Nonantum, Massachusetts

Nonantum (from a Native American word meaning "rejoicing") is one of the thirteen villages of Newton, Massachusetts, also known as Silver Lake or The Lake. The lake in question was filled with construction rubble and built over in the 1930s. The village is one of the centers of Italian population in Newton. Newton Catholic High School (now known as Trinity Catholic High School [1]) is located in the village. The commercial area has numerous restaurants and food establishments featuring Italian cuisine. A historical report can be found at [2].

Nonantum figures in early Massachusetts history as the home of Waban, one of the first Native Americans in Massachusetts to convert to Christianity. He had been taught by John Eliot.

Lake Talk

A notable element in Nonantum is the Lake dialect. Lake Talk, as it is called, is an idiosyncratic language spoken in the village, particularly among Italian-American locals. The dialect's origins are unclear. It has been speculated that it is a blend of Italian and some World War II code, but others have seen similarities to Angloromani or Italian Romany ("gypsy") slang. Many people in the village are descendants from San Donato Val di Comino, Italy.

According to a 2001 article in the Boston Globe some examples of words and phrases in Lake Talk include:

• mush (pronounced to rhyme with push) -- "guy", a compliment
• quister mush (quest-ah mush) --"good, standup guy"
• jival -- "girl"
• guister jival (quest-ah dival) -- "pretty girl"
• divia (div-ya) -- "crazy", "jerk, screw-up, or harmless screwball"
• cuya moi -- "Shut up" or "go to hell"
• inga -- "unattractive" or "bad-tempered person"
• chuccuo -- (chu-co) --"donkey, horse's ass"
• over-shay (ova-shay) -- "It's a lie" or "He's an actor"
• pukka to the mush -- "Tell the guy"
• chabby -- "boy child", possibly related to the Romany word chavvie="boy"
• wonga -- "money"
• chor'd --"stolen", possibly rlated to the Romany word choro="thief"
• mush has a cormunga in his cover -- "guy has a gun"

Massachusetts State Auditor Joe DeNucci, a Nonantum native, told the Globe:

You talk the Lake language and only people from there can understand you. An awful lot of what it means is how you say it and how you use it. You improvise a lot, mixing it with carnival talk and bebop.

"Mush is the earie." That means "The guy is listening."

Lake talk is not confined to the neighborhood. Nonantum students have spread it to Newton North high school, which serves the area.

Notable residents

Some famous former residents of Nonantum are actress Marianne Leone and actor Matt Leblanc.

See also

• List of Registered Historic Places in Newton, Massachusetts

Coordinates: 42°21′45″N 71°12′08″W / 42.3625, -71.20222

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