Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Clyde Barrow Was Once Caught Here

I live in Minnesota, land of 15,000 lakes, long Oooooo's, insane drivers, blonds, blue eyes, and weird-speak.

We have our regionalisms just like all other areas of the country. Ours are uniquely Minnesota as the movie Fargo illustrated (although most Minnesotans were seriously pissed-off thinking the rest of the country would now think we talk like that - truth be told, we do a little bit).

Here are a few:

soda = pop
brownie = bar
casserole = hotdish
sneakers = tennis
"Can I come along?" = "Can I go with?"
"You drive about 10 miles" = "You drive about 10 minutes"
broom = brum
roof = ruff
for crying out loud! = for cripes sake!
big hotdog/sausage = brat (pronounced "brought")
yes - ya

We talk about the weather a lot. Reason? Minnesotans really don't want to know anything about you. The Minnesota Nice? Fiction. People moving here from other states talk about how difficult it is to make friends here. We've made our friends and don't want new ones thank you very much.

Another reason we're so awkward having conversations with strangers is our heritage. There are a lot of Swedes and Norwegians here and they are a quiet bunch. Seriously. Walk into any Lutheran church up north and tell me what you see. More natural blonds than you'll ever see anywhere else. And they are all sitting in the back. Truth.

It's also an area of gorgeous people. All those blue eyes and warm-toned skin. Good bone structure, long legs, nice profiles.

Of course I am using the hugest, sweeping generalizations I can use. But with that is the truth somewhere.

Makes ya want to move here yes?

Didn't think so!

11 comments:

Ms. A said...

Too cold for me!

raydenzel1 said...

about those legs...

Dutch Sugar Babe said...

Ya, you betcha.
Loved the movie 'Fargo' :)

Blasé said...

I spent 9 months in Iowa (same thing) and I knew then that I would never live up North-West. No no!

It was so cold that I was afraid to get an erection during the winter months fearing it might 'freeze' that way...

TILTE said...

You forgot to mention Rose Nylund from The Golden Girls was from Minnesota. That's reason enough to move there.

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

So let me get this straight...

Let's put our tennis shoes on, forget that hotdish in the oven and go get a pop and brat at that place.. you know the one.. you drive about ten minutes to get there, for cripes sake.

J.J. in L.A. said...

I. Love. This. Post!!!

My grandpa's signature phrase was "Ya, ya, ya..."

My man asks, "Have you heard from your favorite Minnesoooooota cousin lately?"

The first time my cousin asked, "Do you want to go with?" I replied, "With what?"

An uncle asked me if I wanted a pop, and I ran away. 'Pop' in my family meant a spanking.

And I'd move to Minnesota in a heartbeat...if I wasn't for the humid summers and cold winters.

raydenzel1 said...

In Chicago
you live on the Nort side or Sout side, not north or south, usually confirming a Cubs or Soxs fan.

Gym shoes
Correct-minutes to get somewhere, not miles.
yep, do you want to go with..

Sarah said...

You forgot to add the perennial arguement about using lanes that eventually merge with another lane.

Minnesota drivers get VERY upset if you use that ending lane until the very last possible second.

Unless you're cool like me & Momma, that is :)

Marnie said...

Great post. We get teased here in Canada for saying "Eh"...think Doug and Bob MacKenzie ;0)

Deborah said...

Ms A - ya it is.

DDG - Fargo is a movie I've watched more than once.

B-man - I have spewed on my monitor, again, thanks!

Lucky Gun - I did totally forget her! Damn.

Karen - that is hilarious. What is even more hilarious is if that sentence were repeated here, no one would even blink. Ha!

J.J. - Pop means spanking! LOLOL!

RJ - which fan are you?

TK - Oh we better not talk about that! People will want to kill us because I think that's a nationwide debate.

Marnie - I love how you guys say "about." I try and try, but can't get it right.