One-word regional accents

[empirestate]

Here's another dialect question: Can you think of any instances where a person speaks without any noticeable accent, except for that one word that will always give them away?

Down here close to NYC, that word is always "forward". I will hear people talk all the time, without any noticeable regional accent whatsoever, until suddenly they'll come out with "fo'ward", and I instantly know they're from somewhere near the city (typically New Jersey or Long Island or another suburban area; natives of the five boroughs seem to retain the full-fledge accent, I find).

Where else does this occur? Just a single word, mind you–not just New Englanders dropping all R's, or Midwesterners broadening all A's, etc.

[kurumi]

"Woarsh" (as in laundry) is a pretty clear shibboleth even for an otherwise neutral-sounding midwestern accent.

I remember being indignant to hear the Iowa side of our family saying that we New England kids had an accent but in hindsight they were right -- both sides did.

[KEVIN_224]

In Boston, it would, undoubtedly, be SAWX! I'll take the BRAWNKS, thank you!

[jwolfer]

"Woarsh" (as in laundry) is a pretty clear shibboleth even for an otherwise neutral-sounding midwestern accent.

I remember being indignant to hear the Iowa side of our family saying that we New England kids had an accent but in hindsight they were right -- both sides did.

Everyone has an accent

Z981

[jwolfer]

My mom is from North Florida. She was a professional ballet dancer for a time, was with San Francisco Ballet back in the 1960s, ballet  dancers DO NOT have Southern accents! So she lost her accent

She married my dad moved to his hometown on the Jersey Shore where I grew up. The word that gave her away was UM-brella.. and another was not really accent but rather usage... Buggy for shopping cart, which I use as well.

Y'all is a give away for a southerner.. easy to pick up because it fills a need in most dialects

Z981

[bandit957]

Lots of folks say "torlet."

[bandit957]

Is there anyone who thinks 'egg' doesn't rhyme with 'plague'? To me, they rhyme, but all the later dictionaries disagree.

[hotdogPi]

Is there anyone who thinks 'egg' doesn't rhyme with 'plague'? To me, they rhyme, but all the later dictionaries disagree.

They don't rhyme. The "a" in "plague" makes an "ay" sound, while the "e" in "egg" doesn't.

[7/8]

Is there anyone who thinks 'egg' doesn't rhyme with 'plague'? To me, they rhyme, but all the later dictionaries disagree.

No, but I rhyme "bag" and "plague". The sound I use seems to be somewhere between a long "a" [IPA: e(i)] and a short "a" [IPA: æ] with a nasally sound.

Also, the e in "egg" sounds a bit different from the e in "Ed" for me.

[1995hoo]

My father grew up in Brooklyn. You wouldn't know it from talking to him (in fairness, he hasn't lived there since 1969), but when you hear him pronounce a word that starts with an "h,"  you immediately know he's from somewhere in New York City–words like "huge,"  "Houston"  (the city, not the street), or "human,"  all of them the sort where the "h"  is felt but not really heard. (Yes, this is all similar to the way the President pronounces "huge" –so, phonetically, it's like "yuge,"  "Youston,"  or "yuman." )

Regarding the other issue, "egg"  doesn't sound anything remotely like "plague."

[webny99]

Is there anyone who thinks 'egg' doesn't rhyme with 'plague'? To me, they rhyme, but all the later dictionaries disagree.

They don't rhyme. The "a" in "plague" makes an "ay" sound, while the "e" in "egg" doesn't.

If you're from the south, the e in egg does indeed make that sound. It's not "ehgg", it's "aigg". 

Another thing is, if you say "ahss", southerners will thing you're saying "ice", but East coasters will think you're saying "ass". 

[cjk374]

Is there anyone who thinks 'egg' doesn't rhyme with 'plague'? To me, they rhyme, but all the later dictionaries disagree.

The words rhyme with some southerners. I have heard it, but they don't rhyme with me.

Is there anyone who thinks 'egg' doesn't rhyme with 'plague'? To me, they rhyme, but all the later dictionaries disagree.

They don't rhyme. The "a" in "plague" makes an "ay" sound, while the "e" in "egg" doesn't.

If you're from the south, the e in egg does indeed make that sound. It's not "ehgg", it's "aigg". 

Another thing is, if you say "ahss", southerners will thing you're saying "ice", but East coasters will think you're saying "ass". 

