In the past 9 1/2 months since I first moved to Fargo, I have been introduced to a greater variety of new phrases, words, and foods than I ever knew existed within the United States. On a weekly bases I seem to have conversations with co-works, friends and random strangers about this fact and inevitably a greater plethora of new words are added my Midwest vocabulary.
As I approach the anniversary of my first ever trip to North Dakota and the Midwest (when I first went apartment hunting and stopped by my future place of employment), I decided to compile a list of all of these phrases, words and foods in my own little Upper Midwestern Dictionary. Feel free to offer suggestions.
- Barbecue: The Midwest equivalent to Sloppy Joes, which are served at most picnics and usually in large quantities. Example: “Why don’t I throw together a little barbecue before the picnic this afternoon?”
- Bison: (pronounced “Bi-zen”) A large and delicious animal and the mascot for NDSU. Example: “Let’s go watch the Bison play at the Fargodome.”
- Bars: The name for any type of dessert that is not in cookie, pie, icecream or cake form that is often brought to potlucks. Many bars involve Special K cereal, Rice Krispies, chocolate and peanut butter.
- “Feels like” Temperature: Take a cold temperature, add some windchill, and you will get the “feels-like” temperature. Example: “The high today is -30 but when you step outside it feels like -50 with windchill.”
- Glare Ice: The equivalent to black ice except for some reason it is called glare ice.
- Hotdish: (pronounced “hawt deesh”) A baked item, usually served at potlucks, that is similar to a casserole in other parts of the country. Most hotdishes usually contain a starch, a meat and vegetables (canned or frozen) with the most popular being a Tater-tot hotdish. Example: “I’ll bring some Special K Bars to the potluck, why don’t you bring a hotdish?”
- Lefse: (pronounced “lef suh”) A flat tortilla-like treat, with Norwegian roots (as most things are around Fargo-Moorhead), served usually with butter and sugar on top. Speaking from experience, if you did not grow up eating this, you do not find it delicious.
- Lutefisk: (pronounced “loo tu fisk”) Scandinavian dish made from aged whitefish or dried/salted whitefish and lye. It is gelatinous in texture and has an extremely strong odor. It literally means “lye fish”. Example: Person #1: “Hailey, would you like some lutefisk?” Person #2: “No thank you, I would not like some lutefisk.”
- North Dakota: (pronounced “Nort Da-koe-tuh) The coldest state in the continental United States.
- Oh: (pronounced “oooooo”) A word used in the majority of conversations in the upper Midwest.
- Oh, I suppose: The phrase used in a conversation instead of nodding your head or saying “uh-huh” when someone is speaking to you. Example: Person #1: “I was driving down the road and I saw a deer.” Person #2: “Oh, I suppose!”
- Plug In: The action required so that your car is able to start when the temperature is below zero. Plug ins can be found in most large parking lots and residential areas. When you install a plug in on your car, the cord hangs out resembling a small booger hanging out of your cars nose. (Sorry if that was graphic, I just can’t help thinking that every time I see one.)
- Snow Birds: Upper Midwest residents, usually retired, that head south for the winter. Most Snow Birds head to Phoenix or another location throughout Arizona.
- The Cities: The shortened name given to Minneapolis and St. Paul. Example: “I’m heading to The Cities this weekend.”
- The Lake: The location everyone escapes to when the temperature reaches above 32 degrees F. “The Lake” is not a singular location. In fact, going to “The Lake” could be one of the 10,000 lakes throughout Minnesota or one of the many across North Dakota. Example: “Oh, I think I might just head out to The Lake this weekend.”
- Thunder Snow: The weather phenomenon that occurs when it is snowing with thunder and lightening at the same time.
- Uff da: (pronounced “oof duh”) An expression of Norwegian origin used in the upper Midwest as a term for sensory overload. It can be used to express astonishment, surprise, exhaustion, frustration or relief. It can also be used as an alternate for most swear words (though of course I never use it this way). Example: “Uff da, look at all that snow outside that I now must shovel.”
- 20-32 degrees above zero: This temperature marks the beginning of Spring and signals that it is now appropriate to put away your coat and walk around in a t-shirt.
I love this post! it is so funny! Have you ever heard of Jello Salad? It is just jello, whipped cream, and some fruits or vegetables. It is considered an acceptable side dish in my family and not a dessert at all!
Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long as I provide credit and sources back to your blog? My blog is in the exact same area of interest as yours and my visitors would definitely benefit from some of the information you present here. Please let me know if this alright with you. Thank you!
Not a problem
I have lived in St. Cloud Minnesota all my life and can say that most of those are def. dead on, your pronunciation of hot-dish is weird to me though I’ve only every heard people say it how it looks. Also I never have heard anyone refer to Sloppy Joes as BBQ but maybe that’s more of a Fargo thing? “The Lake” thing made me laugh – its so true, Im headin’ up to the lake this weekend, well which lake? haha we have 10,000, but we all say it!
oh, for cute!
