Takk for sist is a Norwegian greeting that means “thanks for the last time,” which conveys the idea that the speaker is pleased to see the person again. Another Norwegian slang phrase translates literally as “to be in the middle of the butter’s eye,” meaning to be in the best possible spot. It alludes to a dab of butter that melts deliciously atop a popular rice pudding. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Norwegian Phrases”
You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it. I’m Grant Barrett.
And I’m Martha Barnette.
Norwegian. Let’s talk about Norwegian. We never talk about Norwegian.
We don’t, do we?
But let’s.
Okay.
We got an email from Zach Bressler, who’s originally from Omaha, Nebraska,
But he’s studying in Norway as a doctoral student,
And he’s picked up a lot of great Norwegian slang that I know you’re going to dig.
Yes, please.
One of the expressions translates as to be in the middle of the butter’s eye.
Be in the middle of the butter’s eye.
Butter as in the thing you spread on toast.
Mm—
Mm—
And it means to be in exactly the best possible spot.
And the idea there is that there’s a Norwegian rice pudding called rysgurt or something like that.
Mm—
And traditionally, you put a spoon of butter in the middle, and it slightly melts before serving.
It sounds just perfect.
But if you’re in the middle of the butter’s eye, you’re in exactly the right place.
So the hole melted by the spoon is the butter’s eye?
Mm—
Okay.
Nice.
Isn’t that just gorgeous?
And then this other one I really like is takforsist, which means thanks for the last time.
And it’s what you say to somebody you haven’t seen in a while, typically when you bump into them at a party or something similar.
Isn’t that an interesting greeting?
So just to say we’re now reconnecting and I remember you very fondly.
Yes.
We had such a wonderful occasion before.
Yes.
Thanks for the last time.
I mean, you can say it more casually than that, but what a great way to greet people, right?
What is it again?
Talkforzist or talkforzist, depending on the dialect.
Oh, right.
Yes.
Thanks for the last time.
How lovely is that?
Do you have more?
I do.
And I want to share it later in the show.
Saving it for later.
Oh, I got to wait.
We have listeners from all over the world, and we have listeners who are living in countries that they didn’t grow up in,
And they’re learning languages, and they’re learning slang and new words and local expressions,
And a lot of it’s wonderful and colorful.
That’s what we want to hear from you.
Share your colorful foreign expressions that you learned in the field with us, 877-929-9673,
Or email words@waywordradio.org, and you can talk to us on Twitter @wayword.
