'Scansin Dictionary
The "ah" sound in Wis-cahn-sin, becomes more of a short "a" sound as in cat. When saying the word Wisconsin, one forms the W with one's lips but never fully articulates it. What is heard by the listener is a very soft "Wuh" sound followed by a hard "Scansin." Hence the page name.
In certain European ethnic pockets of Wisconsin, you'll hear some of the following colloquialisms and pronunciations:
Side by each: juxtaposition. Example: "Go park dem cars side by each."
'N so?: A meaningless interrogative following a statement; perhaps a con-traction of another grammatical gem, "Ain't that so?" Example: "We're goin' to da store, 'n so?"
Go by, or come by: frequently substituted for "go to" or "come to" Example: “Go by da store and buy some beer...den come by me.”
Bubbler: commonly known as a water fountain or drinking fountain in the rest of the free world. Example: “I'll meet you at da bubbler after you go by da store, 'n so?”
Hey: Yes, hey is used about everywhere, as in "Hey, whatcha doin'?" In 'Scansin, it becomes "Whatcha doin', hey?" ALT. VERSION: “'der hey...Whatcha doin, 'der hey?” Usual reply: "Goin' by da store to buy some beer."
Stop to da Pig: Means you're going to stop "at" the "Piggly Wiggly" grocery store. Example: “Stop to da pig, buy some beer, den go by me, eh?”
Pop: What the rest of the country refers to as "soda" or "coke". Example: “When you stop to da pig to get da beer, don't forget da pop, hey.”
C'mere once while you're up yet: Means could you get something for me while you're up, my legs seem to be painted on. Example: “C'mere once while you're up yet, and go by da fridge and gimme a beer.”
Upside Right: Means to return an object to its correct position. Example: “Oops, hey, I dropped dis beer on da way, so turn it upside right for a while before you open it.”
Stop 'n go lights: Red, yellow and green luminous devices that control traffic at intersections; known as traffic lights or signal lights in other parts of the U.S. Example: "Turn right at da stop 'n go lights den stop to da pig.”
Start wit me last: This is used to tell a waitress to go on to someone else before taking your order.
Schmear and sheephead: Two card games, probably of German origin. You can watch these games and have them explained for years, and you still won't know the rules. Actual names being smear and sheepshead. You can also schmear in sheephead.
Hairs: Many 'Scansinites refer to their hair in the plural. Example: “Didja get dem hairs cut?” “Yah, der hey. I got 'em permed, too.”
Ainna: Another meaningless interrogative, it is ALWAYS followed by a question mark, and is ALWAYS at the end of a sentence; probably "isn't it?" by way of "ain't it?" Incredibly concise example: "Cold, ainna?"
Once der hey: "You perhaps have overlooked "once der hey". Pretty common in Sheboygan. As in: “I'm goin down to da bar once der hey.” Also... Did you know that in Sheboygan the person on the left has the right of way at a 4-way stop? Everywhere else the person on the right goes first. “Ya hey, no kiddin!"
Tree - One word we do use a lot here is "tree", meaning three. Example: "Der's tree of dem guy's comin' up on Friday, and two more comin' on Saturday."
Twodersmall - Used when asking for something in quantity. Might be isolated to Central Wisconsin and small pockets of South Milwaukee Example: "Yah hey, I'll take a Point (beer), ah what da hell, gimme twodersmall!"
Then - Always add the word "then" to all interrogative sentences. Example: "When are you gonna go then?" "What are having for dinner then?"
I had a friend from Sheboygan who claimed that in his hometown they said, "Hey, ainna?" In Milwaukee it was, "ainnahey?" (similar to "ainso".) And how 'bout adding "hey once", as in: "Hey once, let's go down by Prange's".
Where abouts - used when asking for a directional reference. Example: Where abouts are you?
Itch - One thing I have noticed that she says, along with other members of her family, is that she uses the word "itch" instead of "scratch". For example, she says "Stop itching that mosquito bite".
