Uffda
interj. \ oof \ – \ da \
This is what Dad says—with a heave of a sigh, after a long, brain-bruising day at work—when he settles into the La-Z-Boy recliner, beer in one hand, remote in the other. Or when Grandma makes a critical error cross-stitching a cat onto a throw pillow. Or when Aunt Susan walks into the bathroom after it was mistreated by Uncle Pete. When the Twins flub an easy out or when 494 is jammed with standstill traffic, thousands of voices call out “Uff Da!” together. It implies exhaustion, frustration, confusion, surprise, and mild repulsion. A G-rated, corn-fed, quilt-patterned, Scandinavian-flavored oath that could double as a sound effect in a comic book. You’ll find the expression printed on coffee mugs and ill-fitting T-shirts sold at rural convenience stores. And probably tattooed onto the pale, hairy shoulder of someone annihilating a foot-long corn dog at the State Fair.
