Just what defines a Flatlander

jmen24 · 05-20-2010, 09:07 AM

Moxie, that is a Maniac thing. My wife is fifth generation Downeaster and they love the stuff. Personally I think it tastes like you bit your tongue.

Now I have never been called it so I cannot speak for how to take being called a flatlander, but I know from my point of view it is not said in a derogatory way. More of a "you ain't from around here, are you fella?" type of thing. I am sure that when I drive in Boston I get a similar label from the locals down there. It is similar to the Maine saying of "you can't get there from heya." You really can get there from heya, we are just not going to tell you how, you'll have to figure that out on your own.

There are however derogatory terms that exist, but they are more state specific and those quotes are the ones that truely describe the bad apples that most natives do not like to see coming down the street.

I could understand why someone would not want to be called out for not having the same "wood" smarts as say a local, but really that is all it boils down to. Maybe instead of studyin so much, you should have spent some time tippin cows and chasin chickens.

Anyway, I would not read into it anymore than face value. Some of our backgrounds are very different. Just think about what comes to your mind when you see someone walk into the store in front of you looking like they just crawled out from under the hen house.

05-20-2010, 09:07 AM	#11
jmen24 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,139 Thanks: 223 Thanked 319 Times in 181 Posts	Moxie, that is a Maniac thing. My wife is fifth generation Downeaster and they love the stuff. Personally I think it tastes like you bit your tongue. Now I have never been called it so I cannot speak for how to take being called a flatlander, but I know from my point of view it is not said in a derogatory way. More of a "you ain't from around here, are you fella?" type of thing. I am sure that when I drive in Boston I get a similar label from the locals down there. It is similar to the Maine saying of "you can't get there from heya." You really can get there from heya, we are just not going to tell you how, you'll have to figure that out on your own. There are however derogatory terms that exist, but they are more state specific and those quotes are the ones that truely describe the bad apples that most natives do not like to see coming down the street. I could understand why someone would not want to be called out for not having the same "wood" smarts as say a local, but really that is all it boils down to. Maybe instead of studyin so much, you should have spent some time tippin cows and chasin chickens. Anyway, I would not read into it anymore than face value. Some of our backgrounds are very different. Just think about what comes to your mind when you see someone walk into the store in front of you looking like they just crawled out from under the hen house.