Chu/cha -- Some Wisconsinites may say "youse" or "yuz," perhaps because, except perhaps for the South, someone everywhere says "youse" or "yuz." If I remember right, most Wisconsinites do say "chu" or "cha" as in "Whatchudoin'? and/or Whatchadoin?" It's possible some say "yu" or "ya" instead.
At all -- As in "Do ya want anymore coffee at all?" I was truly astonished not to find this already reported. On recent visits to Wisconsin, I've found it nearly ubiquitous - and I've never heard it anywhere else, except in a restaurant in Washington, D.C., recently, from the mouth of a waiter, just in from Wisconsin.
We Wisconsinites pronounce bag, rag, drag etc. with a very long "a" sound so it sounds more like baaag (with the "a" sound of cake).
Saying "come with", instead of "come with me". Example: "I’m going out to the store, do you want to come with?”
Calling sweet rolls "bakery". "Go down by Schmidlers and get some bakery eh".
Using "dassent" rather than shouldn't. "You dassent drink my beer".
"Frying out" rather than grilling or barbequeing. "Let’s go get some brats and fry 'em out tonight for supper."
More "Frying out" - Sheboyganites do not barbecue, they "fry-out," and a favorite childhood meal of mine was "bake-dish with wieners," which falls into the same realm as hot dishes and casseroles.
And-what-not-all or just what-nat! “Go down by Pranges and get some beer, chips, pop and what nat.”
How do you spell youse? (Scansin for you in plural.) ie: “Youse guys want to come over for cards?”
Th should frequently be pronounced T - "Trow da cow over da fence some hay"
Anna: contraction for "and a". If you want more on this watch Lawrence Welk "Anna 1, anna 2". Examples: "Lets go by da bar T'ursday after work and get a shot anna beer der hey".
And one old one: Can't really explain it, but I do understand it - "Down by Schuster's where da street car bends da corner round."
"Hey, don't ya know", or "Don't ya know, hey".
Another one I noticed a lot, amongst my uncles and older cousins, is: "Yah, heard dat" It might just be a Prescott thing, but this is not at all atypical -- "Yah, dat Favre dere, he's a darn fine Packer." "Yah, heard dat.” “Hey, go by da fridge and get me a Leinie's." "Alright alright. Ya lazy hoser."
People in Wisconsin don't say it "Oh - Kay"--that "a" is pronounced more like a short "e" and it comes out kinda like "Oh-keh." "Were you born in a barn?" That's what a 'scansinite says if you leave the door open on a cold day. I first heard this in 1988, and to this day I'm not sure what it means.
Up in the hinterlands a very common one is to end a sentence with "though" maybe like you southern folk use "ainna". “That Brett Favre, he's played pretty good though.” Sort of a "don't you think" is implied, as opposed to a "however" that people might mean in other parts of the world. I have some friends from Wisconsin that always said "shtreet" and "shtraight", probably a German-Milwaukee influence as well.
Hey der, ya forgot just one thing. It's a little vulger, but it's super. When somebody sez something unbelieveable, youse gotta reply: “Nosh*tdhuh?” Which is sayin' "No sh*t Huh?", but ya see, it's actually one word in Wscansin. Hey, dey really say dat up in da nort woods..no kiddin'.
Uniquely Wisconsin Foods
Friday night fish fry: The tradition of dining out on Fridays, no matter what you eat, is called 'Going out for fish'. This phrase originates from Lent, where Catholics are/were prohibited from eating meat on Fridays.
Fish boils: (not to be confused with staph infections of ichthyoid origin.) A very Door County tradition, where a large pot (like a witch's caldron) is placed over an open fire (outdoors), and large amounts of fish, potatoes and onions are boiled in heavily salted water to a proper state of doneness. The final step: kerosene is poured over the boiling water and ignited. This burns off the fish oils to prevent a 'fishy' flavor and imparts one of petroleum distillates instead. Probably a Viking tradition -- as they tended to burn everything.
