Lexical
Characteristics
“Wicked” as an
Adverbial Degree Expression
One of the most infamous
characteristics of New England speakers is
their use of “wicked” in place of a more conventional degree expression such as
“very.” The word functions in exactly the same manner, so that a winter day can
be “wicked cold” or a plane can fly “wicked fast.” Generally, “wicked” is felt
to convey a stronger level of intensity than degree expressions like “very” and
“really,” and is more akin to “extremely,” although perhaps with a slightly
less intense connotation. In contrast to many other features of traditional New England speech, the use of “wicked” is actually
becoming more common among younger
generations. And while other lexical terms may be confined to limited regions
within New England, “wicked” is used by
speakers in all six states, and rarely outside them.
Dinner vs. Supper
Traditionally, New Englanders maintained the old
English classification of the day’s meals as breakfast, dinner, and supper.
Today, this usage is more prevalent in parts of the American South. However,
the use of ‘supper’ is still widespread throughout New
England as the term for the meal eaten during the evening,
especially in a normal, informal context. ‘Dinner’ is more often used to refer
to large meals with guests, especially in a formal context. It is also more
commonly used to refer to an evening meal eaten at a restaurant, and is
sometimes used to refer to a hearty family meal eaten during late afternoon,
especially on Sundays, echoing the archaic usage of the word. For the average
New Englander, a typical day consists of breakfast, lunch, and supper.
Introduction History Phonetic Characteristics Characteristics of
Usage and Expression