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

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Well,I've been in Seattle for almost 14 years and though I've been told by far-away friends that I've gone native, everyone who's a native here can tell that I'm from out of town. It's not because I can't pronounce names or don't know where things are. It's because when I get tired or angry, all my New York comes out and it's very hard to miss.

You can take the girl out of The City, but you can't take The City out of the girl. :-)