The Wicked Good Guide to Boston English

YouTube · Post by **PatrickD** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 9:54 pm

If you're new to the hub and don't know a Hoodsie from a reefah, you might want to check out this guide.

...so when you're inbound on the T and someone asks you if you got a spuckie or American chop at the spa near the packie in Southie, you'll know what the heck he's talking about and know it's wicked frickin' pissah!

[smaller](Trivia: This was the first thread in this forum on the old software and began in early 2002, so it seemed appropriate to make it the first thread in the new software.)[/smaller]

kiarrens · Post by **kiarrens** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 11:13 am

lol Pat. Don't forget "pahk the cah." ~_^
(I never knew that liquor stores aren't called "package stores" anywhere but in New England before my friends and I went to Canada, and asked where the nearest package store was. The guy goes, "Um... like a UPS?")

tallymatt65 · Post by **tallymatt65** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 10:09 pm

good one Pat and being a boston boy myself I'll voloter in "bostonian for dummies" also Kiarrens the whole thing is "pahk the cah in Hahvaherd yahrd!"

kiarrens · Post by **kiarrens** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 11:48 pm

Heh... well, not being Bostonian, I can't say I know the lingo perfectly. ^^ A Rhode Island (where I am from) accent is reasonably close to Boston's.

Lilyface · Post by **Lilyface** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 7:57 pm

I'm from boston, yet i could not decipher pat's message. XD Perhaps I better start reading that guide!

cowbert · Post by **cowbert** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:54 pm

They used to serve good American chop all the time for lunch in the cafe at school.

kiarrens · Post by **kiarrens** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 12:20 pm

Something else. Not really "Boston", but New England... just in case anyone is coming from very far away. Apparantly in other parts of the country the exits correspond to the mile markers - ie, if you're on mile 25 of the Highway and exit 25, and the next exit isn't until mile 32, the next exit will be 32, not 26. I never knew this until my boyfriend moved here from California and was getting all confused about the exits...

Keithel · Post by **Keithel** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:17 pm

Ahh.. and hence why I get confused when I see exits like "exit 137" when I'm in other parts of the country...
When I see things like that, I always think "OMG that's a lot of exits"

YouTube · Post by **PatrickD** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:54 pm

Maine recently changed their exit numbers to the mile markers.

...and now I have no idea what exit stuff is at. If you ask me what exit to take to get to PortConMaine, I'd say "the old exit 7."

Keithel · Post by **Keithel** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 5:14 pm

They still have the old markers as little tack-on small red signs below the main sign... "Formerly Exit X" at least up through the exit to York (formerly exit #4)

tallymatt65 · Post by **tallymatt65** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:10 am

at lest you all were lucky I had to eal with the Big "pain this the butt" dig!

inuratus · Post by **inuratus** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:11 am

This guide is hilarious. A lot of people used to poke fun at my lack of accent. Yeah that's right, I'm one of those people born in MA that does't have an accent at all. My pronouncing of 'r's used to disturb my friends XD

LeeleeTheBunny · Post by **LeeleeTheBunny** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 11:38 pm

The completely redid I-4 in Florida and everytime I drive from my dad's to Anime Festival Orlando, or Megacon or something I get so screwed up because there are like mile extis instead of number exits and signs that point to nowhere! It's times like those I miss New England.
-Leelee

KitKat · Post by **KitKat** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 2:24 pm

Wow, I used to think I wasn't that bad with the slang (I've always had an accent...), but now that I look at that list.. I guess I use a lot even though it doesn't seem like it at the time...

Haha, I feel bad for my friends who spend summers away from Bean Town.

YouTube · Post by **PatrickD** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 3:50 pm

[quote=KitKat]Haha, I feel bad for my friends who spend summers away from Bean Town.[/quote]

You can't be from Boston. Nobody from Boston ever calls it "Bean Town".

