A List of Words That are Unique to New England

The restroom, especially of a school. When I was growing up in the 60s and 70s, we would ask to go to the basement.

"southie" young thugs

Smoking, in reference to a cigarette, either an unused one, or the ones in the ashtray.

Remote control for a TV or other similar devices.

Milk flavored with coffee syrup, *NOT* half coffee/half milk

Where the freezer is, and the tools, and boxes of old stuff.

This is the way my friends and I pronounce, drawer, as in, "It's in the top 'draw' of my bureau." Or, "Open the 'draws' and look for it!" which tends to confuse people from out-of state, who don't really understand what drawing has to do with shelving.

Also known as a pharmacy. This is where you went on Sunday when the Package Store was closed and got your bottle of Pickwick Ale for medicinal purposes.

Normally called elsewhere in the country as denim jeans, Levis or slacks.

Known as a rubber band elsewhere

Also known as a rubber band.

Someone who is from an area south of New England. A person not from New England who does not know anything about fishing, hiking, or other outdoor activities.

Peanut butter and marshmellow fluff. For those of you who don't know, Marshmellow Fluff is a regional delicacy. It's a very sticky white cream, usually just called Fluff. It has the consistency of a big vat of melted marshmellows. I like fluff and strawberry jam, but the traditional application is with Peanut butter. You only get one pass at applying it to the bread (because it's extremely sticky) and you certainly don't dip the knife in anything else once it's been in the fluff jar.

A Frappe is made with milk, ICE CREAM, and flavoring syrup, blended together in a frappe machine (mixer). Cabinet is a word used primarily in Rhode Island.

I'm told that elsewhere the long sandwiches they serve in pizza joints are called subs and hoagies. Bizarre!

Um.. no. Hamburg is not short for 'hamburger'. It's a way of referring to 'ground beef'.

Commercial at first, but came to include ice crean manufactured by companies other than Hood. A small cardboard cup of ice cream.

I don't know where you get your ice cream sodas but in Lowell, MA. an Ice Cream soda is a mix of equal portions of cream, syrup, and soda water mixed together with a scoop of Ice cream on top. Kind of like a float.

An Ice Cream Soda is similar to a frappe, but with soda water instead of milk.

Tiny candy that goes on ice cream. Come in plain 'chocolate' and 'rainbow' varietys. Known elsewhere as Sprinkes! Sprinkles to me sounds a little, well, feminine.

Another word for a hospital gown.

Not the African word, it means can you

People who head up to New England to check out the foliage. Usually found driving 20 mph on major roadways. Of course, this is usually restricted to the Mohawk Trail (Route 2 west of Westminster). Interstate I-190 is really nice too, and not really well known, of course the speed limit is like 70mph, so it's not as cool for the old folks.

Milk and syrup.

translates to "I don't believe it" and is usually followed by "yes-suh" and maybe derived from "no, sir"

You ain't from around here are you? Anyone who hasn't lived here their whole life basically. You can tell them apart because they usually have funny accents like those people on TV and don't know what the "Curse of the Bambino" is.

Package stores are not where you buy boxes, it's where you go to get beer. Usually, people refer to them as "Packie's". You go down to the packie on a Friday to get ready for the weekend, especially if your from Southie. You have to remember in Massachusetts, the Blue Laws keep the Packie's closed on the weekend. You want beer on a Sunday? Better drive north to New Hampshire, it's cheaper there anyways. You also need to remember they don't generally sell alcohol in grocery stores here either, that requires a lot of paperwork and generally isn't done.

Palor is not used everyday. It is/was a formal living room for guests and sometimes a formal party. I'm 65. I remember palors.

A summer employee of the city or town who organizes games for the local children. Usually a college age boy or girl. Skilled in snaps and/or gimp.

Living room or family room

A word for porch, especially a porch of a three decker. Not heard much anymore.

(Really spelt pisser). Which means awesome, very good. No, I'm not making this up, I don't know how this one started.

It could also be pronounced as pocket book. It is another name for handbag or purse.

Rocking Chair

Tennis shoes

Pop is your father, not a drink.

Not a health club. A corner store with a soda fountain, selling candy, newspapers and lime rickeys.

South Boston, "Southie" Spuckie is a grinder and or sub sandwich.

Aluminum foil

This is another word for soda, I don't hear it in Worcester too often, mostly out by Boston. This is the original word for soda in New England.

Carbonated water flavored with quinine as used in a "Gin and Tonic".

Something my grandmother always says in place of "see you later". She is from Concord, MA.

Someone who has basically lived in the same town for an extended period of time. ie. Since the dawn of time. (Not that awful TV show that used to be on, where the accents of the actors changed every episode).

Used to describe ice cream or snack cake, or any kind of sweet junk food

Drinking fountain? Who drinks out of a fountain? I'm told this is used outside of the region as well, so I guess we can't claim it as a unique New England word.

A modifier...equivalent to "very", only stronger. When someone in New England says something is wicked, they aren't calling it evil.