Living in Massachusetts endows you with a certain set of skills, such as successfully getting salt water taffy out of your hair and driving down frozen highways in the middle of a blizzard. But we’re also pretty good at pronouncing some seemingly unpronounceable words. Here are 15 words that basically only Massachusetts natives can say right.
- Frappe
Flickr/Paul Istoan A frappe is what other states call a milkshake. We shudder when we hear outsiders say “frap-AY”. It’s really pronounced “FRAPP”. Plain and simple.
- Mattapoisett
Wikimedia Commons/Balon Greyjoy Though your cousin from out of state will probably sprain his tongue trying to figure it out, this one is pronounced “mat-uh-POISE-et”.
- Tyringham
Wikimedia Commons/ToddC4176 The tricky bit about this town name is that it appears to be pretty straightforward at first glance. You pronounce it like “TY-ring-ham”, right? Nope. Locals will be able to tell you it’s actually “TIER-ing-um”. Sigh.
- Rehoboth
Wikimedia Commons/John Phelan Unlike many other town names in Massachusetts, Rehoboth actually has Hebrew roots. It’s derived from the word for “enlargement.” Rehoboth is pronounced “ruh-HOE-bith.”
- Quahog
Wikimedia Commons/y6y6y6 Okay, so this one is actually a little tricky. Technically, this Native American word is pronounced just how it looks: “QUA-hog”. However, almost all Massachusetts locals will go with the entirely different pronunciation of “KOE-hog”, which rhymes with “go-dog”. Basically, people will look at you funny if you use the dictionary pronunciation here.
- Billerica
Wikimedia Commons/John Phelan Though it seems to make no sense, this word is pronounced “bill-RICK-uh.” Where did that middle “e” go? It’s impossible to say.
- Scituate
Flickr/Chris Devers Another case of the disappearing “c”. The beautiful town of Scituate is actually pronounced “SITCH-yoo-it.”
- Belichick
Flickr/WEBN-17 The last name of the Patriots’ longtime couch is kind of a tough one, unless you’ve spent years hearing it on Massachusetts radio and T.V. Fun fact: while most people pronounce this name “BEL-i-chick” or “BEL-i-check,” the coach himself has often been captured on camera pronouncing it “bel-ICHIK.” We may never know.
- Leicester
Flickr/Doug Kerr Tourists pretty much never get this one right. This Worcester County town is actually pronounced “LES-ter.” Poor tourists.
- Gloucester
Flickr/MOTT Tourists call this place “gl-OW-sess-ter.” Most locals call it “GLOSS-terr.” Unless you’re actually from Gloucester, in which case you might call it “GLAH-stah.”
- Acushnet
Flickr/MOTT This town name is actually pronounced “uh-KOOZH-net,” though you’ve probably heard even locals saying something more like “ah-KUSH-net.” The name is from the Wampanoag word meaning “peaceful resting place near water.”
What other words do you think only Massachusetts natives can pronounce right? Let us know in the comments! If you want to know more about those strange Massachusetts town names, check out the meaning behind some of the most interesting town names in the state.
Flickr/Paul Istoan
A frappe is what other states call a milkshake. We shudder when we hear outsiders say “frap-AY”. It’s really pronounced “FRAPP”. Plain and simple.
Wikimedia Commons/Balon Greyjoy
Though your cousin from out of state will probably sprain his tongue trying to figure it out, this one is pronounced “mat-uh-POISE-et”.
Wikimedia Commons/ToddC4176
The tricky bit about this town name is that it appears to be pretty straightforward at first glance. You pronounce it like “TY-ring-ham”, right? Nope. Locals will be able to tell you it’s actually “TIER-ing-um”. Sigh.
Wikimedia Commons/John Phelan
Unlike many other town names in Massachusetts, Rehoboth actually has Hebrew roots. It’s derived from the word for “enlargement.” Rehoboth is pronounced “ruh-HOE-bith.”
Wikimedia Commons/y6y6y6
Okay, so this one is actually a little tricky. Technically, this Native American word is pronounced just how it looks: “QUA-hog”. However, almost all Massachusetts locals will go with the entirely different pronunciation of “KOE-hog”, which rhymes with “go-dog”. Basically, people will look at you funny if you use the dictionary pronunciation here.
Though it seems to make no sense, this word is pronounced “bill-RICK-uh.” Where did that middle “e” go? It’s impossible to say.
Flickr/Chris Devers
Another case of the disappearing “c”. The beautiful town of Scituate is actually pronounced “SITCH-yoo-it.”
Flickr/WEBN-17
The last name of the Patriots’ longtime couch is kind of a tough one, unless you’ve spent years hearing it on Massachusetts radio and T.V. Fun fact: while most people pronounce this name “BEL-i-chick” or “BEL-i-check,” the coach himself has often been captured on camera pronouncing it “bel-ICHIK.” We may never know.
Flickr/Doug Kerr
Tourists pretty much never get this one right. This Worcester County town is actually pronounced “LES-ter.” Poor tourists.
Flickr/MOTT
Tourists call this place “gl-OW-sess-ter.” Most locals call it “GLOSS-terr.” Unless you’re actually from Gloucester, in which case you might call it “GLAH-stah.”
This town name is actually pronounced “uh-KOOZH-net,” though you’ve probably heard even locals saying something more like “ah-KUSH-net.” The name is from the Wampanoag word meaning “peaceful resting place near water.”
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