Audiobook Narrator Matt Haynes MAINE ACCENT 

Lived in Maine my whole life and FINALLY I find someone who does an actual Maine accent instead of British but with extra steps lol. Thanks for this :)

I'm a Maine native. I lived in the western foothills for many years, and have now lived on the midcoast for nearly 20 years. There is no one Maine accent, but many quite different variations. Thanks, Matt for demonstrating one of many.

Im born and raised in maine and my family has been here for generations and I can say the older people absolutely sound like this but as the generations come it's becoming more and more of a softer accent.

For some of the Mainers on here saying "OMG we don't talk like that" ... come to the coast sometime people. I live in Rockland and people very much talk like this. Not everyone, but a lot of people. I say you did a damn fine job Matt.. yessah

I'm from Bar Harbor too - you did a pretty great job of actually explaining "ayuh".

It's not a thing amongst many younger Mainers, especially in Southern Maine, but I can guarantee that accent is still around. Most of my uncles have it, although for some reason my dad, grandmother, and grandfather never had it.

Great job n don't let these natives tell you differently. It's definitely a lot more subtle in most parts of Maine but some places like Millinocket are just as exaggerated as that. Trust me, in Maine this is what we talk like when we wanna joke around.

I lived in Maine for almost 18 years. This accent is a little bit kinder to the state than what it actually is. My entire family has lived there since they came over from, respectively, Ireland and Nova Scotia/Quebec in the 1800s. The Maine accent is more polluted dependent on several things: A) Were you raised in a small community of less than 30,000? (Was that community of similar heritage and age) my memere (in French Canadian that would be my grandmother) still drops the r's off of her words. However, some of her wordage changes because of the fact that she grew up trying to be a proper 50s housewife. (And no, that's not an anti-feminist thought, that is all she wanted to do. Even when she had a job, she wanted to go back to being a housewife; for her that was ideal.) B). How old are you currently? Different ages have more of a pronounced accent. Your older relatives will have the definite edge of a Mainah accent, but the younger ones won't.

Natve Mainah here. You are definitely dead on for how they talk Downeast, especially the older generation. My grandparents definitely talk like this. I would say the younger generation will have certain words come out like this, but you are unlikely to find us speaking that thickly most of the time. You are dead on for your analysis "ayuh".

Hi Matt! Great job! Working on "Sea Wife" here in Chicago--this will be so useful to our large cast. Persevere!

the thumbnail holding up that "ayuh" had me thinking this was some entry-level nonsense but you got it

I'm actually staying in Bar Harbor right now and I wanted to look up videos about the Maine accent. This was a lot of fun to watch! Thanks!

This world needs more of you!

Spent time in Maine as a kid w family up there. Great work. Found you because I’m in LA with a role of a woodsman from Maine.

Man you're right on ... really well done.

Thanks, I needed this for a quick thing I'm doing today. Glad I found you.

Been a Mainer all my life, and your practice of "r" sounds all screwed up (I think i sound like a pregnant ewe when I say Bar Harbor) but you nailed it on "Going to California". You might not pass on the coast chum, but you'd fit in in central Maine. You should come sleddin sometime, it's the cold that'll get you to say the "r's" right.

Currently reading Song it Susannah and I had to look up how people from Maine speak because because the voice in my head couldn’t figure it out and it was ruining the immersion. I can go back to reading now. Thanks!

207 born and bred your doing it justice man keep it up

Marvellous video!

I'm sure he could do a great Peter Griffin.

Great work Matt!

I just got cast in a role that was written to be a Maine accent and haven't ever spent any time there. This seems as good a place to start as any!

I found this after watching an SNL skit called "Maine Justice" I was able to catch the New Orleans reference but I wanted to make sure Maine got its credit within the skit.

I was born and raised and still live in Maine. I have met very few people that have as strong an accent as your are portraying. The age group of maybe 80+ still talk like that, but that's about it. We actually have a much softer accent.

You got to do the "Well christ bub, we went down to the Lobstah hut and got some fresh lobstah", The down east accent

I’ve lived in Metro Detroit since 94; it’s amazing how Canadian people think we sound

that was great !

