I've been told I have a heavy Northeastern accent almost everytime I open my mouth down here. You know, like the Kennedy's? I don't think so. In fact, I know some who have it way worse than I do up North, but down here with not as many examples to draw from, I'm it.
I think it's most usually noticeable when I say the word "car." I don't pronounce my r's in certain instances. It's too much work to do so so I just naturally say "cah" instead... or Mauk instead of Mark. In other instances when there is no "r" I seem to add it for good measure. For instance if a word ends in "a" I'll just sort of pronounce "ar" instead of just "a." Like agenda would be agendar. Stuff like that.
I was in the store checking out groceries the other day when the cashier asked me a question about donating coffee to overseas servicemen. I only replied in one sentence. It didin't involve the word "car or cah" but something about having a son in the Air Force. Maybe I unknowningly said "Aya" instead of "Air" or something because she picked right up on my accent. Usually people will say "so what part of the Northeast are you from?" One person even asked me what part of New York I was from. That's an insult to a "Maynuh." Good Grief. New Youk?
Anyhow, this particular cashier, after my one sentence without the word "cah," asked me what part of Maine I was from. She was good. Very perceptive. I showed surprise. Come to find out her mother graduated from the same H.S. I coached for before I left. Her growing up years were spent right around the same areas as where I was from.
I guess it takes one, to know one, they say. She said she can spot a fellow "Maynuh" a mile away.
So anyhow I'm about ready to go back and get another dose of Maine speak this week. I'm almost all packed.
I'm headed up North for a week starting tomorrow to be with all my Maniac friends and relatives. I leave Wednesday and am looking forward to my visit. I can't wait to pick some fresh blueberries on this trip.
Hopefully they will survive the trip back to the South.
A friend is loaning us her "cah" for the week. I can now say that "I pauked (parked) my cah on the tah (tar)" without being laughed at.