31 More Days before I leave for Wisconsin and "The Lake"

OK. It's How to Talk Minnesotan...A Visitor's Guide By Howard Mohr. Today's lesson is about two different phrases used in the Minnesotan language. As you may recall...or if you can't so you may want to re-read some of my blogs....Lesson 1 covers the following phrases: You Bet (which I already covered a couple of blogs ago), That's Different and Whatever.

That's Different

That's different is indispensable in Minnesota. You bet is a blanket reply on neutral ground, with the mere suggestion of opinion. That's different is deployed in all other cases, except where whatever is called for (see below). That's different means you have an opinion, but you're holding back the details. Here are two Minnesotans discussing bullhead bait.

~ "I suppose you use night crawlers for bullheads?"

~ "You bet. Whadda you use?"

~ "Stink bait. I make it out of rotten hamburger and moldy cheese, with oatmeal for a binder."

~ "That's different."

If somebody shows you the Holstein paneling he covered his living room walls with, you say

~ "That's different."

If a new family moves in down the block and they've got four big dogs, six old cars, and three teenagers, you say

~ "They're different."

If you are dining with Minnesotans during your visit and they ask you if you like the Macaroni/Herring/Pinto Bean hotdish staring up at you from your plate, you might say

~ "You bet."

But probably you'd say

~ "That's different."

Whatever

Whatever expresses emotional turmoil of many varieties and takes over in Minnesota conversation whan you bet and that's different won't do the job.
Whatever can be used to express disappointment.

~ "Your work is good, Bud, we don't have any complaints, but we're gonna have to let you go. It's the economy."

~ "Whatever"

Or it can express resignation

~ "I've been an electrician for twenty years, but I tell you this house of yours is the worst I've seen. I'm surprised you didn't have real trouble long before now. I'm gonna have to replace all the wiring. It ain't gonna be cheap."

~ "Whatever"

If your wife tells you that her sister and brother-in-law are gonna come stay with you for a few months while they find themselves, you might say

~"You bet"

Or you might say

~"That's different"

But more likely you'd say

~"Whatever"


So ends Lesson 1 in How To Talk Minnesotan. Tomorrow, I'll go on to cover Lesson 2, where such phrases as, It could be worse, Not too bad, Not so bad, and Can't complain, are covered in this chapter aptly named The Power of the Negative. Do I find that this book is a fine source of information which may help many understand the fine nuances of the my Minnesota language? You bet. My children (progeny of two Minnesota natives who have been raised in a foriegn state...Arizona....That's Different) may finally truely understand their grandparents, their uncles and aunts, and their cousins, all natives of Minnesota, still living in Minnesota. They may even learn to understand their parents. But that may be asking too much. Whatever.