SPEAK LIKE A NATIVE NEW ENGLANDER 9

If you visit Boston, you should know that certain sections of
the city and their inhabitants have nicknames while others
don't.

For example, South Boston is "Southie". There's even a song,
"Southie is My Hometown." If someone's street address is
on a street with a number or letter for a name(such as "D
Street") they're most likely from Southie.

East Boston is sometimes called "Eastie" but I'm not sure if
this is as common as it was when I was a kid fifty years ago.

Jamaica Plain is sometimes called "J.P.". Again, this might
not be as common as it once was, but if you mention "J.P." to
a Bostonian of a certain age no explanation is necessary. And
no, the residents are not called "Jammies".

People from Charlestown are "Townies".

Roslindale residents live in "Rozzie". (although I don't recall
ever hearing anyone say that.)


Dorchester residents may have attended "Dot High".
(Dorchester High School) or talk about driving down "Dot Ave."
I lived a few blocks away from "Dot High" when I was a kid.
When former Dorchester residents meet for the first time and
if they are Catholics they don't ask what street they used to
live on, they ask what parish they had lived in. I lived in
St. Matthew's Parish.



'Im told that some people from West Roxbury call themselves
"Westies" although, again, it's a term I've never heard used.

Some areas such as Hyde Park, Allston and Mattapan don't
seem to have nicknames or at least they didn't when I lived in
Boston.

But there is one nickname that is never used by
Boston natives.

No one but out-of-towner reporters calls Boston "Beantown".