Maine lingo (Bangor: how much, house, to buy)

[7th generation]

An oletimer goes to the lawyers and says he is having a dispute with his neighbor.
The lawyer asks him, "Do you have a grudge?"
"Ayuh," replies the farmer, " Got a 2 car garage."
"No you don't understand," says the lawyer, "Do you think you've got a case?"
"Nope ain't got a case, but do have a John Deer down behind the barn."

[RMoore007]

My mom would say, "Your father is in a cussed mood today". Pronounced cu-said.

My uncle said he was going down the rud, or road. And he had some work to do on the roof, like hoof.

Maybe they were just teasing us.

[RMoore007]

Originally Posted by RMoore007

My mom would say, "Your father is in a cussed mood today". Pronounced cu-said.

My uncle said he was going down the rud, or road. And he had some work to do on the roof, like hoof.

Maybe they were just teasing us.

You can hear roof both ways here:
Merriam-Webster Pronunciation
Merriam-Webster Pronunciation

Nevermind.

[Trailmonkey]

some goo-ud......

I have always appreciated the different accents, from piscatiquis county, down to the coast. Gerald Lewis used to live about half a mile from us in Garland, as a matter of fact, he taught English at my high school. The consummate guide to "how to talk Yankee" was written by Gerald many years ago, and if I am not mistaken, it was illustrated by our Maine humorist, Tim Sample, of later "Bert and I" fame. Click here for more info on that genre, started in the 50's. Click here for a taste of early Bert and I.

[LovingMaine]

Dooryard (a concept that didn't exist where I came from)

Down Cellar (where I came from it was a basement, and I went down to the basement.)

Shedder (soft shell lobstah)

Slickah (lobsterman's foul weather gear)

Skiddah (logging vehicle)

My favorite accent belongs to The Humble Farmer.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Moderate; Pronounced mod'-rit

I knew a guide from Belgrade some 60 years ago. When he had a low opinion of someone he described that person as "kinda moderate". Over time I came to learn that somebody who was "kinda moderate" was slow, lazy, bereft of any initiative, dim witted, shiftless, shifty, untrustworthy, unreliable, unprincipled and of questionable character. I think the word 'unprincipled' covers much of it.

gommy: awkward

jeezless: ineffective, unreliable, of poor quality (actually 'kinda moderate')

smooth as smelt: Something that went well

slicker than snot on a doorknob: even more slippery than WD-40. That ice in my dooryard was slicker than snot on a doorknob. You shoulda seen the dance I did just gettin to the truck.

snubbed: brought to an abrubt halt. "She sure snubbed him up some when he was looking at that redhead in the Hannaford's parking lot. It's like a dog chasing a cat when the dog forgets he's on a chain.

In Maine, the word "snubbed" has nothing to do with snobbishness.

How'm I doin' Fort Lauderdale mermaid?

[RMoore007]

When I grew up in Maine, everyone called me Rawja. Then I moved to Connecticut, and my name changed to Rajer. In California, it's just Roger. I kind of miss the northern Maine accents. Every year my folks would come to Cal. for the winters and they always brought the thick Maine accent with them. It would fade a little in a few months out here. But after a few weeks back home, you'd think they never left.

[umograd83]

How about Jeesum Rice? My aunt's Pennsylvania version was Judas Priest.

[island mermaid]

FANTASTIC! As usual you were reading my mind!

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

"You can't get there from here."

What a Mainiac tells you when your from Massachusetts and you stop to ask for directions.