How Well Do You Know Midwestern Lingo?

Midwest folk call the living area in the front of the house the "front room." It's pronounced "frunchroom" ... especially in the greater Chicagoland area. This assimilation came from a long line of Eastern European accents.

Those from the Midwest know that pretty much everything can be described as awesome. If you are not excited about something, you can use the word "awesome" in a sarcastic manner, and your point will be made.

This phrase is usually used in Minnesota, but it has been spreading across the northern states in the Midwest. It really doesn't have a meaning, even though it's similar to "don't you know?" It is simply placed at the end of a sentence to show emphasis.

It works to get your point across, without having to swear for no apparent reason at all. While many think that this is a Minnesota exclamation, it can be heard across the Midwest, and it is generally used by someone who is trying to watch their mouth.

This pronunciation is usually reserved for people who were born and raised in Chicago. The large Eastern European heritage within the city has helped create this accent over generations.

This one is a really specific regional salutation. As a fair warning, if you are traveling through Wisconsin this summer, you should know that this is said rather quickly, and it's a little impolite to reply with "what?"

If you are in the rural areas of Illinois, you will most likely have to ask for directions at some point. If there is a traffic light in the area, it is generally known as "the light." Different parts of the Midwest have different names for traffic lights, but in Illinois, it's always the light.

Rural areas are also known as "the boonies." Those who live in bigger towns in the Midwest aren't afraid to make fun of those who live in the middle of nowhere. As a matter of fact, it seems like a favorite pastime for some.

Even the people in the Midwest know that this is simply wrong - unless you're from Minnesota. If you're from Minnesota, everyone else is completely wrong - they're simply crazy to think that a goose is around.

If you want to get somewhere fast in the Midwest, you will probably be taking the expressway. This term is generally reserved for people who live in small towns that are about 50 miles from the city, because the highways (or expressways) get you to the cities the fastest (even with all the traffic).

There are other regions of the country that call a car accident an "accident"; however, most will say "wreck." Another Midwest term for an accident is a "fender bender," but that is reserved for small accidents.

If your light bill gets over $150 per month, you're probably spending too much time on your computer. Although the electric bill covers everything electrical in your home, it is simply known as the light bill in the Midwest.

If you're questioning why someone would need to heat hot water, you are probably from one of the coasts (or it has been way too long since you've been back home). Perhaps if it were called the hot water "maker," more people would understand.

While the word "you" probably shouldn't have an S at the end, it is a common thing when you're traveling through Wisconsin or the northern parts of Illinois. Maybe grammar just doesn't matter there.

This one goes way back to when people didn't wear high heels with jeans. It was a time when those pretty shoes were reserved for when you wore a pretty dress ... which was maybe twice a year (if you didn't dress up for church).

The hotter the hotdish, the more love the cook put into it (obviously). These dishes are generally made with condensed cream of mushroom soup and a variety of things you might think are gross.

People in the Midwest are very concerned with whether or not people are hungry. A customary practice is to always offer food to guests who enter your home. It's important to know if they ate, so you can figure out how much food to give them (because even if they've eaten, you still are going to serve them something).

Between "uh oh" and "oops" lies the Midwest "ope!" This term is a great way to tell people that you are sorry for being so absent-minded and that you will do your best to watch yourself in the future.

Pop ... it's called a pop. Pepsi, Coke, Dr. Pepper ... it's all pop to us. Do the right thing, and if a Midwesterner calls a "soda" (or whatever you call it) a pop, don't make fun of them. It's not nice.

Oh for schnockered! You are inebriated beyond all recognition, and it's probably time to go home. Another way to say this is "schnookered," but depending on the region, there is only one right way (and it is one of these terms).

There are a lot of four-way stop signs in Wisconsin, and they are accompanied by a red flashing light. On the other hand, traffic lights have red, yellow and green lights; therefore, they are "stop and go lights." ("Stop, go and yield lights" would be a little too long.)

This is a shortened way of saying "you bet your butt" ... except not butt. It's simply a way to say yes (or yes, please) in a very enthusiastic way. You betcha we're from the Midwest!

No, it doesn't make bubbles, but "bubbler" sounds lovely. There's an urban legend that the term actually originates from branding by the Kohler company that produces drinking fountains, but there's no truth to it.

This one is clearly reserved for people who live in the southern Midwestern states, but it can be used by those in the northern Midwestern states, as many of them go to Canada to get their fishing, hunting and camping fixes.

In yet another way to avoid taking the Lord's name in vain, Midwesterners like to avoid calling for Jesus by saying "Jeez." It's a way to show that you're mad (or surprised or amazed) without going all the way.

In some areas of the Midwest, sneakers are also known as tennis shoes. However, for the majority of the region, gym shoes are for the gym, and that's what they are called (even if they're worn everywhere).

While we all know the nasty definition for "cornhole," some people immediately think of a game of bags when you say this term. You know, the game where you try to throw beanbags into a hole in a platform? It's a fun game.

If you ask for directions in the Midwest, you may find yourself a little confused. You'll probably hear something like this: "Oh, this time of day? Jeez ... that's about 30, 40 minutes away" ... however, this distance is actually very accurate.

While most fish fries are held around the time of Lent, in the Midwest many smaller towns and VFW halls will have Friday night fish fries year round. It's a great way to get people out of the house and eating deep-fried foods.

While you can buy cheese curds pretty much everywhere these days, in the coastal and southern regions of this country, they are usually called "fried cheese curds." However, in the Midwest, you know if you see cheese curds on a menu, they're deep fried, and if they are in a bag, they're "raw."

You may have only guessed this one if you've rolled through a small town in Wisconsin or Minnesota. The great thing about supper clubs in the Midwest is that you don't need a membership to eat there.

If you were born in the Midwest or you lived there at least four years, you know fireflies by no other name than lightning bugs. This is probably because they light up the skies in swarms in the Midwest.

"Isch" is a great way to exclaim that you are totally grossed out in the Midwest. You may also hear a Midwesterner say that something is "nasty," but they won't be referring to a person when they say this (as they do in other regions and in rap songs).

Depending on which part of the Midwest you're in, you may also hear "That is too pricy for me," or "Who can afford that?" These are great ways for Midwestern consumers to express their disgust about pricing.

This term is mostly used in Indiana and Ohio. When someone tells you to sweep, you may have to ask for clarification. However, it's generally known that you sweep a hard floor with a broom and you sweep a carpet with a vacuum.