Most mispronounced town in Massachusetts

[AtkinsonDan]

My extended family came from Woburn. Two of my grandparents lived in Woburn from birth until death and the other two grew up in Boston and moved to Woburn when they married. When my mother was pregnant with my younger sister, we moved to Billerica to find a larger, yet affordable place to live that could accommodate a family of four. All of my elder relatives as based out of Woburn, pronounced Billerica the way it is spelled: Bil-Ler-Rica. During the childhood years I lived there, my pronunciation morphed into Bill-Rica like someone's name: i.e. Mr. Bill Rica. In my late teen years my family moved to Maine and with time my pronunciation morphed back to Bil-Ler-Rica as I still had contact with family but no contact with Billerica area locals. After Maine, I lived in Lowell for about seven years and my pronunciation reverted back to Bill-Rica. Now living in New Hampshire without contact with Billerica / Lowell area locals, the pronunciation is reverting back to Bil-Ler-Rica. Supposedly people whose families lived in Billerica for generations pronounced it as Brica but I never, ever pronounced it that way.

I pronounce most Massachusetts communities the way MA locals do: Woobin, Woosta, Hayvrill, Bedfid, Medfid, Andovah except Billerica. Go figure.

[massnative71]

Caution: Foul language present




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8knD9XD04wA

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by sitonmywhat

Another example of the "No R in our alphabet" is New Bedford. "Bed-fud." Jerry Remy, God bless him, was maybe the best illustration of that accent, though he was from Rhode Island. (Dustin Pedroia becomes "Dustin Pedroi-er." Martha becomes "Mah-ther.")

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

Native New Bedfordians would say New Beffa.

Whenever I see "...ford" at the end of a name, I pronounce it as "...fid", "...fud" just does not sound right to me. I have also heard "...ford" reduced down to the 'a' though, like Meffa or Beffa.



This topic is driving the spellcheck crazy.

[sitonmywhat]

Originally Posted by msRB311

yes or even upstate NY. Never in my life have I said Bahston.

Ya, I laughed when I heard it used in the original movie, MASH. It was applied to Elliott Gould when he first arrived to the unit; he portrayed Trapper John McIntyre of "Bah-ston." It was done with some deliberate affectation.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066026/

Later, David Ogden Stiers portrayed Charles Emerson Winchester III, from "Bah-ston." He was sickened by having to do all the rush-job "meatball" surgery at MASH 4077. "Best Care Anywhere!"

[MtPleasantDream]

Originally Posted by AtkinsonDan

My extended family came from Woburn. Two of my grandparents lived in Woburn from birth until death and the other two grew up in Boston and moved to Woburn when they married. When my mother was pregnant with my younger sister, we moved to Billerica to find a larger, yet affordable place to live that could accommodate a family of four. All of my elder relatives as based out of Woburn, pronounced Billerica the way it is spelled: Bil-Ler-Rica. During the childhood years I lived there, my pronunciation morphed into Bill-Rica like someone's name: i.e. Mr. Bill Rica. In my late teen years my family moved to Maine and with time my pronunciation morphed back to Bil-Ler-Rica as I still had contact with family but no contact with Billerica area locals. After Maine, I lived in Lowell for about seven years and my pronunciation reverted back to Bill-Rica. Now living in New Hampshire without contact with Billerica / Lowell area locals, the pronunciation is reverting back to Bil-Ler-Rica. Supposedly people whose families lived in Billerica for generations pronounced it as Brica but I never, ever pronounced it that way.

I pronounce most Massachusetts communities the way MA locals do: Woobin, Woosta, Hayvrill, Bedfid, Medfid, Andovah except Billerica. Go figure.

This video is good.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfPLjwUdHoE

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

Native Portuguese, not native NB.

Please explain the difference. LOL

Back in the 1970s when there was an actual printed phone book, there was an entire page of Manuel Medeiros.