eastspeak
"Eastern
Shore Speak"
phrases
from that area of Maryland and Virginia
-
ALL THE GO - Fashionable
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CARRY - To escort someone to a function
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CALM - Rhymes with "Sam". It means water free from agitation.
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CHIN WIRES - Hairs of the chin of elderly women.
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EAST POWDER - Baking powder used to make biscuits.
-
EATING HIS WHITE BREAD - Indicates a time in a child's life when his
problems are relatively simple and his material needs are being taken care
of by others.
-
HAD A BAD GO - Suffered misfortune, as in, "That was the year I had
a bad go; I broke my arm."
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HAVING A SMOTHER - Taking an alcoholic drink.
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"HE'S JUST BREATH AND BRITCHES" - Describing a person who is thin.
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HORSE HOPPER - What residents of Tangier Island call a praying mantis.
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"I BE DIE" - An oath.
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LIKE TO - Almost, as in, "I like to fainted."
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LOT OF NURSES - White caps, as in, "There are a lot of nurses on the
bay."
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OWN COUSIN - First cousin
-
PURCHASE - Ability to loosen or unscrew a lid. "I don't have enough
purchase to open it."
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PUS GUTTED - An overweight man, especially one with a large stomach.
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TAUT AS A TICK - Feeling of fullness after a big meal.
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TOUGH AS A BOILED OWL - Inedible meat.
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THOUGHT LIKE LIT - A false assumption.
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THROUGH THE RUBS - A period of hard luck.
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UGLY ENOUGH TO STOP AN EIGHT-DAY CLOCK - Epitome of ugliness.
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UPIZOOTIK - Corruption of the word "epizootic", a medical term for an
animal disease outbreak, comparable to an epidemic among humans. (Note:
Whereas the proper pronunciation of "epizootic" is "ep-i-zo-AHT-ic", Eastern
Shore residents pronounce *their* word as "up-i-ZOO-tic").
-
WHOLE NOTHER - Entirely different, as in, "What she told was a whole
nother story."
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LOOKING GLASS - Mirror
-
ZINC - Sink
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TOTE or PAPER SACK - Paper Bag
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TWO SHAKES OF A LAMB'S TAIL - In a minute
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ONE SHAKE OF A LAMB'S LIVER - In a minute
Thanks to Shari Handley for sharing this fun and hopefully helpful
information.
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