:
a Green Bay institution who doesn't need a last name; (see "Vince").
Believe-you-me:
attached to the beginning or end a statement make it more credible; as in, "really!"
Blaze orange:
what deer hunters and cold-weather Packer fans wear at Lambeau.
Born in a barn?:
a sarcastic question which usually means you left the door open.
Borrow:
used in place of "lend," as in, "could youse borrow me a couple two-tree bucks?"
Brat:
a sausage; a Wisconsin tailgate favorite; doesn't have anything to do with a spoiled kid.
Bubbler:
to the rest of the world outside Wisconsin's borders, it is known as a drinking fountain.
Budge:
to merge without permission; cut in; as in "Don't you budge in line for a brat, I was here first!"
By:
to or near; as in "Let's go by One Eyed Jack's,"or "She'll come by Froggers tonight." It has nothing to do with a purchase.
Cheddarhead:
someone from Wisconsin; see, "Cheesehead."
Cheesehead:
someone from Wisconsin; see, "Cheddarhead."
Cheese curd:
small pieces of fresh cheese that squeak when you bite into them; a parish picnic favorite when deep fried.
Come-here-once:
a beckoning call to another Cheddarhead.
Couple-two-tree:
more than one; as in "Polaski and I drank a couple-two-tree beers."
Cripes:
a Wisconsin expletive. Cripes-sake: a mild Wisconsin expletive.
Crymany-cripes-sake:
a wild Wisconsin expletive.
D:
a substitute for words beginning with "TH;" as in"Dat guy over dere in dah Bears shirt is a FIB."
Davenport:
what your mom called the sofa; a couch.
Fair-to-midlin:
not bad or great, just "O.K."
FIB:
an acronym; (F***in' Illinois Bastard)
Fish fry:
a Friday night dining ritual in Wisconsin.
Fleet Farm:
a Cheddarhead's answer to Bloomingdales.
Frozen tundra:
Lambeau Field.
Geeez!:
Another Wisconsin expletive.
Go ahead:
proceed; as in, "go ahead and back up your car."
Gots:
used in place of "have;" as in, "I gots my tickets to watch da Packers play on da Frozen Tundra."
Guldarn:
another Wisconsin expletive. "Those guldarn cows smell like poop."
Hey:
placed at the beginning or end of phrases for emphasis, as in "Hey, how 'bout them Packers?" or "How 'bout them Packers, hey?"
Holy-cry-yiy!:
as in, "wow!"
How's-by-you?:
a greeting; the same as, "How's everything?"
Humdinger:
a beauty; as in "dat crappy youse caughtup-nort is a real humdinger."
John Deere:
a Cheddarhead's other vehicle.
M'wakee:
Wisconsin's largest city; located just down the lake from Trivers and Mantwoc.
N-so?:
a word inserted at the end of a statement; used as a substitute for "right?" or "correct?"
Oh, yah:
depending on emphasis, it's either used as acknowledgment (as"That's correct") or skepticism (That's bull!).
Parish picnics:
social events of the summer up-nort.
Pert-neer:
near; in close proximity; just about.
Polka:
what you do at parish picnics.
Pop:
a non-alcoholic drink.
Rubbers:
protection for your shoes; also known as "galoshes."
Scansin:
the state where Cheeseheads are from.
Schmear:
a card game; also a term used when someone gets beat in a game of Sheepshead
Sheepshead:
another card game.
Side-by-each:
used instead of, "next to each other."
Skeeter:
Wisconsin state bird.
Start wit me last:
to forfeit your turn.
Stop-and-go lights:
what everyone else refers to as traffic signals.
Uff-dah:
affirmative; as in "that's right!"
Un-thaw:
to defrost.
Where-abouts:
locality; proximity; as in, "where-abouts are youse guys from?"
Up nort:
where Wisconsinites go on vacation.
Up-side right:
right side up.
Vince:
the other Green Bay icon who doesn't need a last name for recognition; (see "Bart").
Yah-hey:
affirmative; as in "uff-dah."
You-betcha:
affirmative; as in "Yah-hey."
Youse:
pronounced "YOOS;" it means "you" as in "are youse guys goin' up nort?"
Youper:
someone from ever further up-nort than you.
