CURIOUS LINGO

What Is A Kattywampus? And 9 Other Unique Words Only Locals Will Get

Image: Joey Csunyo

Each state in the U.S. boasts its own distinct culture full of unique slang and expressions. From endearing monikers for their home state to cacophonous sounding words with no fixed meaning, there is no shortage of linguistic gems waiting to be discovered.

Below, we've compiled a collection of some of the most intriguing or whimsical words coined by Americans from various states, to their own delight and the confusion of their neighbors.

Image: Kathrine Coonjohn

Alaskans refer to long-time residents as "sourdoughs." This term comes from the extensive use of sourdough starter for baking bread in the state's early, isolated days. Frontiersmen would reportedly wear a pouch of starter around their neck to keep it from freezing. Now, it's a badge of honor denoting someone seasoned by the Alaskan lifestyle.

Image: Elijah Mears

"Welcome to Cackalacky!" might sound like a line straight out of Alice in Wonderland, but in North Carolina, it’s actually a playful nickname for the Tar Heel State. While some have claimed it is a derivative of a Cherokee word -as it often happens- its exact origin is unknown. In any case, it has long been embraced in music and popular culture, and it symbolizes local pride.

Image: Manisha Raghunath

Driving in New Jersey, you might encounter "jughandles," which are road configurations designed to make left turns by turning right first - seen from above as forming a shape akin to the handle of a jug. This peculiar traffic feature is ubiquitous in the Garden State but, for some reason, rare elsewhere.

Image: Intricate Explorer

A multipurpose exclamation of Scandinavian origin, "Uff da" is used in North Dakota to express surprise, exhaustion, or dismay. The versatile phrase showcases the area's extensive Nordic heritage. Amusingly, it has even been used to name various places and events, including an airport and several festivals.

Image: Joonyeop Baek

In New Mexico, ordering food often involves the question, "Red or green?" However, there's a third possible answer: "Christmas." This refers to the type of chile sauce you prefer: red, green, or both (Christmas). Considered by many as the "official state question," the answer can even reveal whether you are from the northern or southern part of the state.

Image: Kitera Dent

Residents of northern Nevada might warn you about "pogonip," a dangerously thick and icy fog. If you were thinking of dismissing the warning of locals and braving this legendary - but very real - weather phenomenon, just know that the word comes from the Shoshone language and literally means "white death." We are not taking any chances, but you do you.

Image: Chris King

In Tennessee, a "meat and three" is a beloved meal consisting of one meat and three side dishes. The term is thought to have originated in a Nashville cafeteria in the 30s where they served a similar version of the modern dish: a choice of meat and vegetables, plus bread, for only 25 cents. If you are curious, you can try this Southern culinary staple in most diners and restaurants across the state.

Image: Raychel Sanner

Oklahomans might ask, "J'eet?" when they want to know if you’ve eaten. This contraction of "Did you eat?" is common in casual conversation and reflects the region’s relaxed speech patterns. In a similar vein, "that skeeter ate you up" can be used to point out that a mosquito has made a feast out of you, biting you multiple times.

Image: Michael Denning

Contrary to what it suggests, in Rhode Island, the term "awful awful" refers to a delicious milkshake. The term is derived from "awful big and awful good," emphasizing the drink’s rich, creamy appeal. Though both the name and the beverage originated in New Jersey, the original trademark was bought by a local restaurant chain, and it soon became part of the local culture.

Image: Joshua Hubbard

If something is askew or out of order in South Dakota, it’s "kattywampus" (or alternatively "cattywampus"). This whimsical word can describe anything from a crooked picture frame to a disorganized room. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, this bizarre word is actually a variant of "catawampus," another slang word that traces back to the 19th century and can refer to an "imaginary fierce wild animal."

Healthy language

A peachy-keen article on fruity idioms! What’s your favorite?

You may not have a healthy diet, and fruit may not be part of your everyday intake, and that’s all right. We’re not here to judge! But we are here to tell you there’s an alternative way to enjoy fruit every day. Want to know what it is? It’s language. There are plenty of idioms that include fruit, and we’ve gathered a bunch of them for you to revisit here. Ready? Go bananas with this article!

Do you have a special someone? Maybe a person who brightens your day by simply looking at them. Well, that’s the apple of your eye. This expression means someone is very special to or cherished by you. The redness of the apple, ever connected to love and emotional connection, explains why this fruit was the chosen one for this idiom, right?

If you paid close attention to the intro here, we wish you had gone bananas on this article. And if you are a daily reader of our blog, you’ll know the kind of excitement this idiom refers to. You know when you get that email saying your article of the day is ready for you to tackle? Well, that’s the feeling! Excitement? That’s too plain. "Go bananas" describes it better!

As much as one tries to deny it, we’ve all been in a situation where jealousy takes over, right? Imagine being a sports person and losing a match, you could say, "Well, they won, but that’s just because they got lucky!" Is that real or sour grapes? In other words, are you being realistic or simply jealous? That’s what the sour grapes refer to.

You had a great week at your job, everything went right on track, and the cherry on top is that you got a trip plan for the weekend. The cherry, red and delicious as it looks and tastes, is the representation of the final touch that makes something great or even greater.

You’re on that trip that is the cherry on top of your exhausting week, and you went to a beautiful retreat. Can you imagine how you would feel? Is the expression "as cool as a cucumber" appropriate? It probably is, since this idiom refers to feeling calm and very relaxed. Why? Well, because the cucumber is quite a fresh fruit. Who hasn't used it to reduce the puffiness in the eyes?

In every group of any kind, there’s always that person who is always causing trouble, raising problems where there were none. Conflict follows them, and they spread it around. Maybe it’s not their intention, but it happens, and that’s what we call a bad apple. Those trouble-makers we love and hate at the same time. Do you know any?

Here is an example of this one, see if you can guess what it means: "Their plant to sneak out in the middle of the night went pear-shaped when the mother saw them." Imagine the embarrassment! But this expression is not about that exactly, but a way of saying things did not go as planned or that they went wrong. Did anything go pear-shaped for you today?

There are jobs… And jobs! Who wouldn’t like to be a librarian, arranging books in a quiet space surrounded by bookworms alike? Well, that may not be the case for you, but it sure is a plum job, which is an alternative way of saying that it’s a dream job or at least an easy and desirable one.

We mentioned the troublemaker earlier, but as soon as we can identify the one that takes on that role in every group, we can also point to the one who is a natural leader. Every single group has a top banana! Wait, what? Exactly, the top banana is that natural boss that stands out from the rest, thanks to their dominant personality.

There are many more, but let’s close this article with an easy, light-hearted one. What did you think of it? Hope you thought it was peachy keen, or, in other words, a great one! And let’s hope that these expressions help you get your daily fruit intake. See you in the next article!