SMALL TALK
Rhode Islanders love to chitchat . Here ’ s what to say if you ’ re ever caught up in a convo with a local about any of the common talking points below .
TOPIC : The Weather THEY SAY : “ Wow , the snow is really coming down hard today .” YOUR LINE : “ It sure is , Frank , but it ’ s got nothing on the Blizzard of ’ 78 .”
TOPIC : Traffic THEY SAY : “ How was your commute in ?” YOUR LINE : “ 95 North was awful . I was stuck between the Big Blue Bug and the S-Curve for an hour !”
TOPIC : The Way Things Were THEY SAY : Anything about the former Rocky Point Amusement Park . YOUR LINE : “ I heard the Shore Dinner Hall ’ s clam cakes were to die for .”
TOPIC : Your Connections THEY SAY : “ You need a mechanic ? My wife ’ s uncle will give you a great deal .” YOUR LINE : “ You need a hairdresser ? My neighbor ’ s college roommate is the best in the biz .”
ACCENT BREAKDOWN
Most importantly , you need to know that we Rhode Islanders have a strange relationship with the letter R . Spend enough time with one of us and you ’ ll notice we either drop it completely for an H ( see : cah and blinkah ), or we arbitrarily tack it on when vowel endings are involved ( i . e . idear , sodar ).
Language Lesson
Between the inexplicable accent and the strange words and phrases that come out of our mouths , Rhode Islanders can be a bit difficult to understand sometimes . These twelve definitions should help you out .
All the Way ( adjective ) The only way to order a hot wiener from Olneyville New York System — expect meat sauce , mustard , onion and celery salt . “ I ’ ll take three all the way .”
Bang a Uey ( verb ) [ bang-a-u-ie ] A more fun way of telling someone to make a u-turn . “ Oh , you were supposed to take a left at the old Benny ’ s — just bang a uey here .”
Bubbler ( noun ) [ buhblah ] A public drinking fountain you ’ d often find in school hallways . This was obviously more utilized in pre-COVID times . “ I ’ m gonna hit the bubbler before class .”
Clicker ( noun ) [ clickah ] The device you use to change a TV channel , a . k . a . a remote .“ The 6 o ’ clock news is about to start , give me the clicker .”
Down Cellar ( noun ) [ down-cellah ] The basement where all the family ’ s snowstorm provisions are kept . “ Honey , we ’ re supposed to get eight inches on Monday , go down cellar and make sure we have enough water jugs .”
Downcity ( noun ) A designation for downtown Providence , specifically . “ It ’ s been a rough one , let ’ s grab drinks downcity tonight after work .”
Gravy ( noun ) What Italian Rhode Islanders call tomato sauce . “ I only take my spaghetti lathered in gravy .”
Grinder ( noun ) [ grindah ] A sandwich served on a torpedo roll . Out-of-staters , think : sub , hoagie or hero .“ I ’ m hankering for an Italian Corner grinder right now .”
Packie ( noun ) Nickname for a package store , which is a nickname for a liquor store . “ We need to stop at a packie before the big Red Sox game .”
Side by Each ( adjective ) A term originated in Woonsocket , this is our roundabout way of saying something is side by side or next to each other . “ Our houses growing up were side by each .”
Supper ( noun ) [ suppah ] The last meal of the day — some may refer to it as dinner . “ Johnny , it ’ s almost time for supper , come inside and wash your hands !”
Wicked ( adverb ) An emphatic alternate to “ really ” or “ very .” “ Did you see the new ‘ Family Guy ’ episode ? It ’ s wicked funny .”
1790 Rhode Island is the last of the thirteen colonies to sign the Constitution .
1803 Pelham Street in Newport is the first gas-lit street in America .
1952 Mr . Potato Head is born at Hasbro ( the toy company , not the hospital ) in Pawtucket and is the first toy advertised on TV in America .
1791 Samuel Slater builds the country ’ s first waterpowered textile mill in Pawtucket , marking the beginning of the American Industrial Revolution .
1843 In response to restrictive suffrage laws , the Dorr Rebellion results in the state ’ s first individual constitution .
1953 John F . Kennedy , the future thirty-fifth president of the U . S ., marries Jackie Lee Bouvier at St . Mary ’ s Church in Newport .
8 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY ’ S NEWCOMERS ’ GUIDE l 2022