Tips for the east-coaster trying to adapt to the Northwest, installation one:
A dictionary of some Northwest words and phrases:
PERCOLATE ("PUR-cuh-late") verb: contemplate, or brainstorm about, as in: "let that thought percolate for awhile." Coffee is not a beverage for northwesterns; coffee is a way of life and of relating to one's thoughts.
SEXY ("SEX-ee") adjective: An expression of approval, such as "cool," "awesome," or "neat." Used most commonly as a modification for things that cannot (to the eastern mind) be sexy; ie: "Whoa, can you read that paragraph again? That sentence was sexy!" or "What a sexy bench this is!"
TRUE THAT! ("TROO THAT") complete sentence: An expression of agreement: a shortened version of something like, "I find what you are saying to be true, and I agree." Use "True That!" in place of such expressions as, "Yeah!" or "I know!" or the popular Northeast expression, "I know, RIGHT?"
TWEEK ("TWEEK") verb: The state of being very hyper, caffeinated, or excessively stressed; akin to "freaking out." This word has gained more national recognition through the advent of the character "Tweek" on "South Park." Example of usage: "Dude, I've had a LOT of coffee today, and I'm tweeking."
Next installment: make your own Northwest accent, with your instructor, Helena Thomas, featuring the music of Pearl Jam! In future installments: Rain Can Be Fun! and How Not To Look Like a Stupid Tourist When It's Obvious That 90% of The People Around You, As Well As Yourself, Are Pretty Close To Exactly That.
Love,
~Helena*