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Laura F. Spira
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 3:11 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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John Dean wrote:
| Quote: | Jim Lawton wrote:
On Sat, 05 Nov 2005 13:54:47 GMT, Bob <bob@dont.spam.me> wrote:
On Sat, 05 Nov 2005 13:30:39 +0000, JF wrote:
X-No-Archive: yes
I was sent a joke this morning that depends on misunderstood
English by people from rural Minnesota. Are those from Minnesota
the butt of such jokes in America? In England the joke could be
rejigged to make Irishmen the fall (sic) guys.
.. clip the jokes (sic) ...
Those sound like jokes one college would make about a rival college.
The jokes can't be made generic since they depend not on a general
misunderstanding of English as a language but a confusion over
accents (and a presumed level of cluelessness). That is supposed to
be a Swedish accent the Minnesotans speak with. There is a large
population of Sweedish descent in the area.
See "Fargo".
Fargo, North Dakota?
|
Is there another? My friend's daughter, a Nebraskan, was living there at
the time the film was released. She was surprised that none of the
natives with whom she viewed it seemed the slightest bit upset by the
unflattering portrayal and found it highly entertaining.
--
Laura
(emulate St. George for email)
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sage
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 3:13 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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Maria Conlon wrote:
| Quote: | John Dean wrote:
Jim Lawton wrote:
Bob wrote, in part:
The jokes can't be made generic since they depend not on a general
misunderstanding of English as a language but a confusion over
accents (and a presumed level of cluelessness). That is supposed to
be a Swedish accent the Minnesotans speak with. There is a large
population of Sweedish descent in the area.
See "Fargo".
Fargo, North Dakota?
Bob may have been referring to the movie "Fargo." But either way, Fargo
ND is just across the state line (border) from Minnesota. I think Duluth
(Minnesota) and Superior (Wisconsin) are close neighbors. And then
there's Detroit (Michigan) and Windsor (Ontario, Canada).
Erm, 'scuse moi: What does the last sentence have to do with owt? |
Cheers, Sage |
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sage
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 3:22 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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Pat Durkin wrote:
| Quote: | "Tony Cooper" <tony_cooper213@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:f7fpm1t3eaevrd7igrdjcg3gcf28e81qli@4ax.com...
On Sat, 5 Nov 2005 13:30:39 +0000, JF <jf@NOSPAMmarage.demon.co.uk
wrote:
X-No-Archive: yes
I was sent a joke this morning that depends on misunderstood English
by
people from rural Minnesota. Are those from Minnesota the butt of such
jokes in America? In England the joke could be rejigged to make
Irishmen
the fall (sic) guys.
Could be? The Irish version has been around as long as the joke.
See: http://www.head-space.org/colours/threads_1.html
or joke #2 at: http://www.lotsofjokes.com/cat_109.htm
I think the reason that your version is based on the Minnesota accent
is that Garrison Keillor used the joke on his "Prarie Home Companion"
radio show. The show, from Minnesota Public Radio, revolves around
characters and towns in Minnesota.
(Snip)
Wisconsin has a goodly number of
Swedes, Norwegians, Danes and Finns. (I don't really know if the Finns
are considered Scandinavian, though.)
(Snip) |
In reply to Pat Durkin's post (your signature and stuff disappeared):
Generally, in my experience, they consider themselves Nordic rather than
Scandinavian.
Cheers, Sage
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Pat Durkin
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 4:33 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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"sage" <sage@allstream.net> wrote in message
news:dv8bf.1611$hW.220@tor-nn1...
| Quote: | Pat Durkin wrote:
"Tony Cooper" <tony_cooper213@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:f7fpm1t3eaevrd7igrdjcg3gcf28e81qli@4ax.com...
On Sat, 5 Nov 2005 13:30:39 +0000, JF <jf@NOSPAMmarage.demon.co.uk
I was sent a joke this morning that depends on misunderstood English
by
people from rural Minnesota. Are those from Minnesota the butt of
such
jokes in America? In England the joke could be rejigged to make
Irishmen
the fall (sic) guys.