KitKat · Post by **KitKat** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 4:18 pm

Haha. True enough. I never used to call it Bean Town- but I saw it in a movie (I forget which) and it just stuck.
xD
But true enough, I was born in Boston, I lived in boston untill I was 8. I then moved to Medford untill I was 11, and now live in Plymouth County.

Toph · Post by **Toph** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:11 am

I lived in Boston till I was 11, and I still have no clue what you said.

I moved to Maine, and all of my friends STILL get confused when I talk. It's kinda lame, seeing as we're only in York. :\

HAHA and OH MAN. For a while, the exit to York said "Exit 4, formerly exit 4." LIKE WOAH. Haha. Only in Maine. X)

The seizureboi · Post by **The seizureboi** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:02 am

[quote=Lilyface]I'm from boston, yet i could not decipher pat's message. XD Perhaps I better start reading that guide![/quote]
ditto.

I've never heard this stuff before...

Post by **Jerran** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:35 am

It's interesting to see just how much Boston affects the rest of New England's speech patterns. I was born & raised in southern NH, and a surprising amount of Boston slang is included in the way we speak up here. You can even hear an echo of it in Rhode Islandese (though they take it much farther than Boston does).

mastah-man · Post by **mastah-man** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 2:26 am

I Grew up in Beverly, a small city 45 mins north of the city. One of the biggest local slangs is the use of the word "wicked" as in "It is wicked hot out today." Nowhere else in all my travels have I ever heard it used besides in New England, and especially Boston. Also..another good "guide"...
http://www.unwind.com/jokes-funnies/loc ... ston.shtml Pretty much what you read in here is true of most Bostonians...ESPECIALLY the Driving part. Well...that's all for now...enjoy!

PapouStarburst · Post by **PapouStarburst** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 4:13 pm

I live in Beverly!!! OMG!!

ok... calming down...

Yes I talk very odd to my friends. I say wicked, bubblah and Frappe(thats a big one). My sister has such a thick accent, i don't think i have ever heard her pronounce a R correctly in her life. Also I call soda "tonic", which alot of people make fun of me for.

My mom also has a thick accent when she is angry, its really funny brcause she starts calling people names from like 1989, its wicked funny.

Miyu chan · Post by **Miyu chan** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:24 pm

Ok, frappe...now is it "frap" or "frap-pay"?

Crazy Flower · Post by **Crazy Flower** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:33 pm

Frap-pay sounds French.

We don't like French.

One syllable.

Crazy Flower · Post by **Crazy Flower** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:39 pm

[quote=LeeleeTheBunny]The completely redid I-4 in Florida and everytime I drive from my dad's to Anime Festival Orlando, or Megacon or something I get so screwed up because there are like mile extis instead of number exits and signs that point to nowhere! It's times like those I miss New England.
-Leelee[/quote]

Yeah, New England: Where 95 north meets 3 south which goes east. But who cares, it's all 128.

LunaLily · Post by **LunaLily** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 12:57 pm

[quote=The seizureboi][quote=Lilyface]I'm from boston, yet i could not decipher pat's message. XD Perhaps I better start reading that guide![/quote]
ditto.

I've never heard this stuff before...[/quote]

[color:purple]I second that XD[/color]

[quote=Crazy Flower]Frap-pay sounds French.

We don't like French.

One syllable.[/quote]

[color:purple]XD hahahaha frappay... sorry, just found that funny.

I love the Guide... I dunno how many time's I've banged a U-ey XD god... how do we come up with these things?

I'm from an hour south of Boston, but now I live here as a college student.

[/color]

xenocrisis0153 · Post by **xenocrisis0153** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 5:26 pm

I could put this in the Useful Boston Information thread, but this is more fun than serious. I'm sure many of you have seen it in email form, but for those who haven't....

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

For those of you who have never been to "Bawstin", this is a good guideline. I hope you will consider coming to "Beantown" in the near future. For those who call New England home, this is just plain great!

