Yes, the “ope!” explainer that America needs right now. As a native of the upper Midwest, I use “ope” all the time. (But it’s not actually a Midwestern thing?!)
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Discussion 9 comments
I am a native Michigander and as far as I know I have never heard anyone make this sound.
BUT...am I just blocking it out due to hearing it constantly? Like not noticing my nose?
As someone who grew up in Ontario, Canada, I can attest that I often use “ope” and noone here would think it strange. I might use it if I just about bump into someone as in “oops”, or a gentle “watch out”.
We say it in Montana. I don't even think people realize how often they use it. Just little things like two people at the store trying to use the door at the same time. "Ope, just let me squeeze past you."
Grew up in the Chicago area, pretty certain if you said "ope" in public you'd be immediately outed as a cheesehead.
Weird. I grew up in Philly and don't recall every saying (or hearing) ope. Have lived in Chicago for more than 20 years and say it, and hear it, all the time. But not the exaggerated "ope" of the upper midwest (WI/MI/MN), more like the one the Way with Words investigation uncovered. I'm skeptical about the universality of it...
Can confirm that people are still not saying this in Philly (or South Jersey where I grew up). I don't know if that speaks to ope being non-universal, or Philly area residents not having an apologetic physical function of the body.
Hahaha
I'm from SC and I think I say this all the time. Never even realized it, or saw it written out. And now i'm wondering where I got it from?
I don't know when I picked it up, but I say it all the time and I'm a native Georgian (US). I've only ever lived in one other state and that's when I was in college in Pennsylvania.
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