Chief English state (5)

I believe the answer is:

maine

'state' is the definition.
(Maine is an example)

'chief english' is the wordplay.
'chief' becomes 'main' (I've seen this before).
'english' becomes 'e' (abbreviation).
'main'+'e'='MAINE'

(Other definitions for maine that I've seen before include "The USA's Pine Tree State" , "N. US Atlantic state" , "New England state" , "North-easterly US state" , "NE US state" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times and the Sydney Morning Herald.

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