(Snip)
Wisconsin has a goodly number of
Swedes, Norwegians, Danes and Finns. (I don't really know if the
Finns are considered Scandinavian, though.)
(Snip)
In reply to Pat Durkin's post (your signature and stuff disappeared):
Generally, in my experience, they consider themselves Nordic rather
than Scandinavian.
|
The Finns? I wonder about the Danes. I suppose the Baltic Sea makes
some difference in terms of separation. The Norwegians I know frequently
refer to themselves as Norskies, or as Scandihoovians.
Now, my niece married a Lithuanian, (I think the lad is first generation
US), and he is definitely Nordic in appearance. I don't know how the
Lithuanians compare (or regard themselves) in comparison with the Letts
or Estonians, or even Western Russians. |
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Pat Durkin
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 4:33 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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"ray o'hara" <roh@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:-bydncXTEbjJY_HeRVn-qg@comcast.com...
| Quote: |
"Pat Durkin" <durk183@sbcglobal.com> wrote in message
news:Bm5bf.13017$tV6.4106@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net...
jerry_friedman@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1131207331.095390.293660@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
Pat Durkin wrote:
...
My niece, raised in Minnesota, told me she didn't mind all the
jokes
about stupid Minnesotans told by Wisconsinites, because the
Minnesotan's
butt is Iowans. So help me, I can't think of a funny thing about
Iowans, and they are our neighbors, too.
Why does the University of Iowa football stadium have artificial
turf?
So the cheerleaders won't graze.
No, please, hold your applause.
Jerry Friedman heard that one from a Minnesotan.
Well, that is funny! The only thing I can remember hearing about
Iowa
that even verges on humor is that sometime in March, they celebrate
"National Pig Day". I suppose one of their congressmen got a
resolution
passed to make it a national day. But when I talked about it to one
of
my cousins in Iowa, he looked insulted. And not only does he live in
Ames, but he is in some research program for the US Dept. of
Agriculture. He's got to know about pigs, right?
Are you sure you're not confusing Iowa with North Carolina.
|
Fairly sure. I know about pigs in NC, of course, after all their waste
products flooded out of holding ponds with the heavy rains from some
hurricane or other. What a mess that had to be.
Haven't given a thought to pig populations. Was it "State Fair" that
dealt with a huge pig? In one story it was a Texas swine, but I think
the original "State Fair"--the play--was not about Texas. could be
corrected, though.
Iowa is the tall corn state, a feeder/fattener location for a lot of
cattle and pigs. They say that on some lovely summer nights if you are
really, really listening, you can hear the corn grow. (Just thought I'd
throw that in. I recalled it during the discussion about the growth
rate of Bermuda and some other grass.) |
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Wood Avens
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 4:39 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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On Sat, 05 Nov 2005 17:41:41 GMT, "Pat Durkin" <durk183@sbcglobal.com>
wrote:
| Quote: |
"JF" <jf@NOSPAMmarage.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:nM$GyMBGgObDFwL0@marage.demon.co.uk...
In England they were Rastus and Annabel. As you say, they seem to have
died out.
Annabel: (Doing crossword) Rastus -- who were the first men
to fly the Atlantic?
Rastus: Alcock and Browne.
Annabel: You sure is, honey. But that don't help me none with
my crossword.
Rastus I recall. Maybe my girl was Liza.
I remember her as Saphira, or something like that. |
--
Katy Jennison
spamtrap: remove the first two letters after the @ |
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Ted Schuerzinger
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 5:04 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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Somebody claiming to be "jerry_friedman@yahoo.com"
<jerry_friedman@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:1131207331.095390.293660@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:
| Quote: | Pat Durkin wrote:
...
My niece, raised in Minnesota, told me she didn't mind all the jokes
about stupid Minnesotans told by Wisconsinites, because the
Minnesotan's butt is Iowans. So help me, I can't think of a funny
thing about Iowans, and they are our neighbors, too.
Why does the University of Iowa football stadium have artificial
turf?
So the cheerleaders won't graze.
|
Why doesn't Iowa have a professional football team?
