Yesterday on Facebook my niece posted a link to aid Outlanders to understand or speak Michiganese. It was pretty funny-------or mildly amusing------depending upon how you feel about regional accents.
I have lived in a few parts of the country where I couldn't make myself understood, so I know I have an accent. I can be understood perfectly by native Ontarians, but that's not too helpful in North Carolina.
In the 60's when we lived in Virginia, I nearly had to write down my conversations. But my accent has mellowed and Virginians have been infiltrated by lots of foreigners who don't speak southern very well.
When in conversation about this I've noticed that nobody thinks THEY have an accent. It's like the proud mom, viewing the parade, and saying, "They were all out of step but Jim."
Anyway, I'm submitting this link for your entertainment. Some of it is even true. We Yoopers do call folks from the Lower Peninsula trolls.
http://melbel.hubpages.com/hub/Michigan-Accent
Funny! We have friends who live near Marquette ... I will have to share that link with them!
ReplyDeleteHere in southwestern Illinois, we pronounce the "or" sounds as "ar" (as if "Highway Farty Far). We also add an "r" to words like "wash" and "Washington". We never pronounce the "g" in "-ing" words and never pronounce the "l" in "-ld" words (we pronounce "cold" the same way we pronounce "code"). You might hear older adults pronounce "sink" as "zink" or "soda" as "sodie".
And there's no love for Chicago here in southern/southwestern Illinois ... it might as well be the 51st state. ;-)
You don't pronounce "wash" as Worsh, do you?
DeleteI never thought I had an accent until I moved away and then came back. Funny how clipped and harsh the Wis accent sounded to my ears once they'd been softened by southern accents.
ReplyDeleteBut now I'm all cornfused - I never know if I'm drinking a soda, a pop, a soda pop, a soft drink, or just a coke.
Oh, yeah! that's confusing. I just say pop.
ReplyDeleteYou are too funny Ann....I am a Yooper from above the bridge in God's country and not a a troll from below the bridge....I say that to our customers here in NC that are from Lower MI...and then I laugh...
ReplyDeleteI did live most of my growing up years in Wi. where that accent is different than the UP hey or MN which is nowhere near the accent of the Yoopers...don't ya know...Oh if you could hear me say that, you would truly know what I was saying...LOL
And the Shy town sound...ugh...I used to live in Skokie and then in Buffalo Grove..not in the city...But their accents are all so different and here in North Cacalacki(Carolina), I can understand all accents from all over...They are all soooo different...
Have a great weekend...
My sister was up in Calumet recently and took a picture of the depot there where our grandparents lived above the lobby.
Our grandpa was a station master for a few years...Love trains, but they don't get to the UP anymore...
Love from NC
Oh, yes, I love your quilt picture....Beautiful.
ReplyDelete