Take a Look at What This Tourism Website Considers “Maine Slang”
VisitMaine.net, an unofficial website (not run by the Maine Office of Tourism), has a pretty funny list of what it calls “Maine Slang.”
If you’re a tourist here in Vacationland, you might run into people using words like…
Ayuh – means yes, or at least acknowledgment from a Mainah.
Bah Hahbah – Bar Harbor pronounced by a Mainah – you see “er” is pronounced ah… “r’s” dont get a lot of love in Maine
Beans or the Beanah – LL Beans’ famous store – you go to Beans or the Beanah to get yourself some new Beanah boots… drop the LL to sound like a local
Bob Marley – a wicked funny Maine comedian and humorist, Maine loves him more than the grass smokin, peace pledging Jamaican of the same name
Cah – this is a car…
Camp – a Maine summer home, ski house or hunting lodge, you go Upta camp where there is no wee-fee, cell service, etc.
Chowdah – delicious Maine soup of white cream usually chock full of clams or lobster
Clammin – digging for mussels or clams
Cunnin – cute or adorable
Deah – a four legged animal with antlers – deer, smaller than a moose but still good huntin, fill ya freezah all wintah
Down East – by definition: heading up the Maine coast beyond Boothbay, not actually down geographically
Fay yah – a Fair or festival of farm animals, rides, craft and fried dough, The Fryeburg Fair for example. Fay yah’s are often held in the summah but some are in the fall
Flatlander – visitors from away, usually Massachusetts (aka: mass-holes)
4 Wheelah – an ATV with four wheels, a Maine toy in all season, best enjoyed muddin and 4wheelin upta camp
Lobstah – singular, plural, just leave off the R, and don’t ask why they aren’t red if they haven’t been cooked yet
Maahhden’s – The Maine salvage & surplus store – Mardens – where you find wicked good bahgains on a whole mess of stuff. One man’s factory reject is another man’s treasure. Stick around long enough and you too will soon be sing-in, “I should of bought it – when I saw it – at Maahden’s.”
Reny’s – same thing as Marden’s, and you can get Caahahts here too – everyone in Maine wears Carharts – their indestructible, flame retardant work pants, don’t ya know…
Snomachinin – going snowmobiling upta camp
Wicked – an exclamation – wicked good chowdah, wicked cold, wicked hot, wicked some awful weathah…
“You can’t get theya from heah” – a Mainer’s disinterest in providing you directions…
Agree with these? Most of ’em are pretty spot-on!
Check out the full list on the website here.