FARGO — For Minnesotans and North Dakotans of Scandinavian heritage, “uff da” is a one-size-fits-all reaction to a number of situations. You might utter it when the chill of the cold north wind catches you off guard, while sitting down after a long day or when receiving disappointing news.
And even if you don’t say it, you’ve probably seen it on mugs, clothing or dishtowels in a local gift shop, often accompanied by Scandinavian motifs like gnomes, vikings or the floral patterns of rosemaling. But what does the phrase mean?
ADVERTISEMENT
According to Bruce Maylath, professor emeritus of English at North Dakota State University: “It doesn’t mean much.”
The phrase has its roots in Norway and Sweden, Maylath said. “Da” means “then” and “oof” is an exclamation.
“It’s like saying ‘oh sure,’ so it doesn’t mean much, but it all depends on how you say it and what the context is,” he said.
The phrase was carried to the Upper Midwest by Norwegian and Swedish immigrants who settled in the area.
“That phrase just naturally came out of the mouths of the immigrants, and it’s gained a foothold,” Maylath said. “People do just utter it naturally, but it’s also become this sign or signal of Norwegian or Swedish ancestry.”
Norwegians and Swedes in Scandinavia also still say “uff da” today. In nearby Denmark, the Danes do not say “uff da,” but there is no clear reason why, Maylath said.
When used in the American Midwest, “uff da” tends to signal disappointment or be used in a negative context, he said. But in Norway and Sweden, the phrase is used in positive and negative contexts.
ADVERTISEMENT
Isolation is the main driver for changes in language, Maylath said, which could be geographic, economic, political and social isolation. In the case of “uff da,” the isolation of Scandinavian immigrants from their country of origin has morphed the meaning of the phrase.
As for why the phrase has stuck around through the generations, Maylath said repetition and reinforcement are to blame.
“The phrase ‘uff da’ is spoken often enough here that it gets heard, it gets repeated — it’s reinforced that way,” he said.
If the phrase were to fall out of favor with a younger generation, it could be replaced with a different exclamation, he said. The same could happen if a lot more people moved to the region from elsewhere.
In Norway and Sweden, the phrase is spelled “uff da,” with a space between the words, Maylath said. Other spellings used in the United States, like “oof da” or “oofda,” are based on phonetics.
“What marketers are trying to do here is to make clear to outsiders that it’s a more rounded sound,” he said.
While Swedes and Norwegians also say “uff da,” you probably won’t find it in a gift shop in either country.
ADVERTISEMENT
“You see it emblazoned on T-shirts and mugs here because it signals local identity, this local Scandinavian identity,” Maylath said. “But you know, Swedes and Norwegians already know who they are — they don’t need it plastered on T-shirts and mugs.”