Regional: Midwest

American slang and expressions from the Midwestern United States

はじめに

アメリカ中西部はフレンドリーさで知られ、地元のスラングもそれを反映しています。万能の「ope」から炭酸飲料を「pop」と呼ぶこと、そして元気いっぱいの「you betcha」まで、中西部の表現は温かく、謙虚で、どこまでもチャーミングです。

この章では、中西部——ミネソタ、ウィスコンシン、イリノイ、オハイオ、そしてアメリカの心臓部のスラングを紹介します。

テーマ

この章のアメリカ英語スラング一覧（84）

• Ope A reflexive exclamation used when you accidentally bump into someone or make ...
• You betcha An enthusiastic way of saying 'yes,' 'absolutely,' or 'you're welcome.'
• Dontcha know A rhetorical tag phrase added to the end of sentences for emphasis or to seek...
• Uff da An exclamation expressing surprise, exhaustion, relief, or mild dismay — the ...
• Hotdish A hearty casserole typically made with a starch, meat, canned vegetables, and...
• Minnesota nice The stereotypical Midwestern trait of being outwardly polite and friendly, so...
• Midwest goodbye The prolonged farewell ritual where leaving takes 30-60 minutes of additional...
• Up north Going to a cabin, lake house, or rural retreat, typically in northern Minneso...
• Oh, for cute! An exclamation expressing that something is adorable or delightful.
• Puppy chow A sweet snack made with Chex cereal, melted chocolate, peanut butter, and pow...
• Kitty-corner Diagonally opposite from something, especially across an intersection.
• Come with To accompany someone, used without specifying 'me' or 'us' — just 'come with.'
• Jeez Louise A mild exclamation of surprise, frustration, or exasperation — a polite alter...
• Holy buckets A mild exclamation of surprise or amazement — a clean Midwestern substitute f...
• The lake Whichever lake is closest to your town or where your family cabin is — said w...
• Duck, duck, gray duck Minnesota's unique version of the children's game known everywhere else as 'd...
• Cheese curds Fresh, squeaky pieces of cheese, often deep-fried — a beloved Midwest snack, ...
• Supper club A distinctly Midwestern type of restaurant featuring a relaxed atmosphere, a ...
• Friday fish fry The Midwestern tradition of eating fried fish on Friday nights, especially in...
• Brandy old-fashioned Wisconsin's signature cocktail — an old-fashioned made with brandy instead of...
• Cheesehead A Green Bay Packers fan, or more broadly, someone from Wisconsin — often wear...
• Da Bears A catchphrase for the Chicago Bears football team, mimicking the thick Chicag...
• Lemme sneak past ya A polite way of saying 'excuse me' when you need to get by someone in a tight...
• Crick A creek or small stream — the Midwestern pronunciation of 'creek.'
• Warsh The Midwestern pronunciation of 'wash,' with an intrusive R sound.
• Euchre A trick-taking card game that's practically the official card game of the Mid...
• Cornhole A lawn game where players toss bean bags at a raised platform with a hole in it.
• State fair An annual multi-day festival celebrating agriculture, food, entertainment, an...
• Pop Any carbonated soft drink — what coastal Americans call 'soda.'
• Tennis shoes Any athletic shoes or sneakers — regardless of whether they're used for tennis.
• Garage sale A sale of used household items held in the driveway or garage of a home.
• Lake effect The weather phenomenon where cold air picks up moisture from the Great Lakes ...
• Polar vortex An extreme cold weather event caused by Arctic air plunging into the Midwest,...
• Flyover country A dismissive term for the Midwest — the vast middle of America that coastal p...
• Hoosier A person from Indiana — the official demonym that Indianans proudly claim.
• Buckeye A person from Ohio, an Ohio State fan, or a chocolate-peanut butter candy sha...
• Pop machine A vending machine that dispenses soft drinks — what coastal Americans call a ...
• The wave The friendly gesture of lifting a finger or hand off the steering wheel to gr...
• Needs washed A grammatical construction meaning 'needs to be washed' — dropping the 'to be...
• Jell-O salad A dish made with Jell-O gelatin mixed with fruit, whipped cream, marshmallows...
• Bonfire An outdoor fire pit gathering — a primary form of Midwest socializing.
• The boonies A very remote, rural area far from any town or city.
• Cripes A mild exclamation of surprise or frustration — a Midwest-approved substitute...
• That's different A polite Midwestern way of expressing mild disapproval or confusion without b...
• Oh ya An enthusiastic affirmative — distinctly Midwestern.
• Oh ya, no, for sure An emphatic agreement stringing together seemingly contradictory words.
• Real quick A phrase added to make any request sound less imposing.
• Sweeper A vacuum cleaner — the standard Midwest term for the appliance.
• Snow day A day when school is canceled due to heavy snowfall or dangerous winter condi...
• Black ice A thin, nearly invisible layer of ice on roads that's extremely dangerous for...
• Chicago dog A specific style of hot dog from Chicago — all-beef on a poppy seed bun with ...
• Deep dish Chicago's signature thick, pan-style pizza with layers of cheese, toppings, a...
• Ranch Ranch dressing — the Midwest's unofficial condiment, used on literally everyt...
• Tater tot hotdish The quintessential Minnesota casserole — ground beef, cream of mushroom soup,...
• The cabin A family vacation home, usually on a lake — the center of Midwest summer life.
• Ice fishing Fishing through a hole drilled in a frozen lake — a major Midwest winter past...
• Dibs In Chicago, the practice of saving a shoveled-out parking spot by placing fur...
• Wind chill The 'feels like' temperature accounting for wind — a Midwest obsession.
• Mudding Driving a truck or ATV through mud for fun — a popular rural Midwest pastime.
• Four-wheeling Riding ATVs through trails, fields, and back roads.
• The Windy City The famous nickname for Chicago, Illinois.
• The L Chicago's elevated rapid transit train system.
• Ya know A conversational filler used to seek connection and agreement from the listener.
• Pasty A savory hand pie filled with meat, potatoes, and onions — a Michigan Upper P...
• Yooper A person from Michigan's Upper Peninsula (UP) — pronounced from 'U.P.-er.'
• Fair to middlin' Doing okay — not great, not terrible; a modest response to 'how are you?'
• Rust Belt The stretch of Midwestern states that experienced industrial decline, named f...
• The Heartland A term for the central Midwest, evoking images of farmland, small towns, and ...
• Sweet corn Fresh corn on the cob — a summer staple and source of intense Midwest pride.
• A couple few An imprecise quantity meaning 'a small but vague number.'
• Spendy Expensive — the Midwestern way of saying something costs a lot.
• Cold one A beer — the simple, no-nonsense Midwest way to refer to a brew.
• Jeet? A compressed version of 'Did you eat?' — said as a single syllable.
• Ish An exclamation of disgust — the Midwestern 'gross' or 'yuck.'
• Believe you me An emphatic phrase meaning 'trust me' — used to stress truthfulness.
• Clicker Informal, often regional or generational term for a TV remote control.
• It's hotdish weather An expression meaning it's cold enough for a warm, hearty meal.
• Midwest nice The broader regional version of 'Minnesota nice' — the Midwest cultural norm ...
• Corn-fed Describing someone who is big, strong, and healthy-looking — raised on hearty...
• It's a horse apiece It's the same either way — there's no meaningful difference between the options.
• Detour ahead A universal Midwest warning that construction season has arrived — the other ...
• Could be worse The quintessential Midwest response to almost any negative situation — a form...
• Redd up To tidy up or clean a room — a regional term found in parts of Ohio and weste...
• Ice shanty A small shelter placed on a frozen lake for ice fishing — also called a fish ...