The Boston Dictionary - John Powers; illustrated by Peter Wallace

Bostonians, like Texans, Georgians and the British, have their own version of the English language. This is its Rosetta Stone.

Translated by the canny John Powers and illustrated by the uncanny Peter Wallace, here is the book you need.

Natives can brush up on their dialect, if its been eroded by exposure to too many radio and TV announcers from out of town.

Travelers and newcomers to the Hub of the Universe can learn how to communicate with the indigenous folk.

Passerby really have only two choices: buy this book, or spend a lot of time saying “What?” A few samples include:

Dryviz: Cah owniz. “I don’t know why everyone says Bawstin dryviz ah so crazy. Evah see a Noo Yawka inside a roedaree? Looks like Uhpawlo 13 in awbit!”

Fawrinnuz: Not from heah. “You can always tell who the fawrinnus ah in Bawxtin. They tryda tok to us in English.”

Hawspittle: Bawstin City, etc. “My bruthiz an oddaly at Mass Genrull. That’s the hawspittle down the Chahlz wayuh the Ianeah is.”

Weeuhd: Strange, odd. “I cahn’t get ovah how people think we have a weeuhd accent in Bawstin. I mean, we don’t even have an accent.”