Maine

[WesleyJohn]

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[hiz_child]

I've lived in Maine all my life and I have never had a lobster or a clam or anything of the such. I like haddock, but that is it. I love being in maine, but not for the seafood. I love the strongly defined seasons. I love to listen to the quiet of the forest during a snow storm, when the only sound is the slight tick, tick of falling snow. I love the quiet life. I love the quirks that mainers have.

 

[KristiXP]

I've lived in Maine all my life and I have never had a lobster or a clam or anything of the such. I like haddock, but that is it. I love being in maine, but not for the seafood. I love the strongly defined seasons. I love to listen to the quiet of the forest during a snow storm, when the only sound is the slight tick, tick of falling snow. I love the quiet life. I love the quirks that mainers have.

That there is probably the best part about Maine. If you love and appreciate the outdoors, then Maine is one of the best places to be. I live in the Newport area, (central Maine) and it's not too bad here. I've lived in Maine all my life and so far have lived in the same house. I live on a dairy farm so I had a really fun and adventerous childhood.

Sorry I'm rambling Go north, if you want all wilderness all the time, or stay south for the best jobs and pay and travel north for vacations.

Maine is a good state! It's just cold and snowy right now!

 

[burrow_owl]

I love the strongly defined seasons.

That's just what I wanted to hear. The only thing that makes me a little apprehensive is the diminutive size of Portland - I visited it two years ago when I was starting to scout places for my next move, and it's absolutely gorgeous, but the only thing that maybe concerns me would be a lack of cultural institutions like orchestras, good music clubs, museums, stuff like that. That won't stop me from moving there, but it's still something I wonder about.

It's just cold and snowy right now!

Perfect. I've started to really enjoy cold weather - Makes me wonder if the milkman was Norwegian. ;-)

 

[WesleyJohn]

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[Kyndler]

I live in Lewiston.........not that anyone would really want to admit that Its nice here in the summer but getting too cold for my blood. And the snow!! I think we met the quota for a few years worth

 

[WesleyJohn]

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[burrow_owl]

thanks, Wesley - I'll be checking out the orchestra web site. I gotta say, I'm SO excited to move there - I've always been a huge fan of New England (went to school in RI, and got hooked), and after a few years of NYC, i'm dying to get back there - Maine just seems like the natural progression, it being the most new england-y of the states.

If you wouldn't mind, I'm sure I'll have more queries on Maine as my move-date approaches (if I can get a summer law associate job there, i'll move in May)....yup.

 

[WesleyJohn]

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[RaptureTicketHolder]

I lived on the military base in Cutler, Maine just outside of Machias for several years. I never EVER want to go back.

 

[KristiXP]

I lived on the military base in Cutler, Maine just outside of Machias for several years. I never EVER want to go back.

Awwww why not?

 

[RaptureTicketHolder]

Horrible, rotten place. It was fishbowl living, two hours from a mall and a movie theater. No pizza delivery and no where to go but into the world of black flies and stinky shoreline or wooded walks. I didnt think I would ever hear the word car spoken correctly again!

No, I dont want to go back there. I was always told that portland was better, but downeast holds no special place for me.

 

[WesleyJohn]

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[KristiXP]

Horrible, rotten place. It was fishbowl living, two hours from a mall and a movie theater. No pizza delivery and no where to go but into the world of black flies and stinky shoreline or wooded walks. I didnt think I would ever hear the word car spoken correctly again!

No, I dont want to go back there. I was always told that portland was better, but downeast holds no special place for me.

What, you don't wanna go for a ride in the cah?

 

[hiz_child]

WooHoo. You all ready to get buried in snow again!!!? Looks like a great pattern to start the winter with. And to think that it is technically still fall.

 

[burrow_owl]

having been subjected to the incredibly grating Providence accent for a couple o' years, I'm rather looking forward to the Maine accent (or is that 'rahhthah looking forward to....'?).

 

[MsDe]

WooHoo. You all ready to get buried in snow again!!!? Looks like a great pattern to start the winter with. And to think that it is technically still fall.

Yeaaaah baaaay beeee!!! I love this stuff!!! The only bad part about this storm is hubby has an appointment this afternoon to get his free glucose monitor/meter/finger sticker thingie. Other than that, let it snow let it snow let it snow!!! There's another storm on the heels of this one. The last weather report says it'll start Wednesday night.

 

[MsDe]

having been subjected to the incredibly grating Providence accent for a couple o' years, I'm rather looking forward to the Maine accent (or is that 'rahhthah looking forward to....'?).

LOL! I find I spell things the way I'd say 'em <--- yep, right there is one

I found an article on about.com on the different nuances of talkin' like a Mainah; for the full article click here.

The key is to relax your jaw. Say "Mainer." Notice the tension in your jaw and how it opens only slightly. Now say "Mainah," letting your lower jaw drop on the "ah" paht (er, I mean "part"). Practice saying it in an exaggerated manner to get the feel. Now you're ready for the rules of Mainespeak.

1. Words that end in "er" are pronounced "ah." Mainer = Mainah. Car = Cah. Mother and Father = Muthah and Fathah. Water = Watah. You get the drift.
   
2. Conversely, words that end in "a" are sometimes, but not always, pronounced "er." California becomes Californier. Idea becomes idear. Yoga becomes Yoger.
   
3. Drop the "g" in "ing." Stopping and starting = stoppin' and startin', or more correctly, stoppin' and stahtin'.
   
4. Broaden a and e sounds. Calf becomes cahf. Bath becomes bahth. Can't becomes cahn't.
   
5. Drag out some one-syllable words into two syllables. There becomes they-uh. Here becomes hee-ah.

Getting the accent down is not all there is to speaking like a Mainah. You also need to learn some Maine lingo. Here are a few of my favorite Maine words or phrases. I'd love to hear some of yours.

Apiece: An undetermined distance: He lives down the road apiece.

Ayuh: Yup. Sure. Okay. That's right. You Bet.

Bug: Lobster

Cah: A four wheel vehicle, not a truck.

Chowdah: Chowder

Crittah: Any furry animal

Cunnin': Cute

Finest Kind: The very best

From Away: Not from Maine

Gawmy: Awkward or clumsy

Numb: Dumb. Stupid.

Pot: Lobster Trap

Prayer Handle: Knee

Quahog: Thick-shelled clam (pronounced co-hog)

Scrid:A tiny piece

Steamers:Clams Wicked: Very. To a high degree, such as wicked good, wicked bad, wicked exciting, etc.

Maine Humorist Tim Sample has some sound clips available on his website.

 

[KristiXP]

having been subjected to the incredibly grating Providence accent for a couple o' years, I'm rather looking forward to the Maine accent (or is that 'rahhthah looking forward to....'?).

Oh my word! You have no idea how much of a Mainah my brother in law is! It's so funny listenin' to him talk!

 

[KristiXP]

Yeaaaah baaaay beeee!!! I love this stuff!!! The only bad part about this storm is hubby has an appointment this afternoon to get his free glucose monitor/meter/finger sticker thingie. Other than that, let it snow let it snow let it snow!!! There's another storm on the heels of this one. The last weather report says it'll start Wednesday night.

Start Wednesday night? That stinks, I have my last night class on Wednesday