“Please tell me,” I inquired, “where Mr. G.’s house is.”
“It’s the last hayoose in tayoon; a big hayoose,” answered the boy.
The other “Yankee” peculiarity is dropping the letter r. School-children said ’osses for horses. Buttah was said for butter, and Hemmingford sounded like Emmenfauld. A woman spoke of a certain Mr. Halbut. I had thought that his name was Wiseman. Yes; Mr. Halbut (Albert) Wiseman.
Comin’ I heard for coming; they used to say shay-house for chaise-house; and I am told that in Norfolk they say du and tu for do and to.
The carpenter’s wife said, “The bread is silly,” meaning heavy.
A spinney is a grove.
Laboring men call a lunch a dockey; and in another neighborhood a beaver.
Said an innkeeper, “The people come to flit them,”—to help them move.
Frequently “I dare say” becomes dessay, or I’d say.