User:OBriain/Boston slang
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Boston slang is the use of highly informal vocabulary including non-words that are not part of the standard General American English specifically used in the city and within the vicinity of Boston, Massachusetts in the United States of America. There are a number of different forms of Boston slang, typically due to differences of ethnic or class origin. There may also be some differences based upon the user's origins within the city and the surrounding areas. Some instances of Boston slang are used as far afield of Boston itself as parts of Western Massachusetts to the west, Maine to the north, and Connecticut to the south.
Boston slang should not be confused with General American English words as they are rendered in the various Boston and Eastern New England accents which are characterized, among other elements, by their frequent non-rhoticity.
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[edit] Boston slang and the Boston accent
Due to the non-rhoticity and broad "A" of the local accents, many words that are otherwise a part of General American English are vocalized and occasionally written in a characteristic way. Perhaps the most widely recognized example of this is the word chowder ['tʃaʊ-də]. Chowder refers to New England clam chowder, a staple of the regional cuisine. It is sometimes rendered chowdah to flavorfully recall a typical pronunciation in the local accent.
