Wicked Good Guide to Boston English

Compiled by Adam Gaffin

" 'Everybody says words different,' said Ivy. 'Arkansas folks says 'em different, and Oklahomy folks says 'em different. And we seen a lady from Massachusetts, an' she said 'em different of all. Couldn't hardly make out what she was sayin'!' "
-- John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, 1939.

"Boston State-House is the Hub of the Solar System. You couldn't pry that out of a Boston man if you had the tire of all creation straightened out for a crow-bar."
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table, 1858

Everybody knows about pahking cahs in Hahvihd Yahd, but there's a lot more to Boston English than that, despite what Hollywood would have you believe. We have our own way of pronouncing other words, our own vocabulary, even a unique grammatical construct. Journey outside the usual tourist haunts, and you just might need a guide to understand the locals...

Click on any of the following to learn more about the unique brand of English spoken in the Hub of the Universe.

Pronunciation
It'll take a lot moah than dropping your ahs to talk like a native.

Vocabulary
One could compose entire sentences that would make no sense to the uninitiated (the guide starts with A-B; follow the links up at the top for more words).

Place names
The pronunciation of local town names often bears little resemblance to their spelling.

The Wicked Good Conference
Online forum for discussing Boston English (and other Boston topics). Come on in!

More to come! Thanks to the dozens of people who've contributed, and everybody who's sent me nice notes. You are all wicked awesome!

Recent comments

bb on Frickin'
oh shut up

jane on So don't I
Ok.. just had to post this. I am originally from Ohio and...

Gary on Combat Zone, the
Just checked out this blog for the first time in a...

johnc on Packie run
yah, dood. mahty's is awhsome. i used to live neah the lake...

Bill Hosie on Hosie
For all those searching for ancestors in Scotland you should try. w...

Paul from Sturbridge on American chop suey
I also grew up just outside Boston with American Chop Suey as...

Sully on Southie
There seems to be a common misconseption among most of the people...

Mechelle on Southie
I have sympathy for the people that have lived in Southie for...

Molly on Penuche
this may sound strange, but my friend melissa and i have an...

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