Speech Components:

I belong to the Down East speech category, particularly southwestern Maine. People generally think of Mainers as having this awful speech pattern full of "ayuh" and "upta camp, bub!" Although this dialect exists all around me, I usually don't end my words with an "uh" sound. Fact: People from Maine cannot say words containing "oom." I don't say "boom" because it comes out weird. My roommate tells me that instead of "room," I say "rum," and I let out an "ayuh" every once in a while. This very moment, I was just picked on for saying "pupcorn."

Like a typical New Englander, I say very little about most things. It's not that we don't know what we're talking about, we just assume that by telling someone the key words, they'll get the rest.

Another thing: the word "wicked." If y'aint a Down Easta, don't botha tryin' t'use it deah, you'll sound wicked retahded. You need the right stresses. When used properly, "wicked" replaces the adverb "really"-- BUT, not in all cases. The most common case of "wicked" is used when describing really cold weather. "Holy smokes, it's wicked cold out, huh?" The other day, I heard a New Yorker declare that "wicked" was her new word and she completely butchered it. Furthermore, "She's wicked nice" is acceptable, whereas "She's wicked rude" is not.

Also, in Maine it's completely normal to just say "yep" and be done with your conversation. I can't tell you how many times at this school I've been given a look for only answering with one word. It's also hard for me to write long papers because my writing, like my speech, is so concise.

Here is a typical day:

The setting: the local minimart, in line, buying a hot cuppa joe and a whoopie pie.

The topic: the latest vehicle accident, how many points were on the last deer you killed, the outrageous price on the coffee (usually $1 for a large), or what kind of machinery you're trying to fix and sell.

The purpose: to catch up on the town's gossip. Everyone knows everything about everyone.

The key: Friendly chit-chat. What I love about home is that nobody is out to get each other. It's an extremely generous community, so there's hardly any conning, just friends catching up with each other. Very sincere.

The genre: small talk.

The responses, more small talk, are typical. It's hard to be inappropriate when people are so open that they treat all topics like casual conversation.

When referring to others, people use others' first names or their nicknames. Nobody says Mr. or Ms. or Mrs. People you don't know the names of would be referred to as something like, "Jeannie's daughter's boyfriend's kid," and people will know who you mean. The response would typically be, "Oh no ****, is that right? Huh!" It's nice how in my community, people aren't diminutive unless they're being completely honest. "The lady with the beard" isn't an insult, it's a description that people recognize.

A girl can be any age. A kid is anyone younger than yourself. To girls, a guy is a peer that you don't really know or respect. To a guy, a guy is a bud, or a guy. "Dude" does not exist.

Hard-working, honest men and women are respected the most. People with a ton of money, who don't help others, are usually somewhat rejected. Young kids are respected until they disrespect their elders. Hard-working teenagers are respected, whereas spoiled teenagers are the absolute worst. People will talk down to people who try to act like they should be from a better place... don't forget, everyone knows your secrets, so trying to be someone else isn't going to fly.

Overall, my community values hard work and honesty. The more you can live up to these things, the more people will say to you, and the more respect you will have.

I took the photo myself, I don't know how to cite it.