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I’m from ND and now in KS. Never thought “we – Nodaks” had an “accent”. I get grief once in awhile for comments. In particular the phrase “look-it”, i.e. “look-it, my fingers are blue it is so cold”.
As a fellow transplant to the upper Midwest, I agree with all the phrases in your dictionary. I would add the following: The use of “for” as in “for fun”, “for funny”, “for cute”.
Has anyone mentioned “U Betcha” or “ubetcha”?
As in: “Sara, Thanks for picking that up from the store for me.”
“Ubetcha!”
I enjoy reading the interesting perspectives of the area. I am a local ND resident living on the MN side now. Moved to VA for a few years and moved back 8 years ago – love this community! Anyway – another suggestion to hit up – the fall suppers on Sundays. One not to miss would be the Church supper with crafts, “bars,” games, etc… at St. Anthony’s on 10th St S (can’t remember if it is in Sept or Oct).
So I’ve always lived in ND. I agree with most of your article, some of the pronunciations are off (in my opinion, such as hotdish…it’s pronounced just as it sounds). I think the defining point between black ice and glare ice is that black ice is ice you don’t see while driving–it’s slippery, yes, but it sort of sneaks up on you. Glare ice is just a sheet of ice, like the road being a smooth sheet of ice, where black ice is a patch of ice.
I hear people say “slick” all the time in regards to the icy roads in the winter. example: “Drive careful, it’s slick out!” My husband is from MT and he still laughs at me when I call sloppy joes “BBQ’s”. *shrug* I would say goulash is a name for a type of hotdish, but there are other hotdishes. Casserole is something that is baked once put together in the pan, a hotdish really isn’t baked in the oven (like browning meat and boiling noodles, just combine with sauce and it’s done!) Anyway, just my observations. Glad you like it here and find it so amusing!
Thanks for the tips, Leah! You know, you’re the first person that has been able to explain the different between a hotdish and a casserole to me.
Spendy is anther term for your dictionary. If it’s real expensive, it’s spendy.
I’ve lived in four other midwestern and mountain states, but am from North Dakota and have all our family there. Love how you nailed uff-dah’s definition! I’ve encountered everything you mention, but in reverse!
Excellent! I’ll be sure to add it.
When traveling, people always ask if I am from the Midwest when I order “pop” instead of “soda.”
You know, I used to always call it pop since I was originally from the Washington State. I moved to the east coast and people looked at me crazy so I started saying soda. It’s nice being back where pop is acceptable.
AS for food two things you can count on getting at least once a year….Funeral Hotdish (Elbow macaroni, tomato sauce, hamburger and corn)… and if it is a true funeral – lime green jello with cottage cheese on top – sprinkled with carrots…just who invented that one….blechhh
Jim, I think I’m going to add your “funeral hotdish” to my Midwestern recipes if that’s ok with you. Thanks for sharing.
You need to add ‘funeral sandwiches’ to your food list. They’re also common for older people’s birthday parties and anniversary parties.
These are brown bread or pumpernickle bread spread with Cheez Whiz and dotted with sliced green olives/pimentos. My daughter used to help my mom cater for anniversary parties in SE ND. When she graduated from high school, she requested ‘funeral sandwiches’ for her reception lunch. She’s now 27 and one day a friend from Hazen called her asked if she knew what ‘funeral sandwiches’ were. My daughter said, “Of course, brown bread, cheez whiz & green olives’. The friend said the people she was with didn’t know what it was.
That is too funny! I was at a wedding last Friday and they served those before the ceremony. I actually commented on how “interesting” there were. Apparently, they truly are a staple for special events. Thanks for reading!
And then you head west where you drive a peegup, wear chaggets when it’s cold and hopefully have an attached crotch on your house udderwise it’s really hard to start your peegup. You can live in Elchin, Witchick or Atchley but eeder way your blut gets a pumpin in your wains and armelies when dat Lawrence Welk fellar fires up his band. Even the guy in cumbine taps his foot while the the hired man keeps swattin’ dat grain down.
Oh dose guud times in small town Nort Dakota…..not
That was perfect! I’m impressed.
[...] sharing yesterday’s post on my Midwestern Dictionary with family and friends, I was told by multiple people that I should compile a Midwestern Cookbook. [...]
Caught this post on someone’s Facebook page. Too funny! A good, unembarrassed laugh at our Northwestern MN & Eastern North Dakota colloquialisms is always welcome! I have family in Southern CA and when I was young and would visit them, I honestly felt they were hopelessly unsophisticated for never eating “hotdish.” Although to their credit, they had the exotic Taco in abundance. Now of course, we have Taco Bells and Taco Johns everywhere. But I did once have a boyfriend who pronounced the Ole’ in Taco John’s Potato Oles as “O-Lee” (as in Lena’s male counterpart). LOL
So. Alrighty then, welcome to the upper Midwest!
