If you’ve spent any real time in Maine, you’ve probably heard a few phrases that you’ve never heard anywhere else. If you’ve got grandparents who lived their whole lives in Maine, there’s a good chance you had access to learning an entire foreign language growing up. Mainers have their own language and here are just a few Maine sayings you’ll want to be able to decipher while you’re here.

1. "All stove to hell!"
Vetatur Fumare / Flickr
You might hear this Maine phrase if you hit a moose in Rangeley and someone's talking about it: "He hit a moose and how the cah's all stove to hell!"
2. "Tighter than the bark on a tree!"
iamshinji / Flickr
You might say this if you're locked out of your house. "Nope, can't get it - that door is locked tighter than the bark on a tree!"
3. "He grew up in the county!"
usfwsnortheast / Flickr
We have 16 counties in Maine, but only one can go without an actual name. Here, if you simply say "The County," everyone will know you're talking about the one and only Aroostook County.
4. "Ayuh!"
ancienthistory / Flickr
Some people think this simply means "yes." But, we think this is just a general acknowledgment.

"I heard it's gonna snow 6 inches tonight."

"Ayuh!"
5. "Those folks are definitely flatlandahs!"
criminalintent / Flickr
If you see a bunch of people eating lobster in bibs, while donning "Maine" sweatshirts they're probably "flatlandahs" - tourists who are just passing through.
6. ...or, you might hear them referred to as being "from away."
dave-monk / Flickr
This means the same thing, but it is used a bit more often. If you're not born in Maine, you'll always be "from away." Even after living here for 50 years.
7. "Well, aren't you cunnin!"
brad_frost / Flickr
In some states, the word "cunning" might mean smart, but in Maine, we drop the "g" and use it for things like adorable puppies.
8. "It's darker 'an the inside of my pocket!"
danmoyle / Flickr
You might say this when someone asks you to get something out of the car in the middle of the night when you're at camp.
9. "What do you think you're doing ya dubbah!?"
its_nessen / Flickr
A dubbah is easily confused and not all that smart. You wouldn't want a dubbah to be in charge of anything important. Like bringing the beer up to camp for the weekend!
10. "Send the kids downcellah'!"
simpleinsomnia / Flickr
Downcellah is where we keep things like snowshoes, old furniture... and kids parties!
11. "They live way out in the willywacks!"
navybluestripes / Flickr
And, after you hear this someone might say "Yeah! Can't get there from heah!"
12. "Mmm, pick me up a frappe at Giffahds!"
justinrussell / Flickr
This Maine delicacy is slightly different than the milkshake you might find in another state. Here it's ice cream, milk and chocolate syrup blended together. And it's delicious!
13. "When he caught that fish, you shoulda seen his face - happier than a clam at high tide!"
canopic / Flickr
There might not be scientific evidence that clams are happier during high tide, but this is one of our favorites! And, if you live in Maine there's a good chance you're happier than a clam at high tide!

Isn’t it cool how many Maine sayings there are? It’s so interesting that every state has its own specific lexicon that makes traveling all the more exciting. Now to put these Maine expressions in a fun sentence for us to all walk away with. “Hey bub, look at those flatlandahs coming outta Bean’s. They defiantly aren’t from the County.” “Ayuh.”

If you want to make the most of your time in the Pine Tree State, take a moment to look at our list of must-do day trips in Maine.

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Maine Sayings

Sara Dager | July 15, 2022

What stereotypes are there about Maine?

Some common stereotypes of Mainers are:

  • We only eat lobsters and blueberries
  • We live in remote places
  • We have no contact with the outside world
  • There is nothing to do in our state

There are lots of stereotypes about Maine, some bad and others not so much, but it's safe to say a lot of people have their assumptions about what Mainers are like, and they're not always correct. Some untrue stereotypes about Maine and its people include the idea that we only eat lobster and blueberries, all live in rural areas with no contact with the outside world, and that there's nothing to see in our state. While we may like our solitude and our lobster rolls, there is so much more to Maine than these stereotypes! We may own a lot of flannel, but we have other clothes too, like puffer vests!

What is Maine known for?

Here are a few things Maine is known for:

While we do eat other things besides lobster, it's hard to argue that we aren't known for these delicious crustaceans. Maine lobster is some of the best out there, whether put in a roll, stuffed in ravioli, or ripped right out of the shell and dipped in salty melted butter. In fact, we are home to the world's largest lobster roll, it's truly massive! Maine is also known for its lighthouses, with over 60 of them it's hard to go anywhere without spotting one of these beauties. If you want to see many in one day, take a look at our Maine lighthouses road trip.

What don't I know about Maine? 

Something you might not know about Maine is that it houses the world's largest globe called Big Eartha.

You have to admit it, Maine is a little weird, but that's a big part of its charm! There are so many strange and fun facts about Maine that will make you love it all the more. Did you know that if you put the area of all the other New England states together it still wouldn't be as large as Maine? We're HUGE! Or that we have over 32,000 miles worth of streams and rivers? Seems hard to believe, but that must be why there are so many amazing opportunities to fish. We also have over 3,000 unique islands. It's almost hard to imagine!

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