Shmay

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Shmay, a slang word used predominantly in New England, meaning 'whatever' or used as a filler in conversation. Other forms include 'shmii' the feminine form of the word. While the form and inflection is flexible, shmay is generally a positive word. It is not often used in place of an expletive or negative exclamation, but may be used in such a context if warranted by the user. The orgins of shmay are indeed mysterious. A common misconception is that a boy by the name of 'Duke' first used the word during a local play practice, but as the beginnings of the word were traced further, it seems a group of five individuals were most responsible for the proliferation of the word around New England. As the legend goes, the word was derived from the Nintendo series of videogames by the five, and adapted for common speech. Although the word is widely used in some communities of Connecticut, it has also been employed in Washington D. C., Virginia, New Hampshire, Washington state, and on the campuses of several colleges and universities, such as Connecticut College, where an outbreak of the word was reported in 2005.

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