My mom does the same thing lol “potato olee’s” I always have to correct her haha.
OMG, we are soooo hillbilly! Glad you like us! Your welcome anytime, ya know!
Oh I don’t think its hillbilly at all! I can’t explain what the culture is but it definitely does not fall into the category of hillbilly, redneck or anything of that sort. Those all seem so negative and the Midwest is anything but.
I agree, definately not hillbilly. Born and raised in ND for 20 yrs. I’m in SC now and the best way that most people have described me is ‘gosh, golly, gee’ kind of person. I’m not sure if that sums it up entirely but I can see where they’re coming from. I can tell you that I try to stay up on ND news and visit for 2 weeks every summer just so I don’t lose that ND spirit in me
Also, most conversations with a North Dakotan either start or end with the weather 
Well by golly, don’tcha know that the most important ingredient of hotdish was omitted.. the “Cream of Crud” soup that holds it all together! Another very important culinary point would be that lefse MUST be served at all holiday meals, or they just don’t count as an official holiday!
I moved out here 5 years ago from California, so I know what exactly what you mean. Pop meant soda, dinner meant lunch and supper meant dinner….way confusing when you come from a place where it was breakfast, lunch, dinner.
To this day, I still laugh when I see people pull their windshield wipers up (to avoid being frozen to the windshield)
Have you tried knoephla soup yet?
I had it for the first time… delicious!
I always hear people say that we all supposedly use dinner for lunch, but my family has always called lunch, lunch. – Dinner and supper mean the same thing to me and I’ve lived in central MN my whole life, maybe my family is just weird lol.
Hotdish really bugs me… To me, goulash IS hot dish and anything else is a casserole. I’m from Iowa, but it’s amazing the dialect changes from just two states away.
What about the saying “For cute” or “For fun?”
Ex: “Hey, look at this puppy!” Reply: “Ooooooooooh, for cute.”
As a fellow east-coaster, I’ll be interested in reading your other observations and experiences as you evolve into a mid-westerner. So.. . is it soda or pop?
We all call it POP. To us, if you call it Soda you sound like your trying to be high class or something, can I please get a Soda sounds kind of prissy lol.
Awesome! Another JMU grad living in Fargo! I moved here in 2004 and never left. Your ‘dictionary’ is right on point!!
Wow! Its great to know there are fellow Dukes in the area!
We’ve never called Sloppy Joes barbecues, occasionally “slushburgers” though. You might be surprised at what passes for a salad at those hotdish-and-bars potlucks… 90% of them could pass for a dessert. Cookie “salad” is a creamy pudding-like cookie-filled sweet mess I first encountered at a church dinner.
Uffda = First Sunday in October, Uffda Day in Rutland, ND. Watch the parade, check out the classic cars, sample Norwegian cuisine (scalloped potatoes and more), rommegrat, lefse, krumkake, abelskiever, sandbakkels, Uffda Tacos, brats and more. Crafters and vendors wanted. Lots of fun. Only 90 minutes from Fargo….
I have lived in this area for 40 + yrs so all this Fargo life seems so normal to me… It amazes me that people such as yourself are so amazed by how we are up here… I just always thought that this wa how all people are in life… if a neighbor needs help all they do is ask and people show up… and if its a big thing yes there are bars and hotdish and Barbque galore… maybe instead of the rest of the world knocking us for being “behind and backwards” they should use us for an example on how we should treat each other…
Tim: its exactly what you mentioned, that sense of comraderie and neighborly good spirit that has made me love it here so much. Yes the weather has been challenging and the mosquitoes bite hard but I have never met so many warm hearted and welcoming individuals as I have here.
This would be my 3rd year in Fargo, came from California. You hit it right on the head I have came across all of them. They also use that phrase Oh, I suppose as a ending to a conversation, instead of just saying goodbye. Love the “Plug in” one, also auto-start not so common where i came from
Goodness, that’s interesting.
so yeah… means i dont know what to say now, so please start talking, or i just said something and there is nothing to say but so yeah agree with me. ex, so i just went to my mothers house and watched tv so yeah…what are you doing?
But of course the “so” has to be pronounced “Sooowe”
Ohmigosh, you nailed us right on the head there then. And I have many an argument over the hotdish vs casserole debate. It is so funny to see and hear how others see us here in the midwest. Thank you, I will definitely be checking on your blog.
A born and bred Midwesterner; ya you betcha
Beth
Thanks, Beth! I always would tell stories to family and friends about the little quirks Fargo has that I have come to love. I decided I needed to start writing it down. The majority of the “Midwest Dictionary” words came from me going, “Huh?” when someone from around here would say them to me.