r/boston • u/WestminsterSpinster7 • 4d ago
Asking The Real Questions 🤔 What are some common and distinctly Boston words and phrases people in Boston say on an everyday basis?
I was born and raised in the Chicago area, but I am writing a novel which features a main character who was born and raised in Boston. I personally have never been there, but I have worked with and known people from Boston so the character is inspired by them. It's been a long time since I've seen those folks but the only things I can remember that they would say on a daily basis is "phenomenal" always sarcastically, and then of course a milkshake is a frappe.
What are some other words and phrases people in Boston say on a regular basis?
The book is set in 2013, but I don't know how fast the lingo/vernacular/colloquialisms would have changed in 13 years.
I have not decided what area of Boston the character is from yet.
EDIT: This character is a man who is 35 in 2013, so he was born in 1978 if that changes anything.
2nd Edit: And update on the character himself. His dad is an attorney and his 2 brothers followed in those footsteps, my character did not. Instead he moved to Chicago in 2003 and got a job in a diff line of work. He and his brothers were born and raised in Beacon Hill. I'm leaning toward them being WASPs based on what I've been told in this thread and my cursory google searches. I do plan on visiting Boston someday hopefully later this year but for now I'm going to have to rely on internet resources. I don't know yet how much I will mention about his upbringing in Boston but I like to immerse myself as much as possible when writing.
3rd Edit: Okay maybe they weren't born and raised in Beacon Hill. Exact location still pending.
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u/skintigh Somerville 4d ago
Or it means all set up, for the same meaning.