Social
Wicked
WIH-kid
Very. An intensifier, not a judgement — 'wicked good' is high praise. The single most reliable marker of a New England accent.
Masshole
MASS-hohl
A Massachusetts driver, as described by everyone including Massachusetts drivers. Worn with a certain pride.
Transport
The T
thuh tee
The MBTA — the subway, and by extension the whole transit system. The oldest subway in America, and it behaves like it.
Rotary
ROH-tuh-ree
A roundabout. Massachusetts has a great many and drivers treat them as a contest. Right of way rules are widely known and inconsistently honoured.
The Pike
thuh pyke
The Massachusetts Turnpike, I-90, running west out of the city. Traffic reports assume total familiarity.
Daily life
Packie
PACK-ee
A liquor store, from 'package store'. Massachusetts licensing law is why the term exists, and why you cannot buy wine in most supermarkets.
Bubbler
BUB-ler
A drinking fountain. Regional to eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and used entirely without irony.
Allston Christmas
AWL-stun KRIS-mus
1 September, when most of the city's leases turn over at once and the pavements fill with discarded furniture. A genuine local event, and a genuine local hazard.
Southie / Eastie / JP
SOUTH-ee / EAST-ee / jay-pee
South Boston, East Boston, Jamaica Plain. Boston compresses neighbourhood names relentlessly and expects you to keep up.
Food
Frappe
frap
A milkshake with ice cream. Ordering a 'milkshake' in Massachusetts historically got you flavoured milk with no ice cream at all.
Dunks
dunks
Dunkin', the coffee chain founded in Quincy. A regular is coffee with cream and sugar already in it — say 'black' if that's not what you want.
Emergency
911 / 311
nine-one-one / three-one-one
911 for emergencies; 311 for Boston city services — snow removal complaints, potholes, code violations.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.