Say what? 10 Iowa sayings & slang, explained

Each state has its own vernacular. Here’s a guide to sayings and slang that are uniquely Iowan.

Residents in each state have their own unique way of speaking. While it can sometimes be confusing, it’s also part of what gives each part of this country its charm.

If you’re from Iowa, the list below will sound familiar as you’ve likely uttered some of these phrases. Perhaps you had a grandmother who said “youse guys” instead of “you guys” when referring to the group, or I “warshed” the dishes instead of “washed.” Yeah, no. (translation: no) And sack (instead of bag) are likely part of your way of talking that you didn’t even realize signaled you were from Iowa. Whelp (another good Iowa word), read on for our guide to more of the sayings and slang that are uniquely Iowan. 

10 Iowa sayings & slang words

1. Knee High by the 4th of July 

This is a personal favorite that I remember reciting on long car rides across the state as a child. This expression is decades old and refers to how tall farmers could expect their corn crops to be by midsummer. Nowadays, the corn is typically much taller than knee-high by the 4th of July, but the saying still hangs around like corn sweat at the end of a sticky hot Iowa summer. 

A corn field in Iowa. (Kelcy Gatson/Unsplash)

2. RAGBRAI

Acronyms abound in our world, and Iowa has one special long one that is all its own. RAGBRAI stands for the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. This ride—where bikers dip their back bike tire in the Missouri River and their front bike tire in the Mississippi River after following a specific route across the state for seven days during a humid Iowa summer—has been happening in the state since 1973. The acronym is so popular that not only do people all around the country know what RAGBRAI is, but some Iowans don’t even know the long version of what it stands for. 

Cyclists riding across Iowa during RAGBRAI. (Len Radin/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

3. Ope! 

While we can’t claim this is exclusive to Iowa, you’ll definitely hear Iowans say it (and say it frequently). It’s our way of saying sorry, or excuse me, or oops. It’s a versatile way of expressing your feelings when there’s a whoops. 

4. Pop

Again, this is not just an Iowa way of speaking, but when you are ordering a caffeinated, carbonated beverage in the state (and most of the Midwest, in fact) you call it a pop. Not a soda, or a Coke. In Iowa, we drink pop. State your favorite flavor if you’d like, but they are all in the pop category.

In Iowa, this is not called “soda.” (Curated Lifestyle/Unsplash)

5. Maid-rite

Others might call it a sloppy joe or a loose meat sandwich. Here in Iowa we call it a maid-rite. It’s a dish that originated in Iowa back in the 1920s and was so named because it was a sandwich “made right”. Ever since, Iowans have been devouring maid-rites, whether at the namesake diner-style restaurants or whipping up their own versions at home. 

A sign outside of a Maid-Rite in Toledo, Iowa. (David Wilson/ CC BY 2.0)

6. Davenport

Yes, it’s a city in Iowa, but davenport is also what many Iowans (perhaps particularly older generations) called the fancy sofa or couch. One Iowan recalled growing up that the davenport was in the fancy sitting room and you best not lay down on it to take a nap. It was simply too proper for that. 

7. Squinnies

They are undeniably cute, why not give them an adorable nickname to match? Squinnies is a term for ground squirrels, used particularly around the Des Moines area and western Iowa (this writer from Eastern Iowa had never heard it, in fact!) No one recalls how they got this nickname, but somehow it stuck for what is officially called the 13-lined ground squirrel (named for the alternating solid and dashed lines running down its back). They’ve also been called grinnies, streakers, and liners among other names, but squinnies pops up most often. 

A so-called “squinny” chowing down on a walnut. (Caleb Martin/Unsplash)

8. Padidle

Maybe other states play this game too, but Iowans (especially those growing up in the 80s and 90s) played padidle anytime you were in the car with friends. The official definition, according to the “Words with Friends” Social dictionary, is “an exclamation shouted in a game by the first of a group of people who spots a motor vehicle with only one working headlight, this person being entitled variously to hit the others.” Playfully punching each other in the arm definitely livens up an evening car ride. 

9. ANF

Another acronym makes this list. This one stands for America Needs Farmers. ANF was put on University of Iowa football player helmets back in 1985 during the 1980s farm crisis. Now you can find it on t-shirts, hats, bumper stickers and more as Iowans still show their support for farmers. 

10. Scotcheroo 

If you haven’t had a scotcheroo, stop what you are doing and try one stat. These peanut butter rice krispie treats topped with butterscotchy-chocolate are one of the state’s signature desserts. Friends argue about who makes the best batch (I’m always game to taste test). You’ll find them at pretty much any potluck you attend, and you’ll be glad for it. 

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.