Wrote This in April, 2010, but never posted (just found it in Drafts folder)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Take a fit (V. phrase)

Definition: to yield to impulse.

Usages:

“I took a fit to buy me a beagle pup. They’re supposed to be good with kids.”

“Is he?”

“Oh yes, wouldn’t bite a biscuit.”

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Lumper’s helper (characterization)

Usage:

Since a lumper does absolutely mindless stevedore work, a lumper’s helper would hardly be a fountainhead of erudition. In fact, he’d probably be number than a pounded thumb: “wouldn’t know enough to pour water out of a boot - with the directions stamped on the heel.”

A lumper’s helper might be number’n a hake, but since he does accomplish something in the way of physical labor, he is a cut above a zero.

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Glom (Adj. or V.) (spelled ‘cruise’)

Definition: to grasp

Usage:

“Get your great. glomming paws out of that peanut butter fudge. Your sister might want a dite, you know.”

Or:

“When Edwin saw those brand new work gloves going for fifty cents at the auction, he glommed right onto the whole lot of them. Nobody else got a single pair.”

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word (the Thursday Edition)

Word: Croose (V.) (spelled ‘cruise’)

Definition: to inspect forest acreage

Usage:

This is normally done, however, by a timber croozer (spelled ‘cruiser’).

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday's Word

Word: Yahn (V.) yarn

Definition: to haul or drag - usually connotes futility.

Usage:

“I had to yahn that trailer all around the camping area three times before Mother found a place she’d let me park it.”

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Unthaw (V.)

Definition: to thaw

Usage:

When something is taken out of the freezer to get ready for dinner later, it is taken out to unthaw. (Though to un-thaw something would actually be to freeze it as you would be taking it from a thawed state)

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Take a fit (V. phrase)

Definition: to yield to impulse.

Usages:

“I took a fit to buy me a beagle pup. They’re supposed to be good with kids.”

“Is he?”

“Oh yes, wouldn’t bit a biscuit.”

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Supper (N.)

Definition: End of the day meal.

Usages:

Get this straight. You eat breakfast in the morning, dinner at noon, and supper in the evening. Lunch is something you carry along with you in your dinner bucket.

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Were (V.)

Definition: To talk like a native, you may use this as a singular verb.

Usages:

“I weren’t going to the Harmony Fair this year, but the old man drove me.” (forced me)

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Sport (N.)

Definition: hunting or fishing client.

Usages:

“You know, a guide’s got to have a lot of patience. I had a sport last week who was so numb he was trying to throw out flies with a bait casting rod.”

“That ain’t nawthin’. I had one trolling with a surf casting outfit that would land a whale.”

“We’re lucky they’re not all that bad”

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Gorby (N.)

Definition: Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis - “meat bird,” “moose bird,” “whiskey jack,” “camp thief,” etc.)

This large, soot-colored, ungainly bird is the panhandler of the northern forests. Absolutely fearless, the jay will perch upon the muzzle of a hunter’s gun if it thinks it can con the man out of a bite of the sandwich in his pocket.

photo from naturetales.blogspot.com

Old legend held that gorbies represent the transmirgrated souls of dead woodsmen, thus acccounting for their familiarity with man.

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Foolish (Adj.)

Definition: dull witted

Usages:

“Them foolish newcomers left a whole slew of high stumps where they cut on my line. My cow got tangled up in them and ripped her bag, and it cost me twenty-five dollars to have her doctored.”

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Garb up (V. phrase)

Definition: to get dressed

Usages:

“You had better garb up good and warm. They’re calling for fifteen below with winds gusting to twenty-five.”

“Colder’n a moose yard.”

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Street, over street, down street (Adj. phrase)

Definition: in town

Usage:

“Where’s Kathy?”
“She went over street to get some medicine, but she should be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Baster (N.) pronounced with a long ‘a’

Definition: anything of considerable size; also, masculine term of endearment

Usages:

“George got himself a old baster, didn’t he?”

“I guess. That deer dressed out at two-thirty-five.”

Or:

“Jim, you old baster, where you been all spring?”

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Rig (N.)

Definition: Unusual device, outfit, or person

Usages:

Jerry-built contrivance: “What of a rig is that you got for a fan belt on your tractor?”

“Well, the regular one busted and I made up one out of a piece of harness. Guess I can piece along with it till I get a new one.”

Or bizarre attire: “You can’t imagine what rigs they wear down in the city. I see one feller with a long black cloak, gum rubbers, a coonskin hat--and ear rings!”

Or an outlandish person: “That Peter is an awful rig. He’s taking out them two Williams sisters, and I hear they both got a bun in the oven.”

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Slimpsy (Adj.)

Definition: Sleazy, of poor quality, cheap

Usage:

“She was braggin’ up that bargain coat she got at the lawn sale, but wan’t that slimpsy goods?”

“Ayuh. Think I saw that coat in Martha’s sale last year.”

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Words

Word: Scrid (N.)

Definition: Tiny portion, see also “dite” (below)

Usage:

“Want a little more of this roobub pie?”
“Well, I might take just a scrid, thank you.”

Bonus Word!

Word: Dite (N.)

Definition: Small amount; can be same as "scrid" (see above), but can also indicate lateral or vertical measurement

Usage:

“Move that jack a dite to the left if you want it under the shackle pin.”

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Old man and old woman (Adj phrase.)

Note: Always preface these expressions with the article, as “The old man Brown,” or “The old woman Pinkham.”

Usage:

“How’d you find the old man Scribner this morning?”
“He wintered out pretty good. Says he’s goin’ back into sheep if he can find a good Hampshire ram.”

“Ayuh, they say sheep’s the comin’ thing now.”

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)

Wednesday’s Word

Word: Cap’n (N.)

Definition: Captain (form of address)

Along the coast, one who has assumed command command of even the most modest of craft is politely referred to as “Cap’n.” Sometimes no previous position of authority at all is necessary and a person can be thus greeted merely as a friendly form of address. SImilarly, “Cap” or “Cappy” are used, though informally. “Cap’n” itself is the Yankee equivalent of the Kentucky Colonel.

(Definition from: “How To Talk Yankee”, by Gerald Lewis & Tim Sample, copyright 1979, 1986 by The Thorndike Press; copyright 1989 by the First North Country Press)