Watching this just because I’m reading a lot of Stephen King and I want to correctly pronounce the Maine colloquialisms in my head lol

This was helpful. Thank you,

I used to live in Maine and most old people or people way up north usually sound somewhat like that so good job my guy. I didn't know the word "yeah" had a Maine accent because its so normal where I was living and then I moved and people said I talk funny when I say that lol

My grandparents came from Maine back in the 50's and Grandpa never shook the accent. We all grew up saying "Ayuh" only with a slight "p" at the end for some reason. Maybe because "Yup" is a common word here and we just thought Grandpa was tossing a random "Ah" in front like he often tacked random "r's" to the end of words (particularly if they ended in vowels). It was really interesting hearing the accent again after all these years (Grandpa passed nearly 20 years ago). Thanks for the video.

Wow. Pretty good. I'm a Mainer and you did a good job. MY license plate alone says Ayuh on my truck. But you still lack the natural flow , it definitely shows your trying. (to me anyways) . But it's a good impression. :)

Reading a Willa Cather book… this is helpful

That was fun! Looked up a Maine accent because i’ve been listening to an audiobook set in Maine and doubted that the narrator’s accent was accurate. Sometimes the characters sound like Hollywood’s idea of a Southern or even Appalachian person, other times the accent sounds like a straight up Boston accent…Narrator tried her hand at a Brooklyn accent (i live in Bklyn, so i know what various Bklyn accents sound like), and that too sounded like a Boston accent. After listening to your Maine accent, I now have a better feeling for what the other audiobook narrator ought to have sounded like. (Funny coincidence you’re both audiobook readers.) I especially enjoyed your channeling via the Zep tune!! Bravo! Maybe you could try your hand at Truckin’, by the Dead, preferably with a mismatched accent, maybe even a foreign one. Brixton? Upperclass English? Middle class London?

When I was a kid, my family drove from NJ to Maine to visit family. They said Ayuh a lot. Actually more like Ayup. We were surprised how popular that word was! Never heard that in NJ.

I'm from southern Maine. Kittery and York and Eliot. Now my great-grand parents of Eliot spoke with a softer, educated version. Less W's and a deliberate soft ending and lack or "R"s and this circa 1890s as they were so very senior in years. Aunt Hope did say "Ayuh" but as "Hyuh". Hope this helps.

Actually we have more than one accent in Maine. Go spend some time in old French Canadian neighborhood's like Lewiston or even up north. The accent you describe is what we call "Down East". Most of Maine has a distinct French Canadian affiliation with our accent.

I'm reading a Jodi Picoult novel that takes place in Maine, and wanted to know how they talk. Ayuh.

Wicked good, I would say so myself.

Born and raised in northern Maine, Calais Maine, we have an accent but it's not as "defined" if you would. Didn't realize we had one due to being oblivious to it lol

Really like your explanation of the accent! I will say that this accent isn’t the most common version in Maine. I’ve been trying to find any videos that discuss the specific dialect I’m looking for, but the phrase “going to” gets changed to “gonna”, “the” becomes “tha”, and the “g” sound gets dropped from words like “going” and “sleeping”. It’s a mild accent that I’ve noticed being common but I think the dialect you displayed gets a lot more attention than the more subtle and more common one that I’m looking for.

I was born and grew up in Hancock County, which is where he says he grew up (Bar Harbor). To my ears, his version sounds tinged with Massachusetts or Rhode Island, which are similar but not identical accents to the Downeast Maine accent. In general, there should be more of a lilting drawl to it, and the R is absolutely completely dropped in a traditional Maine accent, not merely altered as he explains. The industry standard that he demonstrates first, while also off, actually sounds closer to the real thing; like a traditional Maine accent with a hint of Boston Brahmin thrown in. For the real thing listen to these guys: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bpuR-WeQjc8.html

being from central maine this was super cool because I have been as far as colorado and people told me I have no accent. even from very different states. But I know I can do the deep maine backwoods accent. I wonder if there is a sort of full understood accent for american english

I grew up hearing all my relatives speak with thick Downeast Maine accents- sure, most of us don't speak like that now, but the older native generations did. Some people may think the accent sounds stupid- but I suggest you check your personal prejudices; a thick Maine accent is music to my ears.

this is really good lol spot on

I live in Central Maine and there are several variations of this accent.

With Maine accents there is no "r" sound.

I am a native Mainer but my parents didn’t have a Maine accent but I wish I had one

holy shit bub yuh hit that right on the frekin head theya deeah

Crying laughing - so good. Do all the Led Zeppelin catalog in Maine - signed home sick Mainer.

