Uff da


Uff da is a Scandinavian exclamation or interjection used to express dismay, typically upon hearing bad news.
Of Norwegian origin, the phrase was brought to the United States by Scandinavian Americans specifically to the Upper Midwest, New England, and Pacific Northwest regions of the United States during the 19th century, where its meaning was broadened to express also surprise, astonishment, exhaustion, or relief.

Danish and Norwegian usage

In Danish and Norwegian language, uf or uff is a mild and polite vernacular interjection used when something is unpleasant, uncomfortable, hurtful, annoying, sad, or irritating. The word is an onomatopoeia corresponding to English oof, Dutch oef and German uff. Other similar interjections exist in Danish, e.g. uha or føj, and Norwegian, e.g. huff. Uff da may be used in Norwegian as a response when hearing something lamentable, and can be translated as "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that". Da is derived from Old Norse þá meaning 'then' in this context ; both da and English then are derived from Proto-Germanic *þan. The Swedish exclamations ojdå and usch då are similar in meaning, with Swedish då corresponding to Norwegian da. Uff is a Swedish word with the same meaning as the Norwegian word, it is documented in writing from 1770.

North American usage

Uff da is a marker of Scandinavian heritage, predominantly heard in the upper Midwest, which has a significant population with Scandinavian roots. It also is used throughout the Pacific Northwest, particularly in the Washington city of Stanwood and the Seattle neighborhood of Ballard. Its variety of meanings let it substitute for common obscenities. Within Scandinavian-American culture, uff da frequently translates to "I am overwhelmed", somewhat similar to the Yiddish phrase oy vey.
It has also been applied to places and events, such as:
"Oofta" has been used as a pejorative verb, noun and adjective that was originated by Black jazz musicians in the first half of the 20th century. Having "oofta" implied that a Black performer or group was playing to appease white audiences. Ossie Davis admitted to documentarian Ken Burns in 2000 that some musicians had labeled the immensely popular Louis Armstrong as "oofta."
[file:Louis Armstrong in Color (restored).jpg|thumb|Louis Armstrong]
According to Burns, Davis later regretted this sentiment as he came to hold Armstrong in the highest esteem. In the 2014 film Dear White People, one character says another is an "oofta," saying he "modulates his blackness, up or down, depending on the crowd and what he wants from them."