Fried Cheese Curds: A uniquely Wisconsin trait, "If it doesn't move (fast enough), deep fat fry it!"
Booyah: (You did what in your pants?) A popular dish for church suppers, church picnics, and similar functions. A thick chicken soup, almost stew. Apparently originating from the French 'bouillon', little is known (by us, anyway) about the origin of the word or dish.
Sweet Rolls: Cheeseheads call 'em "sweet rolls". According to Mary Anne, "They're donuts, darnit!"
Hot Dish: A term used to describe a casserole or any other hot one-dish dish; any respectable dish contains at least one can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup, and either crumbled potato chips or canned onion rings as the topping.
Sloppy Joes (Spanish Hamburger). In Manitowoc, Wisconsin they call sloppy joes "hot tamales", and they all like "broasted" chicken, which is pressurized deep-fried chicken -- loaded with fat, but delicious. A famous dessert is called "knee caps:" they are fried donuts with cream on top.
There is also an invisible Mason-Dixon line separating north and south 'scansin. The only way to tell is to ask them their favorite store – if they answer "Fleet Farm" they're from da North, if "Farm and Fleet" they're from da South.
The heavy (no pun intended) Germanic influence took its toll on the pronunciation of the letters "th." These, them, and those frequently sound like dese, dem, and doze.
Vowels in 'Scansinese - These are tricky. One must learn to pronounce these letters with an Upper Midwest nasal twang not heard in the rest of the country. Only Yoopers and 'Sotans can do it as well as 'Scansinites.
The letter "o" - The short "o" sound, as in frog, was discussed above. The long "o" sound as in toad, is difficult to master for the non-native. This sound almost becomes two syllables -- an "oh" sound followed by a soft, short "i. "The result is toh'-id. The terminal "oh" sound also becomes two syllables, an "oh" followed by a short "uh." Example: the word "no" comes out "Noah." This is especially confusing to little boys with a particular Old Testament name. See other examples below.
The letter "u" - The short "u" as in underwear, is pronounced the same as everywhere else, unless you're talking to a Norwegian, but that's a whole 'nother' story. The long "u" sound, especially when it is the terminal sound, as in YOU, almost becomes two syllables -- yoo'-ah.
The "ow" sound - The "ou" and "ow" combinations are perhaps the most troubling for the non-native to understand. The word "house" comes out rhyming with "dose." The word "vowel" comes out sounding like "voh' el." This is especially confusing in the company of small rodents. (If you don't get it, look up vole.)
Yah = Yes
No'-ah = no
Mwaukee = our largest city
Koont = Couldn't
Woont = Wouldn't
Dint = Didn't
Up nort = Up north, or to a vacation cottage, no matter which direction. In some regions, one goes Up Sout and Down Nort.
Shawano = Shaw-no (Everywhere else = Sha-wa-no)
Gillett = Jill'-ette (accent on first syllable) (Everywhere else = Jill-ette', like the shaver)
Melk = Milk (really)
Doh-wint = Don't (Two syllables and a louder DOH for more emphasis.)
1. AIN-A-HEY: placed at the end of a profound statement; as in "isn'tit?"
2. BART: a Green Bay institution who doesn't need a last name; (see "Vince").
3. BELIEVE-YOU-ME: attached to the beginning or end of a statement, makes it more credible; as in, "Really!
4. BLAZE-ORANGE: what deer hunters and cold-weather Packers fans wear at Lambeau Field. Also a popular color for jail uniforms.
5. BORN IN A BARN?: a sarcastic question which usually means you left the door open or could not correctly differentiate between an alewife and a smelt.
