How to Talk Minnesotan

Even beyond "uff-da," "you betcha" and "oh, fer cute," Minnesotans have a distinct way of speaking. Many of us have an accent; we have particular idioms; we don't believe in soda because, well, pop, duh; but we love a tater-tot hotdish with lots of creamy mystery soups. You don't have to hail from Minnesota. Eventually, some of the state's strange turns of phrase wriggle their way into your own personal lexicon.

And there's no one who is as well steeped in the proper way to "talk Minnesotan" than writer Howard Mohr. His observations are witty, while his wit is acerbic. Just as he warns you about the "long Minnesota goodbye" - a phenomenon in which it takes a minimum of 36 hours to bid your friends adieu because there are always bars to eat and the local news to watch - allow us to issue a warning of our own: If you start watching this right now, you will not want to stop. You will snort out loud in messy laughter. And you will crave a plateful of almighty hotdish. Godspeed, friends. Godspeed.