Born and raised in Bangor, and I've heard both the 'industry standard' and the 'native' you describe. Most of my family talks with the 'industry standard' but it's toned down a bit (which they got from my grandmother, who I'm sorry to say I don't know where she was originally from). They say the full enunciated "ayyah". I can tell you that I've met more people in the wild who speak with the 'native' sound, but those who speak the more 'industry standard' exist, although I couldn't tell you from where. If I had to guess, I think I've heard the accent from fishermen close to the eastern border? Maybe northeast?

I actually can't judge your accuracy here, because I don't think I've ever heard a Maine accent before. I just thought it was interesting how it sort of seemed like a mix between a New York accent and a southern/country accent. I guessed before looking at the below comments that it's probably more from smaller towns than larger cities, haha!

i'm a native Mainer people from other states say we have an accent but i don't hear it

Watched this to find out how all those wonderful Stephen King characters talk. It is my ambition to visit Maine one day because King makes it sound so incredibly beautiful. Ayuh. X

I feel like people in Southern Maine (Lewiston/Auburn and below) have more of the Mass. style New England accent.

Ya gawt ya accent dawn pretty good ayuh… ~Penobscot Maine DownEasta🇺🇸

Please would you be kind enough to provide a link for the Tabitha King narration..I'm struggling. I'm looking for a North Maine accent - provincial, cold and far from the coast. Any links would be greatly welcomed. Many thanks

Omg, hahaha this is great! 💬

Ahfta yous pahk tha cah ina haba yahd, put tha shopeing ina bahg ina trunk aynd git yous a shmoodie- my native Maine grandmother. And I say that with love because despite being two generations removed and also Canadian, I have some of that accent, too. My mom who has lived in Canada basically her whole adult life, also has some of that accent. Your accent was way too clean. Closer to industry standard than what I know. Good effort.

That was wicked bad deya bubby

I try to tell folks I'm born and bred Mainer and when I speak I sound NOTHING like that... I have heard those in Bar Harbor and the islanders off Bar Harbor sounding like that BUT thats the only place... I'm from Biddeford, grew up in Arundel ,and have traveled all over Maine. You can go to Holton Maine and they sound different from Machias resident's, and you can go to Portland and the sound different from Sanford folks. Yes we carry a lot of the same slang words but with different tones of the accent.

you did a good translation from the fake maine accent to a pretty close facsimile on the second go. most people still can never get it right unless they are from here?

I'm mainah ,good job...

Don’t forget to slow down to speaking at half speed . I was just up there, working storm for CMP and holy Jesus do those people really slow down their speech to about half of what an upstate New Yorker does. I’m absolutely obsessed with the accent though!

This is very attractive

lol i’m in the middle of maine in like dexter area and i don’t sound like this

Ayah! I say it all the time!

Correction: This is how Native Downeasters talk. Us folks in the highlands talk with alot less expression. It's much more subtle especially in younger generations. Also our "ayuhs" are said while inhaling but outside of the boomers that word is almost gone entirely. Most of our accent can be exhibited by how we combine words more than the actually sounds now. The only people who talk with that dialect in the highlands are either quoting Bob Marley or are douchebags trying to sound more Maine.

in a lot of words their is no r. example lobstua. and I think your trying to speak northern Maine or hard maner accent. most of us have a softer accent. sometimes it slips out hard . not always though.

Could you try the following 1. How many minutes did you get on you card? A 100? You must really like me if you wanna talk to me that long, neyahaa. 2. Are nervous about talking to me? 3. Actually its a ticket to a benefit concert. Have you ever heard of The Beatles? Well, it's tickets to a band that looks and sounds and dresses like the Beatles used to dress and sounds like the Beatles used to sound. They've sang for the queen of England have been all around the world.

i kinda disagreed with you on the r part until i heard you're from BH, in western maine lots of my relatives fully drop they r, my grandmother even told my mom (darcy) that the R was silent in her name lol

have you ever talked to someone from maine before?

I talk like this I live in Harpswell

The industry accent you did sounds like Katherine Hepburn.

I live and maine. Your efforts are def there. Solid strike out though. Native mainers have 3 accents. *Northern maine=french Canadian w hint of mainer. *Central Maine= diet down east. Downeast Maine=downeast. Those that live here know what I mean. Outsiders will never have a clue what I just wrote.