Because then Minnesohhhhhhhhhhhta would want one, too. :-)
(At least, that's the joke I hear from the Packer fans on the football
boards I visit.)
--
Ted <fedya at bestweb dot net>
Oh Marge, anyone can miss Canada, all tucked away down there....
--Homer Simpson |
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Raymond S. Wise
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 5:20 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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JF wrote:
| Quote: | X-No-Archive: yes
I was sent a joke this morning that depends on misunderstood English by
people from rural Minnesota. Are those from Minnesota the butt of such
jokes in America? In England the joke could be rejigged to make Irishmen
the fall (sic) guys.
|
[snip example jokes]
They're regional, limited to Minnesota and perhaps to other states of
the Upper Midwest. They're commonly referred to as "Ole and Lena
jokes."
They're a variation on the members-of-the-dumb-ethnic-group joke such
as the Polack joke in the US or the Belgian jokes in France. When Isaac
Asimov chose to tell such jokes in one of his books about humor, he
chose the fictional nationality "Ruritanian."
They're also a variation on the "rube" joke, with some jokes based upon
the rube's adventures in the big city (with Ole and Lena jokes, usually
Minneapolis).
They can still be told among polite company, unlike Polack jokes. But I
haven't heard all that many in the three decades I've been up here. A
friend had a book containing collected Ole and Lena jokes, published in
the '70s.
--
Raymond S. Wise
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
E-mail: mplsray @ yahoo . com |
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Raymond S. Wise
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 5:36 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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Raymond S. Wise wrote:
| Quote: | JF wrote:
X-No-Archive: yes
I was sent a joke this morning that depends on misunderstood English by
people from rural Minnesota. Are those from Minnesota the butt of such
jokes in America? In England the joke could be rejigged to make Irishmen
the fall (sic) guys.
[snip example jokes]
James Follett.
They're regional, limited to Minnesota and perhaps to other states of
the Upper Midwest. They're commonly referred to as "Ole and Lena
jokes."
They're a variation on the members-of-the-dumb-ethnic-group joke such
as the Polack joke in the US or the Belgian jokes in France. When Isaac
Asimov chose to tell such jokes in one of his books about humor, he
chose the fictional nationality "Ruritanian."
|
Ole and Lena's ethnic group is Swedish, but I had to look it up to make
sure. Ordinarily I think of "Ole and Lena jokes" as examples of
"Scandihoovian jokes." (Where, I wonder, did that humorous version of
"Scandinavian" come from?)
| Quote: |
They're also a variation on the "rube" joke, with some jokes based upon
the rube's adventures in the big city (with Ole and Lena jokes, usually
Minneapolis).
They can still be told among polite company, unlike Polack jokes. But I
haven't heard all that many in the three decades I've been up here. A
friend had a book containing collected Ole and Lena jokes, published in
the '70s.
|
That is, the book was published in the '70s and my friend *owned* a
copy. She had nothing to do with writing or publishing it!
--
Raymond S. Wise
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
E-mail: mplsray @ yahoo . com |
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TakenEvent
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 5:44 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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"JF" <jf@NOSPAMmarage.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:TZxbXjA$PLbDFw8d@marage.demon.co.uk...
| Quote: | X-No-Archive: yes
I was sent a joke this morning that depends on misunderstood English by
people from rural Minnesota. Are those from Minnesota the butt of such
jokes in America? In England the joke could be rejigged to make Irishmen
the fall (sic) guys.
snip
|
The Minnesotans are the ones who come up with the Sven + Ole jokes. |
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Tony Cooper
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 6:03 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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On 5 Nov 2005 14:20:30 -0800, "Raymond S. Wise" <mplsray@my-deja.com>
wrote:
| Quote: | They're regional, limited to Minnesota and perhaps to other states of
the Upper Midwest. They're commonly referred to as "Ole and Lena
jokes."
They're a variation on the members-of-the-dumb-ethnic-group joke such
as the Polack joke in the US or the Belgian jokes in France. When Isaac
Asimov chose to tell such jokes in one of his books about humor, he
chose the fictional nationality "Ruritanian."
