Outer Banks Talk
What does “hoi toide” mean?
“Better move your boat—it’s almost hoi toide.”
What is high tide?
What does “tote” mean?
“Can you help me tote this basket to the porch?”
What is to carry?
What does “chauld” mean?
“I was so chauld when I dropped my lunch tray.”
What is embarrassed?
What does “buggy” mean in the grocery store?
“Go grab a buggy, we need to get groceries.”
What is a shopping cart?
What does “bless your heart” mean?
“Bless your heart, you tried your best.”
What is a kind or pitying remark?
What is a “dingbatter”?
“That new family must be dingbatters—they don’t know the ferry schedule.”
What is an outsider or visitor?
What is a “whistle pig”?
“Look, there’s a whistle pig in the garden again!”
What is a groundhog?
What does “on the swamp” mean?
“We’re havin’ a cookout on the swamp tonight.”
What is in the neighborhood?
What does “full as a tick” mean?
“After that big dinner, I’m full as a tick.”
What is very full after eating?
What does “over yonder” mean?
“The dog ran over yonder, near the barn.”
What is over there/a short distance away?
What does “yethy” mean?
“That old fish bucket smells yethy—take it outside!”
What is smelly or musty?
What does “sigogglin” describe?
“That fence is all sigogglin! Straighten it up.”
What is something crooked?
What is a “nicket”?
“Add just a nicket of salt to the greens.”
What is a small amount?
What does “gullywasher” mean?
“We had to cancel the picnic after that gullywasher left the field soggy for days.”
What is a heavy rainstorm?
What does “won’t no count” mean?
“That flashlight won’t no count once the batteries died.”
What is useless or not good?
What does “lick” mean?
“He didn’t do a lick of cleaning before company came.”
What is a small amount or none at all?
What does “reckon” mean?
“I reckon we’ll get snow tonight.”
What is to suppose or think?
What does “bes” mean?
“She bes working at the store every Saturday.”
What is is/are(habitual)?
What does “too big for your britches” mean?
“Ever since he won that contest, he’s been too big for his britches.”
What is overly confident or bossy?
What does “feelin’ puny” mean?
“She didn’t come to school ‘cause she was feelin’ puny this mornin’.”
What is feeling sick or not well?
What does “nary” mean?
“There wasn’t nary a fish in the bucket after hours of waiting.”
What is not a single one / none ?
What is a “tow sack”?
“Put the apples in that tow sack, will ya?”
What is a burlap sack?
What does “cuttin’ up” mean in Lumbee talk?
“Those kids were cuttin’ up so much, they got sent out of class!”
What is acting silly or misbehaving?
What does “blowin’ up a storm” mean?
“She was blowin’ up a storm when she saw the mess in the kitchen!”
What is getting angry quickly?
What does “rurnt” mean?
“That milk's rurnt—smells awful!”
What is spoiled or ruined?