Where in the world would you be likely to find sculch in your dooryard, or ask for just a dite of cream in your coffee? Martha has the answers in this minicast about some distinctive regional terms.
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Here's a linguistic puzzle for you.
Suppose you stopped by my home and said, "Martha, did you know there's sculch in your dooryard?" That's right, sculch in my dooryard.
So, in what part of the country would you expect to hear these terms?
The answer? We'd probably be in New England, and most likely Maine. There the word "sculch" means "trash." And in much of New England and part of New York State, you'll often hear people refer to the yard near a house as the dooryard.
Over the next few weeks, I want to talk with you about regional expressions like these. Terms that will be perfectly familiar to those who live in one part of the country, but mystifying — or even jarring — to those living somewhere else. Or, as they say in Maine, to someone who is "from away"— that is, anywhere other than their state.
Another word you'll find mainly in Maine is dite. It's spelled either D-I-T-E or D-I-G-H-T. In Maine, the word "dite" means "just a little, a smidge."
As in, "Oh, give me just a dite of butter," or "Move over just a dite, will you?" It appears the term "dite" comes from a Scots word that means the same thing, and derives in turn, from a Dutch word that means "a small coin."
Well, that's just a dite about some of the words you'll hear in New England, especially in Maine. We want to know what regional expressions you found jarring the first time you heard them. Email us at words@waywordradio.org.
By the way, if you want to hear some recordings of the distinctive Maine accent, check these out.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go clean out the sculch someone left in my dooryard.
Thank you for explaining the meaning of dooryard. Would that refer to the front yard and the back yard, or just the front yard? I moved to Maine about four years ago, and until today I thought dooryard was a puzzling Canadian expression. I never could get anyone to explain it to me. I've never heard anyone here in Aroostook County use the words "sculch" or "dite," however. My husband grew up here and he's never heard of them, either. As a person "from away," I am always eager to learn more about why the people here say certain things. Please keep the New England lingo coming!:smile:
I grew up in Maine and the expression I frequently heard was "culch" rather than "sculch".
I agree. I've heard culch all my life but I've never heard sculch. I sure would like to know where you guys (Grant and Martha) got it.
A few other little phrases and words:
I'll show him where the bear walked through the buckwheat. (Explain something that should be obvious.)
The County (The other name for Aroostook County)
'Sled (a snowmobile) You a-goin' out on your sled tonight?
Drive truck (It's a job. The speaker is a truck driver.)
Camp (a house on a lake, river, or in the woods. It might have power and plumbing or might be rustic and have no conveniences and an outhouse.)
Deer Meat (Those from away call it venison.)
Kangaroo (Poached, as in illegally shot, moose)
A couple of exchanges between me and my father.
How are you doing?
Still fogging a mirror.
What time is it?
I think it's springtime. (This was after he retired and took off his watch.)
Oh, and there is another that you cannot use in any way around polite society. When two men are working on a carpentry project or repairing a boat one may ask the other to cut the next piece a little longer. He will ask for it to be a c**t hair longer (or shorter). The other man may ask if he means a blonde one or a black one. Blonde is considered thinner.
I don't know where dad got this one but the few times he would cook supper for us he always told us he was going to make 'slumgullion'.