The people of Massachusetts and surrounding parts of New England have a vocabulary all their own. Here are 10 of the most commonly misunderstood phrases, although someone should really just write a whole dictionary specifically for Massachusetts terminology.
1. Slush.
It's nothing like a slushie or a snowcone. It’s technically Italian Ice, but different; it's more creamy. If you’re from Massachusetts, you understand the difference.
2. Regular coffee.
Coffee with cream and sugar. If you go anywhere else they’ll think you’re asking for your coffee black. But here, black is black and regular has all the fixings.
3. Bubbler.
In Massachusetts, a bubbler is a water fountain. No one really knows why it’s called that, but it’s pretty fun to say.
4. Wicked!
"Wicked" adds emphasis to whatever you’re saying; good or bad. “That’s wicked cool” or “That’s wicked dumb.” It can also be used as a modifier or adjective, or alternative for "very" or "so."
5. Jimmies.
They go by many names, including 'sprinkles', 'shots,' 'nonpareils,' and 'hundreds and thousands,' but here in Massachusetts they’re always ‘jimmies’.
6. Frappe.
Ice cream and milk blended together. Similar to what other places call a milkshake or a Friendly’s ‘Fribble’, but way thicker and way better.
7. Barrel.
Where you put your trash.
8. Rotary.
A roundabout, and a key factor in why driving in Massachusetts is such a pleasure.
9. How to pronounce Worcester, Leominster, and Needham.
It’s Wuss-tur, Lemon-stir, and Need-um; to name a few.
10. Masshole!
It derived from the way people in Massachusetts drive: reckless, no patience, lots of beeping your horn, and cutting people off. It’s supposed to be bad thing, but people from Mass have really embraced it, taking pride in their aggressive tendencies on the road.