I live in southern Maine and I don't think I've ever heard anyone with any significant accent. Is that weird or does the Portland area just not have a noticeable one? Like legit I dr never heard anyone say ayuh before

Omg thank you for the distinction between an industry and native Maine accent. As a 6th generation Mainer it drives me NUTS how the Maine accent is portrayed in film. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard an accurate one. It’s always far too exaggerated, especially the ‘ayuh’ (think SNL gay fishermen skit) and loss of ‘r’, and often comes off as almost southern (like in the south we speak more slowly/drawn out but that’s where the similarity ends imo). The accent you do here is still, in some cases, a bit exaggerated but the downeast accent often is, per the influence of Tim Sample. It’s not that it’s not accurate it’s just that it’s more old-timey. These days, throughout the state, it’s more muted. And as another commenter noted it is actually so variable through the state. You’ve got the French Canadian Maine accent and downeast and midcoast and western foothills and on and on. I work in the fishing industry up and down the coast and oh my god, the discrepancies. Not just from town to town but even within families. I know a family of fishermen who all have very different levels of the accent; two brothers that have it slightly, two that have it pretty thick, parents that have it to the point where flatlanders can’t understand them. Lastly, there is always so much emphasis on the dropping of ‘r’s. (Car v cah) it’s a very Bostonian approach to it all. What doesn’t get enough spotlight is the addition of ‘r’s! Idear (not idea), though some Mainers do say ide-ya not idear. What a mess lol. Umbreller (umbrella) is a big one. The one I get the most flack for is ‘raum’ instead of room. People think I’m saying rum lol. Anyways. If actors want to get the accent right they need to listen to interviews with actual Mainers or come visit and live in the appropriate region for a week or however long. This video is a great first step though- and again, I really appreciate you delineating between industry and native. Cheers bub!

btw guys, these eastern coastal accent started dying down like 50 years ago, so everyone here saying it sounds dumb and fully non-rhotic is probably from a younger generation who learned the midwestern derived general american from the past few generations of those who listened to television and radio talk. My grandmother (74) lived in nyc for many generations, as well as my mother(51) and they both intenetionally dropped their accents because it's just out of fashion (though it gets heards from my grandma much more or from my mom if she's angry), and Im 16 and there is zero trace from me or any of my friends having a new york accent. new england accent like maine have most certainly met the same fate, though there may be some less populated areas or places of older generations where it survives. in new york, staten island has enough italian whites where the accent remains at least in the parents in the current generation.

Remake please🕶 I wanna see if your Maine accent is the best. I’m from my he part of maine that doesn’t talk like that but I get it from bar harbor

I have not found a single audiobook narrated by Tabitha King. If they exist...where?

from native mainer, btw.

I like listening to Joe Perham. Maine story teller.

please allow me···hahahahahahahahahahaha···laughing······the "r" part···

That’s the down east Maine accent bub

“Sometimes dead is bettuhhh”

The traditional Maine accent has a non-rhotic sound akin to that of most British English

Most prevalent in the midcoast area.

You missed one. Lots of people say “ohhhyeah” when you’re talking to them if they agree with you. Ex: “you want to get some drinks guy no we’re done work” “ohhhyeah guy you know today was a hard one”

I've lived in maine my whole life and I dont think I've ever heard a hard R

I have grow up in Maine my whole Life and my grandpa had an accent And I do not. I have a dad from Michigan and a Mom from Maine no go to a Maine school. Which I will say non of my teachers have had a accent.😅 It’s kinda funny. 😆 I say it all in regular English. No accents, Nothing. It shows up when I sometimes say “No” or “I know.”

Oh, and my family is born and raised in Maine, to this day, not one of them speak like this. And while I was growing up, I never ran in to anyone who spoke like this.

I was born and lived in Maine for 10 years and never developed a accent

I dunno. I just spoke with a guy in Caribou Maine and I almost want to call back just hear him talk. It was a mixture of Canadian, what you are doing and something else undescribe-able.

Funnily enough I’m just reading Stephen King and I just wanna know how to read one of the characters. (Pet Semetary for those that wanna know)

he sounds like peter griffin sometimes 😂

One of the accents reminds me of Thurston Howell the 3rd from Gilligans Island 🤔

Why this accent sound more like Peter Griffin than any Maine accent I've ever heard living in maine

study Bert and I and go to the docks at Georgetown maine Five Islands xoxo

Saying ancho as "anka" sounded more like a Boston accent.