Where "down" is in New England.

[Joel S. Berson]

In his as usual entertaining "On Language" column in the NYTimes last
Sunday ("Beach Blanket Lingo"), Ben Zimmer wrote:

"The down of "down the shore" and "down the ocean" doesn't
necessarily imply a southward journey. As in many dialects along the
Eastern Seaboard, down can be used as a preposition indicating
movement from the inland toward the shoreline."

I am disappointed that Ben did not distinguish and elaborate for the
New England seaboard, where "down east" means "*up* (north[east]ward)
towards Maine."

Joel

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