Information on Boston and the surrounding area:
- There's no school on School Street, no court on Court Street, no dock on Dock Square, no water on Water Street.
- Back Bay streets are in alphabetical "ohdah": Arlington, Berkeley, Clarendon, Dartmouth, Exeter, Fairfield, Gloucester, Hereford. So are South Boston streets: A, B, C, D, etc.
- If the streets are named after trees (e.g. Walnut, Chestnut, Cedar), you're on Beacon Hill.
- If they're named after poets, you're in Wellesley.
- Massachusetts Avenue is "Mass Ave"
- Commonwealth Avenue is "Comm Ave"
- South Boston is "Southie"
- The South End is the "South End"
- East Boston is "Eastie"
- The North End is east of the former West End.
- The West End and Scollay Square are no more; a guy named Rappaport got rid of them one night.
- Roxbury is "The Burry"
- Jamaica Plain is "J.P."
- Matttapan is "the pan."

How to say these Massachusetts city names correctly: **Say it wrong, be shunned**
- Worcester: Wuhsta (or Wistah)
- Gloucester: Glawsta
- Leicester: Lesta
- Woburn: Wooban
- Dedham : Dedim (like denim w/a D in the N pace)
- Revere: Re -vee-ah
- Quincy: Quinzee
- Peabody: Pee-buddy (but say it fast as though it were almost one syllable)
- Waltham: Wall-tham
- Chatham: Chattum

Definitions:
- Frappes have ice cream, milkshakes don't. If it is fizzy and flavored, it's tonic. Soda is CLUB SODA. "Pop" is your Dad. When we want Tonic WATER, we will ask for Tonic WATER.
- The smallest beer is a pint.
- Scrod is whatever they tell you it is, usually fish. If you paid more than $6/pound, you got scrod.
- It's not a water fountain; it's a "bubblah."
- It's not a trash can; it's a "barrel."
- It's not a spucky it's a "sub."
- It's not a shopping cart; it's a "carriage."
- It's not a purse; it's a "pockabook."
- They're not franks; they're "haht dahgs." Franks are money in France.
- Police don't drive patrol units or black and whites, they drive a "crooza".
- If you take the bus, your on the "looza crooza".
- It's not a rubber band, it's an "elastic."
- It's not a traffic circle, it's a "rotary."
- "Going to the islands" means Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket.
- If something's good, it's "pissah". If something's really good, then it's "wicked pissah".
- The Pat's = The Patriots
- The Sox = The Red Sox
- The C's = The Celtics
- The B's = The Bruins

Things not to do:
- Don't pahk your cah in Hahvid Yahd .. They'll tow it to Meffa (Medford) or Sumaville (Somerville).
- Don't sleep in the Common. (Boston Common)
- Don't wear Orange in Southie on St. Patrick's Day.

Things you should know:
- There are two State Houses, two City Halls, two courthouses, two Hancock buildings (one old, one new for each).
- The colored lights on top the old Hancock tell the weathah:
-- "Solid blue, clear view...."
-- "Flashing blue, clouds due...."
-- "Solid red, rain ahead...."
-- "Flashing red, snow instead...." (except in summer; flashing red means the Red Sox game was rained out)
- Route 128 is also I-95 south. It's also I-93
north.
- The underground train is not a subway. It's the "T", and it doesn't run all night (fah chrysakes, this ain't Noo Yawk).
- Order the "cold tea" in China Town after 2:00am you'll get a kettle full of beer.
- Bostonians... Think that it's their God-given right to cut off someone in traffic.
- Bostonians...think that there are only 25 letters in the alphabet (no R's).
- Bostonians...think that three straight days of 90+ temperatures is a heat wave.
- Bostonians...refer to six inches of snow as a "dusting."
- Bostonians...always "bang a left" as soon as the light turns green, and oncoming traffic always expects it.
- Bostonians...say everything in town is "a five-minute walk." (pronounced "wok")
- Bostonians...believe that using your turn signal is a sign of weakness.
- Bostonians...think that 63-degree ocean water is warm.
- Bostonians...think Rhode Island accents are annoying.

Post by **AliceTanzer** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 5:44 pm

Whats a "spucky"?