My uncle always told me you pronounced "ass" by saying "ayss" (really long "ay" sound).

[Brandon]

Is there anyone who thinks 'egg' doesn't rhyme with 'plague'? To me, they rhyme, but all the later dictionaries disagree.

They don't rhyme. The "a" in "plague" makes an "ay" sound, while the "e" in "egg" doesn't.

If you're from the south, the e in egg does indeed make that sound. It's not "ehgg", it's "aigg". 

Another thing is, if you say "ahss", southerners will thing you're saying "ice", but East coasters will think you're saying "ass". 

And in Inland North, it sounds more like "us" .

[Takumi]

I've only ever heard "radiator"  pronounced with the first A sounding like "radical"  from people from Delaware and eastern PA.

[webny99]

Another thing is, if you say "ahss", southerners will thing you're saying "ice", but East coasters will think you're saying "ass". 

My uncle always told me you pronounced "ass" by saying "ayss" (really long "ay" sound).

From the south, no doubt? 

And in Inland North, it sounds more like "us" .

I try to say "us" with that pronunciation and it sounds bad enough that I want to gag 
I totally know people that do it, though.

[bandit957]

I remember Mister Rogers pronouncing "lever" as "leever." Is that a Pittsburgh thing?

[sparker]

I remember Mister Rogers pronouncing "lever" as "leever." Is that a Pittsburgh thing?

More of a British thing, although some Canadians (usually from Ontario east) also use that pronunciation. 

[US 89]

I remember Mister Rogers pronouncing "lever" as "leever." Is that a Pittsburgh thing?

More of a British thing, although some Canadians (usually from Ontario east) also use that pronunciation.

The other common Canadian thing I'm familiar with is pronouncing "tomorrow"  as "to-more-ow"  and "sorry"  as "sore-y" .

[Brandon]

Another thing is, if you say "ahss", southerners will thing you're saying "ice", but East coasters will think you're saying "ass". 

My uncle always told me you pronounced "ass" by saying "ayss" (really long "ay" sound).

From the south, no doubt? 

And in Inland North, it sounds more like "us" .

I try to say "us" with that pronunciation and it sounds bad enough that I want to gag 
I totally know people that do it, though.

Northern Cities Vowel Shift.

The short vowels are shifted a bit.
a = "ya" or "e-a", as in cat sounding like "kyat" and map sounding like "me-ap".
e = "eh", as in bet sounding like "beht".
i = "ih", as in bit sounding like "biht".
o = "ah", as in cot sounding like "cat" to others.
u = "o" or "ah" type sound, as in bus sounding like "boss" to others.

For me, cot and caught sound totally different.

[inkyatari]

My mother in law is originally from Toronto, but you wouldn't know it unless she says "about" ("aboot",) or "mom" (mum.)

[jwolfer]

My father grew up in Brooklyn. You wouldn't know it from talking to him (in fairness, he hasn't lived there since 1969), but when you hear him pronounce a word that starts with an "h,"  you immediately know he's from somewhere in New York City–words like "huge,"  "Houston"  (the city, not the street), or "human,"  all of them the sort where the "h"  is felt but not really heard. (Yes, this is all similar to the way the President pronounces "huge" –so, phonetically, it's like "yuge,"  "Youston,"  or "yuman." )

Regarding the other issue, "egg"  doesn't sound anything remotely like "plague."

I do that too.. growing up in NJ I got the "yuge". One of my friends likes to point it out when ever I say it

Z981

[Rothman]

My mother in law is originally from Toronto, but you wouldn't know it unless she says "about" ("aboot",) or "mom" (mum.)

Or "project."  First time meeting with Ontarians I had to stifle giggles at the way they said it.

[briantroutman]

^ I think Alex Trebek can "pass"  until a contestant gives an incorrect answer and he says "soo-ree"  or he gives a contestant's winning total in "doo-lars" .

[jwolfer]

My mother in law is originally from Toronto, but you wouldn't know it unless she says "about" ("aboot",) or "mom" (mum.)

Or "project."  First time meeting with Ontarians I had to stifle giggles at the way they said it.

Like on "South Park" .. Blame Canada!

Z981

[abefroman329]

Bugs Bunny used to say "leever."

For anyone who grew up in/near Philly, it's "wuh-der" for "water" and "dooring" for "during."