Dear People Recording Ads for Boston-Area Radio

[gnomi]

We appreciate the fact that you make radio ads to run in our market. However, it is sometimes painfully clear that you are not a local. Please note the following linguistic quirks:

1. It's "Wuster" (or "Wustah") (with a u like that in "put"), not "Wooster" (as it is in Ohio). Also, it's "Conkerd" (like "conquered"), not "Con-kord" (like the now defunct airplane). And even though we spell it Leicester, we pronounce it "Lester." I know it's weird; just go with it, OK?

2. There's no such thing as "the 93" in this area unless you're continuing with "tunnel" or "backup" or "cloverleaf." If you want to put articles with interstate route numbers, you're going to have to look west. Waaaaaaaaay west. Which is where you're probably from if you're saying "We're located right off the 93."

3. Related to 1, above, you can be "Right off the 93 in Woburn," but then you have to pronounce it "Wooburn," not "Woahburn."

These few simple hints can make it much easier for those of us who grew up around here to take you seriously as a local vendor. Please make a note of it.

Sincerely,
The Management

Comments

[quarkwiz.livejournal.com]

1. Oh, lordy. Remember that horrible fire in Worcester a few years ago? I was living in Toronto at the time, and while telling the story, one of the local TV announcers actually pronounced every syllable of the city's name. (Funny aside: Torontonians, as you and other readers of this comment probably know, mostly pronounce the city name as TrAHnna. It still sounds odd to hear someone say To-RON-to.)

2. Transplants in NYC do the same thing ("the 95"), and it's equally odd here. But then there are all the named roads like the Deegan or the BQE, and that's OK. Related aside: People in newyorkers sometimes refer to "The MoMA" when speaking of the museum, but as long as I've lived here, and listening to my elders and their elders, I've only ever heard people call it "MoMA," no article.

Funny how the little things will tip you off that someone hasn't been around someplace very long. I'm sure I've screwed up in various places I've lived!

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I learned to say "Tronno" just like I learned to say "Orrig'n" and I'm learning to say "Nuh-vaa-da" (as opposed to "Nuh-vah-da").

It just adds to people having trouble guessing where I'm from. Unless we're talking about my mother's brother's wife. Because for that? I'm totally identifiable as a New Englander.