Wicked Good Guides / Wicked Good Guide to Boston English /

Yar

"Yeah," when followed by a word that begins with the letter I. "Yeah, it's awesome" comes out as "Yarit's awesome."
Matt Ross

Comments

being from boston.... just no.... I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYONE SAY THAT IN MY LIFE unless they're not from there

vikki curry on January 7, 2004 12:48 AM.

First time I've ever heard that one!

Don
Gobbleblog

Don on August 28, 2004 11:25 PM.

You are so right! I've heard it a million times.

Gail on August 31, 2004 10:18 AM.

No way, being from boston means we dont pronounce the letter R, and definately not put an extra R in where id doesnt belong

murph on September 8, 2004 11:01 AM.

actually, he's right, although it's not only limited to the vowel "i" as what follows. We bostonians may remove the "r" from words it belongs in, but we also add it to make the connecting of words more fluid. Not only do I, a girl from Southie born and raised know from my own experience, but I've studied this accent formally in college as I am an actor. Not only do we do this quite often, but it happens to be one of my favorite "Boston-isms." And i also believe it's limited to certain parts of Boston, mainly Southie and Charlestown, with a few execeptions in places like Hyde Park and Roxbury.

Kerry on September 15, 2004 01:11 AM.

I say that all the time, and being in NY I get hell for it all the time too!

Chris on April 3, 2005 12:36 AM.

Yar, I agree with Matt Ross.

"Yar" is the way I always say "yeah" when the following word begins with the long or short "I" sound. The "yar" doesn't rhyme with "car," though, in case that's what Vikki Curry is thinking. The a-r in "yar" sounds like the u-r-r in "hurry". Yar, it's confusing, but that's the way I still say it, 19 years after moving to NJ.

Brightonjohn on July 21, 2005 09:03 AM.

oh, is it ever true - similarly, an "r" goes at the end of "idea" - as in, "Yar, that's a great i-deer"

Geri on July 31, 2005 01:48 PM.

Yup.. very true.. I was born and raised in J.P. and Dot.. but moved when I joined the military and I still say "Idea--r". People make fun of me all the time over in CAlifornia, but I love my Bostonisms. It's what makes me.. me.. and makes me a true Mass-hole.

Heather...aka.. Heatha on June 3, 2006 01:36 PM.

"Yar, I sawrit too." Is a phrase I heard in Brighton growing up. Translates to "Yes, I also observed that."

Maureen on February 21, 2007 01:08 PM.

Please post this one under the "Y" section, as it took me six years and seeing it in print to realize that the room above my "two-deckah" was not "the yattic".

Maureen on February 21, 2007 01:11 PM.

"Yar" is definitely a Boston thing. My grandfather, Lowell all his life, answers the phone, to this day, by saying, "Yar". When he says it he kind of flatten out his tongue and drags it out a bit in the middle. "Yar, I saw that!" is actually another good example.

Kate on May 7, 2007 12:09 AM.

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