YouTube · Post by **PatrickD** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 5:59 pm

[quote=xenocrisis0153]For those of you who have never been to "Bawstin", this is a good guideline. I hope you will consider coming to "Beantown" in the near future.[/quote]
BAH! Nobody that lives here would EVER call it "Beantown"! That's what out-of-towners think we call it because of crappy movies like Celtic Pride.

[quote=AliceTanzer]Whats a "spucky"?[/quote]
That's why I posted the glossary in my first post. It's defined there.
http://www.boston-online.com/glossary/st/

Post by **AliceTanzer** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:24 pm

[quote=PatrickD]
[quote=AliceTanzer]Whats a "spucky"?[/quote]
That's why I posted the glossary in my first post. It's defined there.
http://www.boston-online.com/glossary/st/
[/quote]
I guess thats what happens when one grows up on Cape Cod. We know allot of the slang, but not the really weird stuff

Post by **Faceman** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 3:20 am

Also, living in Boston the last 4 years, I've noticed that only tourists wear stuff w/ Boston or Red Sox or whichever team all over themselves. The only time natives wear it is when they themselves are going to a game, or just a cap is acceptable. Easiest way to spot a tourist is someone w/ a Boston hat, Boston T shirt and a Red Sox jersey.

roby · Post by **roby** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 11:38 am

Well that's good to know!
I sort of have a New England accent when i pronounce certain words, i hope people don't critizie me. xD

YouTube · Post by **PatrickD** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 7:21 pm

[quote=roby]Well that's good to know!
I sort of have a New England accent when i pronounce certain words, i hope people don't critizie me. xD[/quote]

You'll be right at home.

Tohru-chan · Post by **Tohru-chan** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 1:31 am

xD I better check out that guide before April, then.. seeing as how I couldn't decipher that at all. ^^'

xenocrisis0153 · Post by **xenocrisis0153** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:44 pm

[quote=xenocrisis0153]- Leicester: Lesta[/quote]
I had actually never heard of this town until this morning when it was mentioned on the news for... something... I forget, shows how much I pay attention.

If anyone wants a quick lesson in Boston-speech, go see The Departed. Sometimes the actors really poured it on, but overall, it was pretty accurate. Lots of geography and real-life scenic shots (not fake... I'm looking at you, Boston Public!!). Plus it was a great movie.

Crazy Flower · Post by **Crazy Flower** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 12:46 am

[quote=xenocrisis0153][quote=xenocrisis0153]- Leicester: Lesta[/quote]
I had actually never heard of this town until this morning when it was mentioned on the news for... something... I forget, shows how much I pay attention.[/quote]

A lot of the New England names were stolen from England (My English friend always makes fun of that point) If it's not an Indian name, chances are you will find the same name on an English map. Although we've completely trashed the pronunciation of some of the names.

Phantom 1 · Post by **Phantom 1** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 1:38 pm

Make sure you call the main highway "Mass Pike." I made the mistake of calling it by its full name and got clobbered by half-a-dozen Red Sox fans and a Miami Dolphins fan who was staying on vacation.

xenocrisis0153 · Post by **xenocrisis0153** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 2:21 pm

[quote=Phantom 1]Make sure you call the main highway "Mass Pike." I made the mistake of calling it by its full name...[/quote]
haha, funny you should say that since I can't image anyone around here even thinking about calling it by it's full name. To us natives, it's been "Mass Pike" or "the Pike" our whole lives.

faerietithe · Post by **faerietithe** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:31 pm

[quote=xenocrisis0153][quote=Phantom 1]Make sure you call the main highway "Mass Pike." I made the mistake of calling it by its full name...[/quote]
haha, funny you should say that since I can't image anyone around here even thinking about calling it by it's full name. To us natives, it's been "Mass Pike" or "the Pike" our whole lives.
[/quote]
By the time you say "Massachusetts Turnpike" you've missed the exit for it, and then what do you do?

tallymatt65 · Post by **tallymatt65** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:22 am

well you could just back up I seen people do it.

