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