I’m convinced you can drive 10 minutes in New England and find an entirely different accent than where you started
2 weeks ago | 49
Wuster and wustah are both acceptable, depending on where you’re from.
2 weeks ago | 25
In Boston, everyone pronounces it Wooster or “Woostah” if their accent is strong.
2 weeks ago (edited) | 12
Growing up in MA I always called it Wuhstah. Fun fact, Worcester is the home of the smiley face. When I think of Worcester (and MA as a whole), I think of people totally happy and no chip on their shouldah
2 weeks ago | 5
As a Worcesterite, I’d say there are a few correct pronunciations, but the most common is “wuh-ster” where the first vowel is identical to that of “wood” or “would.” Some people also say “wister,” and of course both of these pronunciations have non-rhotic versions (i.e. “wuh-stah” and “wis-tah”). Also worth noting that we have a really diverse community here and there are many variants on our city’s pronunciation among different pockets of people; so our Ghanaian, Dominican, Vietnamese, Albanian, and Brazilian neighbors (and all the other communities here) all have slightly different ways of saying our city’s name. Ultimately any pronunciation approximating “Wooster” is correct, but our city’s wide variety of people gives our name a wide variety of interpretations, and that’s part of what makes this city wonderful.
1 week ago | 2
And if that’s not confusing enough, wait until you get to Rhode Island. “ me an Bawbby went ta Newpot Creamery ta get cabinets.” Translation into Standard colloquial English: “ Bobby and I went to the Newport Creamery for milkshakes.”
2 weeks ago | 2
I think Wooster. But worth listening to worcester am radio online to hear from local radio person. I appreciate its more down to earth nature. A decent insurance economy there.
2 weeks ago | 2
Writing "phonetic" spellings for English speakers isn't easy; but these instructions should work: (1) Think of the name as if it were spelled "Worse-ster". That helps you get the vowels right. (2) Of course there would not be two separate "s'" sounds, just one. So that would sound like "Were stir". (3) Omit the first "r" entirely, because it's in New England, but keep the vowel sound the same, as in the word "booker". And that should give you the right result.
1 week ago (edited) | 1
There are small areas of MA that have the quintessential Boston accent, but EVERYONE in Rhode Island sounds like the stereotypical Bostonite lol. 😆
2 weeks ago | 1
I moved up to NE last year and people try to correct the way I say names of towns up here. I just tell them I don't hear any difference between how I say it and they say it. Gets them pretty upset, it's quite funny.
2 weeks ago | 0
Live just outside Worcester. It’s pronounced wister if you don’t have an accent, and wuhstah if you have the Massachusetts accent
1 week ago | 0
Geography King
Confirming my suspicions that they don't know either
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 229