Boston accent facts for kids

The Boston accent is a special way of speaking. It's heard mainly in the city of Boston, its nearby towns, and much of eastern Massachusetts. This accent is part of a bigger way of speaking called Eastern New England English, which also includes parts of New Hampshire and Maine.

The accent started with the Puritans. They came from a place called East Anglia in England during the 17th century (the 1600s). Later, many people from Ireland moved to Boston in the 19th century (1800s) and 20th century (1900s). Their way of speaking also helped shape the Boston accent. This mix led to the unique 'r-dropping' sound you hear today. People in coastal Massachusetts sometimes call this sound "wicked natural."

How People Speak in Boston

Dropping the 'R' Sound

One main thing about the Boston accent is 'r-dropping'. This means people don't always pronounce the 'r' sound. This was very common in the early 1900s. For example, the 'r' is dropped in words like 'car' and 'hard'.

However, studies show that younger people in Boston today often pronounce their 'r's more than older people. People with a Boston accent also use a 'broad A' sound in some words. A common example of the accent is: "pahk the cah in Hahvahd yahd." This means "park the car in Harvard yard."

Special Boston Words

People in the Boston area use some words that might sound different to others. Here are a few examples:

• blinkers: These are the turn signals on a car. You use them to show which way you're going to turn. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation even has signs that say "Use Yah Blinkah." This is how it sounds with a Boston accent.
• bubbler: This word means a drinking fountain. It's pronounced "bubblah." You might also hear this word in Wisconsin or Australia.
• frappe: This is a yummy drink made with milk and ice cream. Most other places call this a milkshake. If you're in Rhode Island and it's coffee flavored, it might be called a "cabinet."
• Hoodsie: This is a small cup of ice cream. It usually comes with a flat wooden spoon. It's named after HP Hood, the company that sells them.
• jimmies: These are chocolate ice cream sprinkles. You might also hear this word in the Philadelphia area.
• packie: This is a liquor store. The name comes from "package store."
• pissah: This word means something is "great" or "awesome." It can be used seriously or in a joking way. Sometimes, people combine it with "wicked" to say "wicked pissah."
• rotary: This is a traffic circle. It's a circular intersection where cars drive around a central island. These are common in Greater Boston.
• wicked: This word usually means "very" or "super." It's used to describe how much something is. For example, "That hockey game was wicked awesome!" It can also describe a mood, like "Ugh, that guy is wicked slow."
• spa: This is a type of convenience store. It usually has soft drinks on tap and sells sandwiches.
• tonic: This is another word for a soft drink. Most other places call it soda.
• whiffle: This means a crew cut or a short haircut for boys. It's done with electric clippers.