The Maine Lexicon

Maine has a distinct dialect and vocabulary that reflects Maine’s maritime heritage, rural character, and Yankee independence. The Maine accent—dropping Rs, flattening vowels, and adding “ayuh” to nearly everything—is instantly recognizable. But beyond the accent lies a whole vocabulary of words and phrases that can leave visitors scratching their heads.

This lexicon has roots in maritime English, French Canadian influence (especially in the north), and generations of isolation that allowed local terms to flourish. While the classic Maine accent is fading in southern, more suburban areas, you’ll still hear these terms throughout Maine—especially in fishing villages, farming communities, and anywhere people have lived for generations.

Common Phrases

• Ayuh: (eye-yuh) Yes. Often accompanied by a nod.
• From Away: Anyone not born in Maine. You could live here for 40 years, but you’re still “from away.”
• Dooryard: The area immediately outside your house (driveway/yard). “Park in the dooryard.”
• Wicked: Very. “Wicked good,” “Wicked cold.”
• Some: Very (similar to wicked). “Some good chowdah.”
• Cunnin’: Cute or endearing. “That baby is some cunnin’!”
• Finest Kind: The best. Used to describe anything excellent.

Places & Directions

• Camp: A vacation home, usually on a lake. It can range from a rustic shack to a mansion. “Going upta camp.”
• Upta: Going north (or sometimes just away from the coast). “Headed upta Moosehead.”
• Down East: The coastal region heading towards Canada (because you sail downwind from Boston to get there).
• The County: Aroostook County, Maine’s northernmost region.
• Downcellah: The basement.

Food & Drink

• Red Snapper: A bright red hot dog with a natural casing that “snaps” when you bite it.
• Needhams: A Maine candy made with potato, coconut, and chocolate.
• Whoopie Pie: Maine’s official state treat - two cake-like cookies with cream filling.
• Chowdah: Clam chowder (never with tomatoes).
• Scallop Drag: A boat used for scallop fishing (also called a dragger).

Weather & Nature

• Nor’easter: A powerful coastal storm coming from the northeast.
• Mud Season: The fifth season between winter and spring when dirt roads become impassable.
• Black Flies: Tiny biting insects that swarm in May and June.
• The Big Lake: Sebago Lake.

Maritime & Fishing

• Sternman: The person who assists a lobsterman on a boat.
• Pot: A lobster trap (never call it a “cage”).
• Peapod: A traditional wooden rowboat.
• Bug: Slang for lobster.

Other Essentials

• Flatlander: Someone from out of state (mildly derogatory).
• Rusticator: A summer visitor or vacationer.
• Dinner Pail: A lunch box.
• Frappe: A milkshake (rhymes with “cap”).
• Selectman: A member of a town’s governing board.
• Town Meeting: The annual gathering where residents vote on budgets and policies.
• Road Agent: The person responsible for maintaining town roads.

Working & Daily Life

• Stove up: Sore, injured, or generally worn out. “I’m all stove up from hauling traps.”
• Hardscrabble: Difficult, especially referring to land or living conditions.
• Woodchuck: Someone from rural inland Maine (as opposed to coastal).
• Puckerbush: Dense brush or undergrowth.
• Dooryard sale: A yard sale or garage sale.

Expressions & Responses

• You bet: Absolutely, yes.
• Fair to middlin’: Okay, average, nothing special.
• Can’t get there from here: A legendary response to requests for directions, implying the route is too complicated to explain.
• Keep your shirt on: Be patient.
• Dry as a bone: Very thirsty, or describing drought conditions.
• Thick as thieves: Very close friends.

Regional Variations

The Maine dialect varies significantly by region:

• Downeast: The strongest accent, with distinctive vowel sounds and dropped Rs. “Lobstah” and “ayuh” reign supreme.
• The County (Aroostook): French Canadian influence adds unique pronunciations and occasional French words.
• Western Mountains: More neutral accent, blending with New Hampshire influences.
• Greater Portland: Increasingly neutral as transplants dilute the traditional accent.

Using the Lexicon

A few tips for visitors:

• Don’t try too hard: Forcing an accent or using terms incorrectly will mark you as a tourist faster than anything.
• Listen first: Spend time in local diners, general stores, and harbors. You’ll pick up the rhythm naturally.
• Embrace “from away”: It’s not an insult—it’s a statement of fact. Mainers respect people who acknowledge their outsider status honestly.

Understanding Maine vocabulary is part of understanding Maine culture. These words carry history—of fishing, farming, and surviving in a place where winters are long and self-reliance is essential.

The Changing Language

Like all living languages, Maine dialect continues to evolve. Some terms that were common a generation ago are fading as industries change and populations shift. The waterfront vocabulary persists longest where fishing remains active; the farming terms survive in communities that still work the land.

Meanwhile, new terms emerge. “Leaf peepers” for foliage tourists wasn’t always in the vocabulary. The language adapts to describe new realities while preserving the core expressions that define Maine identity.

Learning More

For those truly interested in Maine dialect and vocabulary:

• “How to Talk Yankee” by Gerald Lewis and Tim Sample: A humorous but accurate guide to New England speech patterns
• Maine Folklife Center (Orono): Academic resources on Maine dialect and oral history
• Local Diners and General Stores: The best classroom for hearing authentic Maine speech in action

The Value of Understanding

Knowing a few Maine terms does more than help you understand directions. It signals respect for local culture and opens conversations with people who might otherwise remain guarded around obvious tourists. When you correctly use “dooryard” instead of “driveway” or nod knowingly when someone says “finest kind,” you’re demonstrating that you’ve taken time to learn something about where you are.

You’ll never pass as a native—and shouldn’t try to—but understanding the vocabulary helps you appreciate the place more fully. Every “ayuh” you hear carries generations of Yankee reticence and dry humor. Every “from away” acknowledges the boundary between those who were born here and those who chose to come. The language tells the story of the place, if you know how to listen.