Maine wind dialect

I was born and raised in a multi-generational lobster fishing family on Vinalhaven, an island off midcoast Maine. About 30 years ago, my grandfather was horrified when he heard a weatherman saying “nor’easter.” The editorial (BDN, Jan. 26) about wind dialect on the Maine coast was right as far as it went. It is true that seafarers omit the “th” sound when the wind is from the west – “nor’west.” And they do sound the “th” when the wind is from the east. Still, they do not say northeast or southeast as the article states. They do not say “nawtheast” either.

I am not sure how far up or down the coast this usage extends, but on the midcoast, native-born fishermen pronounce northeaster by stressing emphasis on a long O sound, as in NO – “Notheastah.” It doesn’t only pertain to wind, however. The term is used in general, such as the nothe-east breaker, or Nothe-east Harbor.

Southeast is pronounced with a heavy emphasis on an OW sound, as in OW that hurts – “Sowtheast.” So-called experts on Down East lore seldom report the true coastal dialect concerning easterly winds. Outsiders fail to grasp it, too. I know a lobsterman in Rockport who is from away. He does manage to sound a reasonable “sou’wester.” But he is woefully inaccurate when he says the wind is blowing “sou’east.” My grandfather would roll over in his grave.

Ashley Tolman

Rockland