A Wisconsinite's dictionary

A co-worker passed this on to me recently... I couldn't think of a better time to post it than tonight with the big Packers-Cowboys game.

My grandparents always used the Davenport reference and I've never understood it. (What are you talking about Grandma!? It's a couch!)

AIN-A-HEY: Placed at the end of a profound statement; as in "isn't it?" "Cold out, aina hey?"

BART: A Green Bay institution who doesn't need a last name; (see"Vince"). "Me and Dad saw Bart sneak into da endzone 'gainst Dallas! DAT was cold, aina hey?"

BELIEVE-YOU-ME: Attached to the beginning or end of a statement, makes it more credible; as in,"Really!" "Belive you me, dat was REALLY cold!"

BLAZE-ORANGE: What deer hunters and cold-weather Packers fans wear at Lambeau Field. Also a popular color for jail uniforms.

BORN IN A BARN?: A sarcastic question which usually means you left the door open or could not correctly differentiate between an alewive and a 'schmelt'. Youse guys was dipnettin' for da schmelt in Lake 'Sconsin?!? What, ya born in a barn?"

BORROW: Used in place of lend, as in, "Could youse borrow me a couple two-tree bucks, yahhey?"

BRAT: A sausage; a Wisconsin tail gate 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. "I gotta get me a drink, once. Where's da bubbler?"

BUDGE: To merge without permission; cut in; as in "Don't you budge in line for a brat, I was here first!"

CHEESEHEAD: Someone from Wisconsin; see, "Cheddarhead." ALSO a cool wedge hat, known fer savin' da lives of udderwize planecrash victims!

CHEESE CURD: Small pieces of fresh cheese that squeak when you bite into them if der fresh.

COMEER ONCE: A request for the presence of another Cheddarhead. "Comeer once and help me lift dis half-barrel."

CRIPES: A Wisconsin expletive. "Oh, cripes, what kinda play was dat?"

CRIPES-SAKE: A mild Wisconsin expletive. "For cripes-sake, dat walleye just trowed my hook".

CRIPES-SAKES-ALMIGHTY: A wild Wisconsin expletive. "Cripes-sakes-almighty, what da heck kinda pitch was dat what he smacked over da wall once. What a rubber-arm, hey?"

DA: Aubstitute for words beginning with "THE" as in "Da guy over dere in da Bears shirt dere."

DAVENPORT: What your mom called 'the sofa'; a couch. "Go sit on da Davenport once and I'll be witcha in a couple-two-tree minutes."

FAIR-TA-MIDDLIN: Not bad or great, just "O.K." "How'sit bitin?""Oh, fair-ta-middlin."

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. "Geeez, der goes da game. Throw a strike once a couple times, will ya hey?"

GOAHEAD (Alt: "Go'head"): Proceed; as in, "go'head and back up your car dere."

GOTS: Used in place of "have;" as in "I gots my tickets to watch da Packers play on da FrozenTundra."

HEY: Placed at the beginning or end of phrases for emphasis, as in, "Hey, how 'bout dem Packers?" or "Hows about dem Packers, hey!"

HUMDINGER: A beauty; as in "dat croppy youse caught up-nort is a real humdinger."

M'WAKEE: Wisconsin's largest city; located just down the lake ( Lake Mitchigan) from T'rivers and Man'twoc. Also known as " Cream City"

N-SO?: A word inserted at the end of a statement; (sometimes pronounced as AIN-SO), used as a substitute for "isn't that right?" or "Correct?" "Kopps make good custard, ain-so?" (also can use "aina" or "aina hey" instead. Linguistically probably originates from the German "nicht wahr?", "nicht?" or "gel?", which Germanic-speaking people use to substantiate a statement they feel is correct.

POLKA: The national dance of Wisconsin. The best ones are Polka masses and Slurry Store Polkas (don't ask).

'SCANSIN: The state where Cheeseheads are from.

SKEETER: Wisconsin's state bird. Usually preceeded by "Ouch!" as in "Ouch!" "Skeeter?" "Yah, hey!"

STOP-AND-GO LIGHTS: What everyone else refers to as traffic signals or stop lights. "Mayville only has one stop-an-go light." (Notice, in defense of 'skanin, dat des lights aren't just stop lights. Dey tell ya when to go, too, aina?)

WHERE-ABOUTS: Locality; proximity; as in, "where-abouts are youse-guys from?"

UP NORT: Where Wisconsinites go on vacation.

VINCE: The other Green Bay icon who doesn't need a last name for instant recognition; (see "Bart"). Recently "Brett" and "Reggie" were also added to this category.