They're also a variation on the "rube" joke, with some jokes based upon
the rube's adventures in the big city (with Ole and Lena jokes, usually
Minneapolis).
They can still be told among polite company, unlike Polack jokes. But I
haven't heard all that many in the three decades I've been up here. A
friend had a book containing collected Ole and Lena jokes, published in
the '70s.
|
Then there's the traveling salesman jokes. It was always a rainy
night, the salesman knocks on a farmer's door and asks to spend the
night, the farmer agrees but says he only has two bedrooms and the
salesman must sleep with the farmer's daughter. From that standard
set-up, I must have heard over a hundred jokes developed.
I liked jokes better before we had the internet. There were people
who seemed to always know a new joke and were good at telling them.
Some people were good at dialect jokes, some with shaggy dog stories,
and some could just fire off one joke after another.
Now, jokes go around the world with the speed of light and you can't
tell a joke that most people haven't read in e-mail.
How ya doin', Skitt?
--
Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL |
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Mark Brader
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 7:21 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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Jim Lawton:
John Dean:
| Quote: | Fargo, North Dakota?
|
The movie. For those who haven't seen it, most of the movie "Fargo"
takes place around Brainerd, Minnesota; but there is an early scene
in Fargo. Yes, North Dakota.
Laura Spira:
The usual answer for US place names applies: there are several others,
but none of any size.
| Quote: | My friend's daughter... was surprised that none of the natives
with whom she viewed it seemed the slightest bit upset by the
unflattering portrayal and found it highly entertaining.
|
I'm surprised that Laura saw anything as unflattering.
--
Mark Brader | "Of course, if you only see one movie this year,
msb@vex.net | you're in the wrong newsgroup."
Toronto | --Chris Pierson, rec.arts.movies.past-films |
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Rick Wotnaz
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 7:39 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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msb@vex.net (Mark Brader) wrote in
news:11mqj4pv7t2tdc@corp.supernews.com:
| Quote: | Jim Lawton:
See "Fargo".
John Dean:
Fargo, North Dakota?
The movie. For those who haven't seen it, most of the movie
"Fargo" takes place around Brainerd, Minnesota; but there is an
early scene in Fargo. Yes, North Dakota.
Laura Spira:
Is there another?
The usual answer for US place names applies: there are several
others, but none of any size.
My friend's daughter... was surprised that none of the natives
with whom she viewed it seemed the slightest bit upset by the
unflattering portrayal and found it highly entertaining.
I'm surprised that Laura saw anything as unflattering.
|
Because of a confluence of forces outside human ken, I found myself
watching the end of "Fargo" just today. On the whole, the local
citizens are only figures of fun in two ways: in their overuse of
"yeah"(or "ja" or however it would be spelled), and in their bland
outward demeanor intended, I think, to suggest naivete or innocence
rather than slowness of thought. There is a sort of straightforward
passive comic value in a deadpan delivery. The kidnappers -- who
were obviously not from around there -- supplied the active
buffoonery.
My favorite line, delivered by Francis McDormand as she drives
through a white-on-white winter snowscape: "And it's a beautiful
day...." It's a plausible line for her character, and by extension
for those who live there in the land of 10,000 lakes.
--
rzed |
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Jeffrey Turner
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 7:40 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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Raymond S. Wise wrote:
| Quote: |
Ole and Lena's ethnic group is Swedish, but I had to look it up to make
sure. Ordinarily I think of "Ole and Lena jokes" as examples of
"Scandihoovian jokes." (Where, I wonder, did that humorous version of
"Scandinavian" come from?)
|
IIRC, Tim Conway.
--Jeff
--
When people are fanatically dedicated
to political or religious faiths or any
other kind of dogmas or goals, it's
always because these dogmas or goals
are in doubt. -Robert T. Pirsig |
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Weatherlawyer
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 7:46 am
Post subject: Re: Why Minnesota? |
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sage wrote:
| Quote: |
Erm, 'scuse moi: What does the last sentence have to do with owt?
If yer dowent take dem owt der chokers 'ill never fly. |
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