Promise Land Colloqualisms

Promise Land Colloquialisms

The Promise Land has a distinct language of its own. Some of it came from the Scottish Highlands when our first ancestors arrived in the the 1700s. I remember when I started school, my teachers often corrected me on my pronunciation of certain words. Progressing to higher grades, I tried to speak their way; but at home, I spoke the dialect of my parents and grandparents. It seemed we Promise Landers could always be identified by our "Brogue".

When I am in the company of Promise Land people I hear again the dialect of our fathers. We converse in our home accent, using a vocabulary, which is becoming almost extinct now. It is an innate dance of words, which flow naturally and easily, as if we are honoring our father's gift of native tongue. We feel a renewed kinship to each other, and the words we say and hear bring memories of The Shangri-La of a distant time and place.

Funny, how the pronunciation of a word can bind us together. We hear the music and are home again.

A glossary of Carteret County terms, used prominently in the Promise Land. From Carteret Love Song, bye Gretchen Guthrie Guthrie:

Begomed ...Soiled with a sticky mess

Benambered...In a state of extreme confusion

Cam...Indicates no wind, but possibly a slight motion of the water

Dead slick cam...A stillness of the air plus a stoniness of the water

Druther...An alternative

Fegurry...A stir, a commition

Inkumstance...Not to be compared, like: your ailment "ain't" an inkumstance of mine.

It's time enough to go...This expression means the opposite of what it seems to say. Actually, it says: stay a while longer; it's too soon for you to leave

Jerald quiver right below the surface of the water. Jerry is used mostly when speaking about the movement of a school of fish (mullet) just before they surface and start jumping.

Mommick...at one time a good English word spelled "Hammock"; it is now obsolete but heard from descendant of the Promise Land, or whenever one finds a descendent of Shackleford Banks and vicinity. It means fragmented and that is exactly what those who use imply.

Merkle bush...Wax myrtle, bayberry

Nary...None

Nearly 'bout...A stressed affirmative

Not hardly...A stressed negative

Skimption...An nth of a degree, hair size

Lunched...Leaned in a certain way

Trampatic...Jun, of no value

Tratterpass or Patterbass...An unnecessarily repeated backward and forward traffice

Tukle...Turtle

Whopperjawed...Out of line, crooked

Wife...(Promouned with a long "I") Come from the word "voyage" and means a journey

Wadjit...A small amount

Yoot, Vut, Ut...Stop one's actions immediately! Used with a raised and pointed finger, and Promise Land children never mistook its meaning!

Youn'un, it's a killing my solid body...This expression is not to be taken literally. It is meant to indicate the intenseness of a situation and its effect on the whole person.

You're purtty (pretty), you are ...Not a complement: implied a dastardly deed, or being ill fit for the occasion

You're bright...Indicating someone is showing stupidity.

You're ugly...A complement on one attractiveness

Directly...A word used to let someone now that one has the intention of doing something, or going somewhere at one's chosen time. Such as: I'll be there directly.

Mary Magdalene...A woman considered to be of ill repute

I want you to_____...You've been doing something a lot and possibly a hint to not to continue a behavior, or act which irritating; Such as, I want you to wear this shorts! Or, I want youth pop that gum!

Go it ____...Imitating the behavior of someone in the neighborhood. Such as 'Go it Margaret', when one is making a bed and wants it to be perfect. (Margaret's beds were perfectly made).

You ain't ____...Not imitating the positive behavior of someone in the neighborhood. One is falling short of standards. Such as You ain't Margaret when it come to making a bed.

How's your crowd?...Iiquiring about the health or welfare of a family

Becky cut her hair... There is not much one can change or do about an act; you might as well accept it.

It is in the huckster's hands...The deal, results or completion of a deed has been finalized. One now has no power over the situation

You're as wild as a banker pony...Means it is time for you youn'uns to calm down