6. BORROW: used in place of lend, as in, "Could youse borrow me a couple two-tree bucks, yah hey?"
7. BRAT: a sausage; a Wisconsin tailgate favorite; doesn't have anything to do with a spoiled kid.
8. BUBBLER: to the rest of the world outside Wisconsin's borders, it is known as a drinking fountain.
9. BUDGE: to merge without permission; cut in; as in "Don't you budge in line for a brat, I was here first!"
10. BY: to, near; as in "Let's go by One-Eyed Jack's" or, "She'll come by da house tonight."
11. CHEDDERHEAD: someone from Wisconsin; see, "Cheesehead."
12. CHEESEHEAD: someone from Wisconsin; see, "Cheddarhead."
13. CHEESE CURD: small pieces of fresh cheese that squeak when you bite into them.
14. COMEER ONCE: a request for the presence of another Cheddarhead.
15. COUPLE-TWO-TREE more than one; as in "Delmer and I drank a couple-two-tree beers."
16. CRIPES: a Wisconsin expletive.
17. CRIPES-SAKE: a mild Wisconsin expletive.
18. CRIPES-SAKES-ALMIGHTY: a major Wisconsin expletive.
19. DA: substitute for words beginning with "TH;" as in, "Da guy over derein da Bears shirt dere."
20. DAVENPORT: What your mom called 'the sofa'; a couch.
21. FAIR-TA-MIDDLIN: Not bad or great, just "O.K."
22. FISH FRY: a Friday night dining ritual in Wisconsin.
23. FLEET FARM: A Cheddarhead's answer to Bloomingdales.
24. FROZEN TUNDRA: Lambeau Field.
25. GEEEZ!: Another Wisconsin expletive.
26. GOAHEAD: Proceed; as in, "go ahead and back up your car dere."
27. GOTS: used in place of "have;" as in, "I gots my tickets to watch da Packers play on da Frozen Tundra."
28. GOL-DURN: Another Wisconsin expletive.
29. HEY: placed at the beginning or end of phrases for emphasis, as in, "Hey, hows 'bout dem Packers?" or "Hows 'bout dem Packers, Hey!"
30. HOWS-BY-YOU?: a greeting; the same as, "How's everything?
31. HUMDINGER: a beauty; as in "dat croppy youse caught up-nort is a real humdinger."
32. JOHN DEERE: a Cheddarhead's other vehicle.
33. LEAKER: (n) One who lacks the mental or physical stamina to continue partying.
34. M'WAKEE: Wisconsin's largest city; located just down the lake from T'rivers and Man'twoc.
35. 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?"
36. OH, YAH: Depending on emphasis, it's either used as acknowledgment (as "That's correct") or skepticism (That's bull!).
37. PERT-NEER: (sometimes pronounced "PRET-NEAR": in close proximity; justabout.
38. POLKA: the official dance of Wisconsin.
39. RUBBERS: protection for your shoes; also known as "G'loshes."
40. SCANSIN: the state where Cheeseheads are from.
41. SCHMEAR: a card game; also a term used when someone gets beat in a game of Sheepshead.
42. SHEEPSHEAD: another card game.
43. SIDE-BY-EACH: used instead of "next to each other."
44. SKEETER: Wisconsin's state bird.
45. START WIT ME LAST: to forfeit your turn.
46. STOP-AND-GO LIGHTS: what everyone else refers to as traffic signals.
47. TREE: The number between two and four.
48. UN-THAW: to defrost or thaw.
49. WHERE-ABOUTS: locality; proximity; as in, "where-abouts are youse- guys from?"
50. UP NORT: where Wisconsinites go on vacation.
51. UP-SIDE-RIGHT: right side up.
52. 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.
53. WIH-SKON'-TSUN: the way you can tell the speaker is not a real Wisconsinite.
54. YAH-HEY: affirmative, but can be added reinforce a request.
55. YAH-SURE-YOU-BETCHA: yes, you are correct
56. YOU-BETCHA: affirmative, as in "Yah-hey."
57. YOUSE: (var. "Yoose") pronoun, second person; plural.
58. YOOPER: someone from even further up-nort' than youse.
59. UFF-DAH: (from the untranslatable Norweigian phrase) meaning varies with severity of incident - from "Oops" to "Crime-iney" to words which follow"Oh!" you utter when you make a really big "boo-boo" and are in "deep doggy doo."
