There are so many words, catch phrases and slang terms that people associate with Boston. Some are tried and true, others have fallen off the “banks of the River Charles.” Have you ever visited friends or family in other parts of the country, or had visitors from out of town ask you to “talk Boston?” I usually throw in a “wicked” and and a couple of “Yahs” before I sign off with a “I gotta go…I’m dyin’ for a Dunks.” If you grew up in New England you will certainly appreciate these 21 Saucy slangs that are SO Boston.
Let’s take a dip into the hahbah (habor) of hot Boston slangs and sayings. This will give you ample ammunition for the next encounter with inquiring outsiders.
Wicked
Because, well, it’s wicked cool to say. It’s just an adjective, but it’s uniquely our adjective. You can’t have it New York! Add it to a pissah, and you are slaying the jam.
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Packie
This isn’t a bag to keep your stuff in. A packie is a liquor store, as in package store, where they conceal your alcoholic beverages in a brown “package” or paper bag. And since we’re talking about it, can you pick me up a 6-pack of Sams next time you’re at the packie?
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Bubbler
This is where you go when you’re thirsty and your building actually still has one of these things. More likely to be found outside near parks and beaches these days. It’s a water fountain, and bubbler just sounds better, even though there isn’t any bubbles to be found in the water.
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Pissah
A word often heard following wicked. It just means the absolute best! But, it can be used very effectively as sarcasm too. Oh, yeah. That’s wicked pissah, like the Celtics this year.
(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
Carriage
I know, Boston is old. So old. But a carriage is not what you’re thinking. It’s not a reference to a horse and carriage, but rather a shopping cart you can load up with lobstahs and chowdah.
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Regular
Nope. Not referring to your personal body function habits here. This is how you order your coffee at Dunks when you want it with milk and sugar. Try ordering it that way in California, and you’ll get a cup of black coffee.
Tonic
Certainly this Boston term isn’t as popular as it used to be, but for those who grew up around here tonic was soda, or anything carbonated.
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Statie
Just a warning. If someone tells you to watch out for staties, that means you may want to pay attention to your speed when driving, as not to get pulled over by the State Police.
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Rotary
We say it so much and drive through so many, we often take for granted the fact that most people refer to these circular traffic paths as round-a-bouts. And doesn’t that just sound silly?
(Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
In Town
Telling someone that you are going in town, just means you are going to Boston. The Town. You don’t go into the city, you go “in town.” Oh, and when you do, have a wicked pissah time!
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Bang Out
You need to get out of something, like an obligation? Then you definitely need to bang out. Like when the Red Sox are losing badly in the 8th, you might bang out to beat the crowd.
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Yah No
Despite the “yah.” It’s a HARD no, for a Bostonian. Yah, no, I’m not buying this round of beeahs.
(Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
