How to Speak 'Scansin

(last updated .11-30-2011) - Why is this page on  this Music site? - Contact Webmaster

Originally created by Sue Delrow & Caryn Cain
[Speak 'Scansin]

Why this page is called "Speak 'Scansin"

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:
Reader Input

How to pronounce English words in 'Scansin.

"Folk Library Index" 'Scansin Reader Input
      This historical page previously appeared at the defunct Cheese State Mall Web site,  http://www.cheesestatemall.com/scansin.html  and  http://www.cheese-state.com/scansin.html  (last updated there ca. October 1999). It was not installed at their new domain: http://www.cheesestate.com/, and the current owners of that domain didn't know anything about this page. It was too important to be off-line permanently, so I put it back on-line.
      The above page was installed on my domain on 7-15-2005 after being off-line for awhile. Nothing above by the original authors has been edited or changed in any way. [Exception: on 12-29-2009, all submitter's E-Mail addresses were replaced by "anonymous".] This new section is for comments, additions and/or corrections received since 7-15-2005. Note: all submissions must be G-Rated for all ages, or they will not be added here. No names or E-Mail addresses of submitters will be included unless I have written permission to do so.
    03-29-2007: When I was a kid in Ashland and Washburn, adults used the word "around" instead of "about." I heard my grandfather ask a grocer for "around a pound uh round steak."
    My paternal grandfather (French background) called potatoes "spuds" or "budaduhs."
    Rhubarb was always called "pie plant."
    09-17-2007: "Pop", meaning "soda"--not used in Milwaukee area. Outside of Milwaukee, perhaps; I heard "soda" in Madison, but "pop" in Steven's Point. "Pop" is used almost exclusively in the Twin Cities.
    My wife grew up in several places far away from here and settled in Minneapolis, but still has some Antigo-isms, courtesy of her parents. For example, I say "milk", but she and her mother say "melk", and "warm" rhymes with "arm" (making it closer to the German pronunciation). Not in my case. Or, "come by me", meaning, "come visit me" or "come sit next to me". This is most likely a German influence, "bei uns" (also in Czech, "u nas").
    "Bubbler" may only be Southeastern WI. The Bubbler is a product made by Kohler, in Kohler, WI, north of Milwaukee.
    I've been called, by a younger friend in the Twin Cities, a "'Sconie", pronounced "skAHnee", obviously a play on how we pronounce Wisconsin.
    Something that could be added, that is perhaps just Milwaukee: we don't have "dental appointments" or "dentist's appointments", we have "a dental"; e.g., "I have my dental Tuesday morning." My sister (who is 32) still lives in Milwaukee and says this.
    04-28-2009: I came across the word "tree" that is often used for "three" and that reminded me so much of my grandfather. It then reminded me of the word "terlit", which he used when referring to the "toilet".
    "Tirty" for "thirty" is another one.
    Possible usage: "Geeez! He musta fallin' da terlit. He's been in der fer tirty tree minutes already hey!"
    07-05-2009: I don't know what degenerate came up with this list, but it is a complete insult to Wisconsin - pronounced with an 'o' for those who can't read. Take that crap down and if you actually live in Wisconsin like I have all my life, you should be ashamed.
Sincerely,
Disgusted by that insulting trash
    Webmaster's comment: Growing up in Illinois, I never heard of Sheepshead, a Bubbler, Uff-da, a bottle of Pop, or getting my hairs cut, that is, until I moved here in 1966. Louisiana's Cajun is a mixture of French and English. Some of these localisms are likewise derived from Wisconsin's varied German, Eastern European, and Scandinavian proud heritages, which no one should be ashamed of.
    Regional words and pronunciations are everywhere. When I was in the Army there was a guy named Carter, from Boston. He pronounced his name, Ca'-ta. When people couldn't understand him, he spelled it for them, c-a-ah-t-e-ah.
      This page was created, and is being maintained, to respectfully document the distinct cultural differences in the history of Wisconsin people and is not meant to ridicule or show disrespect to anyone, past or present.
    ** 11-04-2009: [from Sue Delrow] Doug - had to laugh when I found the 'speak 'scansin' page. I was the author, along with Caryn Cain of Oshkosh (at the time) - and see you're from Oshkosh, too!
    We were talking at work about some 'scansin sayings, and on a whim I decided to see if could find the old page in the 'way back machine' - but found your page instead!
    In fact, about 10 or more years ago, I did a radio interview on Thanksgiving morning on WI Public Radio about 'speaking 'scansin' after someone on their staff had found our original page.

[12-08-2009 Webmaster's note: I now have the author's permission for this page to remain on this site until further notice.]

    12-17-2009: "Ahh what da eh!" - clean version of "Oh what the hell!" or also means "why not?" Usage: Eh! ya Commin' to da bars to come watch da Packers? Ahh what da eh! Dat dont sound like a bad idea ya know?
    12-29-2009: Removed all names and contact information for all submitters, both for since this page was installed here, and also from the original page [see italics], except for those who have given me specific written permission to use their name.
    05-04-2010: Just got back from my first trip ever to 'Scansin and found it to be very enjoyable. Talk about some nice friendly folks! Anyways, I thought I'd add the ever present "Ya, you bet" and "Ya you betcha" to the terms I heard a lot.
    08-29-2010: Just enjoying your website. I lived in WI from age 10 to 21 when I moved with my husband to Oklahoma and spent the next 25 years laughing at the way they talk! Anyway, I didn't see the word, "ishy", which may be because my parents grew up in Minnesota and it came from there. But my childhood memories are filled with descriptions that include phrases like, "Throw the leftovers out, they look ishy." Thanks for the chuckles.
    01-10-2011: I just read your list of 'Scansin terms and I have one that's not on the list. "Right away" is often added to the end of a request. For example, a Scansinite might ask their server in a restaurant, "Can I please have a glass of water right away?" There is no urgency, and a server in Wisconsin knows that. In the rest of the world the server might think, "A glass of water right away? Are you choking?" or "Right away? Why is your glass of water more urgent than anybody else's request"?
    01-25-2011: The term "to tree": usage "lemme borrow to tree bucks will ya? [short for "two or three"]
    05-25-2011: The "Is it?" response seems to be found mostly in areas around Little Chute. I've lived in 'Scansin my entire life, and in this area for three, and I have never heard it used anywhere else. Example: "Ya, we had dem guys all over to da house for da Packer game." Response, "Is it?".     Also, when people around here talk about the Twin Cities, they are referring to Neenah and Menasha.
    08-17-2011: Everyone from my family was born and raised in Wisconsin as far back as you can trace. All of currently reside in Wisconsin also. To be totally honest, I have never heard a single utterance from that website aside from bubbler. I do not know a single person from Wisconsin that says "da", "dem", or "der". Personally I think this website is an insult to Wisconsinites and makes us look extremely ignorant.
      See this "Webmaster's comment"
    10-07-2011: "Flicking the channel" term used instead of "changing the channel" with the remote. Could be a Wisconsin term or strictly Sheboygan, not sure!

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URL: http://www.folklib.net/history/scansin.shtml
Please send additions and/or corrections to Doug Henkle: henkle@pobox.com
P.O. Box 1447, Oshkosh, WI 54903-1447