The weather, access to outdoor activities, maple syrup, and people are just a few of the many things that make Vermont truly one-of-a-kind. Along with these attractions, Vermont has fun and interesting words that are unique to the state. While they might be challenging for a visitor to pronounce, it’s also a sign that you call Vermont home if you’re able to say the following words correctly.
- You might be surprised to learn that Vermonters don’t pronounce the “t” in Vermont.
flickr/Ken Lund
- Montepelier is Vermont’s capital. While it might appear as if it’s said with a French accent, it’s actually pronounced, “mon-PEE-lee-er.”
flickr/Doug Kerr
- If you want soft-serve ice cream in Vermont, you’ll have to order a creemee. Even though it has an unusual spelling, it’s pronounced “cream-y.”
flickr/Jeff
- The small town of Calais rhymes with palace and is a great destination for a day hike.
flickr/My Lil’ Rotten
- Instead of saying Jesus Christ when you see scenes like this at Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermonters are more likely to say Jeezum (G-sum) Crow.
flickr/826 PARANORMAL
- If you hear or read “djeet,” you might scratch your head when you learn it’s an abridged version of “did you eat?”
flickr/Jun Seita
- Some Vermonters refer to chimneys as chimbleys (CHimblē). This is due to the British influence on some of the dialects in the state. It should be easy enough to pronounce if you speak slowly.
flickr/Doug Kerr
- True Vermonters refer to the town of Swanton as Swant’n.
flickr/Doug Kerr
- “Yaulp,” (pronounced with a very soft u sound) is a Vermonter’s version of saying yes.
flickr/Quinn Dombrowski
As you’ve learned, some words spoken with a Vermont accent have breaks in words that influence how they’re pronounced by locals. This is called glottalization.
flickr/Ken Lund
flickr/Doug Kerr
flickr/Jeff
flickr/My Lil’ Rotten
flickr/826 PARANORMAL
flickr/Jun Seita
flickr/Doug Kerr
flickr/Quinn Dombrowski
Now that you know how to pronounce these 9 words, check out 23 Words You’ll Only Understand If You’re From Vermont to pick up some phrases and expressions that are unique to the Green Mountain state too.
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Address: Vermont, USA
