Abby Daley
What is your name & what pronouns do you use?
My name is Abby Daley, and I use she/her pronouns.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Westfield, Massachusetts.
What is unique about the language/the way language is used where you are from?
When I think about the language that I grew up around, I perceive no accent, no 'uniqueness.' All American might be the way to describe it. I am, of course, from Massachusetts, so there is undeniable Boston influence, but I actually feel like there is more 'Connecticut' to the way we speak. I think this is perhaps the one unique thing about language in western Massachusetts. It has the influence of two significant northeastern communities.
What kind of environment does this use of language create?
To begin, the environment that has influenced my language has less to do with Massachusetts in a broad sense and more to do with my smaller community. I grew up primarily in an Irish Catholic community. The tendency to be loud, blunt, and unconcerned was cemented firmly in my gender role. Yet, things like sexuality were not to be discussed openly, which has inevitably become a point of conflict for many people who grow up in this sort of community, myself included.
Can you think of an interaction or saying that describes where you are from?
It's less of a saying and more of a word: wicked. If you have ever spoken to someone from the northeast, you know exactly why. It is versatile, blunt, expressive, and perfectly representative of the agency that language has in our life.
How has this impacted who you are?
My “city,” which is actually a small town, could be studied as its own ecosystem, in all honesty. Most Massachusetts/Northeast/East coast/New England stereotypes apply. What is unique about Westfield, though, is how the small nature of its size has enormous implications on how people behave and speak. The people in this community have been surrounded by the same patterns for their whole lives and expect their children to do the exact same. With that context, the way I was spoken to as a child definitely impacts the way I interact with others now, and it has and continues to require quite a bit of work to break those patterns.
Where do you think you break away from this language?
I am the black sheep of my town in every type of way. I am the opposite of everything someone in Westfield, Massachusetts, should be — a “liberal lesbian,” as one anonymous commenter on an app called YikYak put it. I think that’s a wonderful thing. Although I do proudly rep the word “wicked” and my knowledge of pumpkins and apples.
(Note: YikYak is an anonymous social media where people within a certain location can post whatever they may be thinking about)
POST- INTERVIEW: What does Abby's experience tell us about frames?
Abby Daley's narrative is a poignant reflection of the linguistic frames that shape and are shaped by community norms. Through her journey, we see how language both conforms to and challenges societal expectations. Abby, standing as a testament to individuality in a town steeped in tradition, reveals the powerful role language plays in identity formation and societal critique.
Her story is a vivid illustration of the intersection between language and personal identity, showcasing how breaking away from linguistic norms can be a form of self-expression and rebellion. Abby's experience with language in Westfield, Massachusetts, is a microcosm of the broader dynamics of linguistic evolution and cultural resistance. Her insights are a valuable contribution to understanding the complex relationship between language, culture, and individuality.
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