Post by **MerchMaven** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 12:24 am

My favorite mispronounced town name:

Leominster: Pronounced Lehminstah

Had a boss (from Ohio) who could not wrap his tongue around that one. "Do you have the invoices from Lee-oh-min-is-ter yet?"

"No, but the ones from Lehminstah arrived yesterday."

Made me insane.

thejoe · Post by **thejoe** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 2:36 pm

Haha, bein' from Sumaville, iss funny dat nunna dis stuff even seems weahd.

(Haha, being from Somerville, it's funny that none of this stuff even seems wierd.)

The real thick Somerville accents are right up there with bostonians. Witey Bulja; not Whitey Bulger. Davis; not Davis Square, or (gah) David Square.

Yeah, jus hit Mass Ave rite by Poatah, take ya rite inta Hahvid

(Yeah, just take Massachusetts Avenue right by Porter Square, it will take you right into Harvard Square)
:p

AmiJoyDonut · Post by **AmiJoyDonut** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:04 pm

I personally wouldn't worry too much about it. I never heard ANY of these terms from anyone's mouth any of the times I've flown to Boston. If you do, congrats, you've met a rarity! (Or people are just soooo afraid to talk to me)

So guys, REALLY, don't worry about it. :/

Hollyberry · Post by **Hollyberry** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 5:53 pm

[quote=xenocrisis0153]
Things not to do:
- Don't wear Orange in Southie on St. Patrick's Day.
[/quote]
Or they'll kill you! Any person who does that on St. Patty's Day-- has a death wish!

seiko2071 · Post by **seiko2071** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 6:25 pm

[quote=faerietithe][quote=xenocrisis0153][quote=Phantom 1]Make sure you call the main highway "Mass Pike." I made the mistake of calling it by its full name...[/quote]
haha, funny you should say that since I can't image anyone around here even thinking about calling it by it's full name. To us natives, it's been "Mass Pike" or "the Pike" our whole lives.
[/quote]
By the time you say "Massachusetts Turnpike" you've missed the exit for it, and then what do you do?[/quote]

Man... it too me more than a minute to think of the full name of the Mass Pike...

eidna · Post by **eidna** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 1:01 pm

On the subject of place pronunciations, don't forget Haverhill! I always get people from out of the area calling at work asking for "Have-her-hill". Nooo! It's "Hey-vrul", and don't forget it! haha

Phantom 1 · Post by **Phantom 1** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 1:22 pm

Don't forget what?

:laugh:

Just kidding.

Fetch · Post by **Fetch** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 3:45 pm

A quick lesson in writing:

Hynes is a convention center.
Heinz is ketchup.

Try not to mix them up. Thank you.

rikku8575 · Post by **rikku8575** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:35 pm

haha, this is a funny thread.
i hate that i live closer to rhode island than boston! rhode island accents are terrible! though i have a weird accent. i have a boston accent...except i pronounce my R's.

and i have another to add, those colorful things you put on ice cream...those are jimmies

Fetch · Post by **Fetch** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:55 pm

[quote=rikku8575]haha, this is a funny thread.
i hate that i live closer to rhode island than boston! rhode island accents are terrible! though i have a weird accent. i have a boston accent...except i pronounce my R's.

and i have another to add, those colorful things you put on ice cream...those are jimmies[/quote]

Actually, jimmies are the chocolate ones. The colorful ones are sprinkles. That's how the people at Brigham's and Friendly's know exactly what you want on your ice cream.

Post by **AliceTanzer** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 10:07 pm

[quote=Fetch][quote=rikku8575]haha, this is a funny thread.
i hate that i live closer to rhode island than boston! rhode island accents are terrible! though i have a weird accent. i have a boston accent...except i pronounce my R's.

and i have another to add, those colorful things you put on ice cream...those are jimmies[/quote]

Actually, jimmies are the chocolate ones. The colorful ones are sprinkles. That's how the people at Brigham's and Friendly's know exactly what you want on your ice cream.[/quote]
Thats the way I know it too.