Whoopensocker Alert! Dictionary Highlights U.S. Dialects

Feb. 1, 2012 — -- intro: The Dictionary of American Regional English showcases the diverse dialects of different areas of the United States. From whoopensocker to juglum, these wacky words record the history of American lingo.

The project, a series of five volumes, began in 1962 when Frederic Cassidy, a professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was appointed editor of the first dictionary that highlighted the diversity of the American language.

The fifth and final volume will be published in March, 50 years after its inception. It will cover Sl through Z, from "slab" to "zydeco."

quicklist: 1url: title: Whoopensocker

text: Definition: Something extraordinary of its kind; a large or strong drink

Example: "After the day I had, I need a whoopensocker."

Region: Wisconsin

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quicklist: 2url: title: Upscuddle

text: Definition: A noisy quarrel

Example: "You caused quite an upscuddle yesterday when you insulted that man's mother."

Region: Southern Appalachian

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quicklist: 3url: title: Strubbly

text: Definition: Untidy, messy

Example: "You better clean out the garage before the guests get here. It's looking pretty strubbly."

Region: Pennsylvania German

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quicklist: 4url: title: Tolo

text: Definition: A dance to which women invite men

Example: "Who are you going to invite to the tolo tonight?"

Region: Washington state

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quicklist: 5url: title: Tump over

text: Definition: To knock something over

Example: "He was in such a rush, he tumped over the whole stack of papers."

Region: The South

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quicklist: 6url: title: Goozlum

text: Definition: A viscous food such as a sauce, gravy or pudding

Example: "Can you pass the goozlum for the potatoes?"

Region: Arizona

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quicklist: 7url: title: Flug

text: Definition: Dust or lint that collects in pockets, under beds and in similar places

Example: "There was so much flug under the couch, not even a mouse would go under there."

Region: Southern California, Kansas

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quicklist: 8url: title: Goozle

text: Definition: The throat as a whole, or specifically the gullet, windpipe or Adam's apple

Example: "I woke up with a sore goozle this morning."

Region: Gulf Region

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quicklist: 9url: title: Jugarum

text: Definition: The sound made by a frog

Example: "That frog and his jugarum kept me up all night."

Region: Northeast

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quicklist: 10url: title: Pinkletink

text: Definition: A young frog

Example: "I could hear the pinkletinks out in the swamp."

Region: Martha's Vineyard

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quicklist: 11url: title: Rumpelkammer

text: Definition: A storage closet or similar space in a house

Example: "Check in the rumpelkammer. I throw just about everything in there."

Region: Michigan

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