Dictionary of Nebraska English

[HUSKER 37]

(every one of these words is fairly common to me near as I recall)

 

Crick: Preferred pronunciation of “creek.” Example: There’s a little crick that winds through our place.

 

Dinner: If you use this word to invite a rural Nebraskan to an evening meal, they’ll show up six hours early. In rural Nebraska, “lunch” is “dinner” and “dinner” is “supper.”

 

Fer: Preferred pronunciation of “for.” Example: What can I do ya fer?

 

Head: An extra word that, for reasons not entirely known, is usually used when referencing a number of livestock. Example: We’ve got 20 head of cattle. This is perhaps a distinction between the number of hooves and heads in a herd. Yet no one ever says “we’ve got 80 hooves of cattle,” so it would stand to reason that saying “20″ would be sufficient. Still, “20 head” is the norm.

 

Hot beef: Rather then merely describing the temperature of beef, the phrase “Hot Beef” is used to describe a particular dish consisting of roast-beef sandwiches smothered in gravy and accompanied by mashed potatoes.

 

This dish is consumed most often for dinner (which means lunch) at small-town restaurants, and especially at cafes attached to livestock auction barns.

 

Hunnert: In many areas west or South of The River (see entry below) and even in some areas near The River, this is the correct pronunciation of “hundred.”

 

Example: There’s a hunnert head of cattle down by the crick.

 

Kattywampus (also kattycorner or kittycorner): This word is often used when giving directions, to indicate that one thing is located in a diagonal direction from another thing. Example: Our house is just kattywampus from the grain elevator. It can also mean askew: I was trying to fix the tractor, and I got all kattywampus.

 

Old girl: An adjective used to describe aged cows, mares, farm equipment, vehicles and women. Example: That old girl has pertinear had it. (Yes, “pertinear.” See next entry.)

 

Pertinear (pronounced “pert-ih-near”): A combination of pretty and near, used to indicate the close proximity of one thing to another or the near completion of a task. Question: Are we there yet? Answer: Pertinear.

 

River, The: In most of Nebraska, references to “The River” are typically understood to mean the Missouri River if you're city folk, or the Platte everywhere else outside of Harlan county. Question: Where are you gonna fish? Answer: The Crick..I mean..River.

 

Salty: Often used as a begrudging compliment, in reference to an adversary’s toughness. Example: That Holdrege Basketball team is pretty salty.

 

Warsh: The preferred pronunciation of “wash” among many of the cowboys, farmers and rural-raised people of the state. Example: I need to warsh my truck before I go to town. The pronunciation is consistent in other word constructions, including references to the state of Washington. Example: I have to drive clear out to Warshington for a wedding.

 

Whatnot: An acceptable and often-used substitute for etcetera.

 

Question: What’s in that drawer? Answer: Oh, you know, scissors, tape, the phone book, and whatnot.

 

You guys: The Nebraska equivalent of the Southern “y’all” and the western Pennsylvanian “yuns,” used in reference to a group of people.

 

Example: What are you guys doin’ today? (Note: The possessive form is “guyses.” Example: Is that you guyses’ truck?)...

 

 

 

 

Got any more?

[Comish]

Good compilation........

[ZRod]

I seen: The incorrect usage of the phrase "I saw" or "I have seen". Examples: I seen that movie before. I seen him an hour ago.

[Comish]

"anyways" incorrectly used in place of anyway.

[sd'sker]

melk instead of milk. i never noticed this until someone pointed it out to me.

[NUance]

Figurin': Colloquial pronunciation of "figuring" used in place of "planning." Ex.: I'm figurin' on headin' down to the crick to do a little fishin' before dinner (lunch).

 

 

Headin': Used in place of "going". See above.

[HUSKER 37]

Head: An extra word that, for reasons not entirely known, is usually used when referencing a number of livestock. Example: We’ve got 20 head of cattle. This is perhaps a distinction between the number of hooves and heads in a herd. Yet no one ever says “we’ve got 80 hooves of cattle,” so it would stand to reason that saying “20″ would be sufficient. Still, “20 head” is the norm.

 

 

 

 

I suddenly wonder how Farmers count two headed cows.

[KJ.]

I seen: The incorrect usage of the phrase "I saw" or "I have seen". Examples: I seen that movie before. I seen him an hour ago.

That's not Nebraskan/Midwesterny, that's just being an idiot.

[ZRod]

I seen: The incorrect usage of the phrase "I saw" or "I have seen". Examples: I seen that movie before. I seen him an hour ago.

That's not Nebraskan/Midwesterny, that's just being an idiot.

Then you need to get out, because anyone who is from a county lower than 2 say it constantly. And it drives me nuts.

[JJ Husker]

This isn't a phrase or word usage thing but it is definitely Nebraskan. In what other state can you istantly tell what county a person resides in based on the license plate number? None that I know of. example; I seen that feller headin down to the crick has 10 county plates. Translation- That gentleman from platte county is going to the creek.

[strigori]

Along the lines of 'warsh' and whatever the appeal of adding extra R's to words

 

Tortino's - The frozen pizza normal people call Totino's

[krc1995]

pop

 

and I love having the county numbers. I thought they were phasing them out?

[strigori]

pop

 

and I love having the county numbers. I thought they were phasing them out?

Only Douglas, Sarpy and Lancaster(I think) counties do not have numbers now. The rest keep the numbers.

[husker B-rent]

pop is not only Nebraskan, more of a region thing and when we say "the river" we mean the Nemaha river! oh and "shar" for shower.

[huKSer]

This isn't a phrase or word usage thing but it is definitely Nebraskan. In what other state can you istantly tell what county a person resides in based on the license plate number? None that I know of. example; I seen that feller headin down to the crick has 10 county plates. Translation- That gentleman from platte county is going to the creek.

Kansas has a sticker with a two letter abr. of the county - WY for Wyandotte, JO for Johnson etc. (Trivia: It used to be that vanity plates were issued by county so there could be multiple plates: The most popular plate? Jayhawks - no. Hawks - no. Wildcats - no. Cats - no. The correct answer is: Huskers.)

 

Tekamah or Beatrice

 

There is one of everything in Nebraska. The interstate. The university. The river.