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Yearly Archives: 2011
“Craic” on Twitter
Craic (pronounced “crack”) is a word used in various Irish dialects which puzzles me. I understand the general meaning of the word, which roughly translates to “something enjoyable.” Therefore a good craic is synonymous with “a good time.” Craic can be … Continue reading
Ulster Scots and Appalachian English
I’ve had conversations with several commenters about the Scots Irish, and their impact on Appalachian English in the United States. This region was largely settled in the 18th-Century by “ethnically Scottish” immigrants from what is present-day Northern Ireland, hence the … Continue reading
When did Americans Stop “Talking British?”
As the title of this post suggests, I often hear questions along the lines of, “when did Americans stop talking like British people?” Many readers, of course, know that history offers no such easy answers. But it’s a topic worth … Continue reading
Singlish
As I’m strapped for time today, I’ll open up the floor to a question: does anybody know anything about Singlish? This term refers to a creole language in Singapore, a mix of English and various East Asian languages. The spectrum … Continue reading
Did Yiddish Shape the New York Accent?
One of the first dialect anecdotes I heard was from the director of my high school production of Guy’s and Dolls. “The Brooklyn accent is dying out,” she said. “There isn’t as much of a Jewish presence there anymore.” This … Continue reading
Multicultural London English is not “Jafaican”
The Telegraph’s Ed West recently published an editorial titled Jafaican may be cool but it sounds ridiculous, that I find appalling. I respect West for having politics different from my own, but that’s no excuse for slandering a legitimate dialect … Continue reading
Accent Humor: Pittsburghese
Accent humor is often mean-spirited and stereotypical. But I can’t resist sharing this loving parody of the Pittsburghese (created by comedians who grew up in the area): The actors are exaggerating this accent a bit, but the salient features of … Continue reading
Posted in American English Tagged cot-caught merger, Pittsburghese, unusual accents and dialects 31 Comments
Estuary English in the 21st Century
I’ve used the term Estuary English quite a bit on this site. For the dialect novices out there, I’d like to explain what this phrase means, and my personal take on it. Estuary English is a hard concept to define. Sometimes … Continue reading
Posted in British English Tagged celebrity accents, Estuary English, Received Pronunciation (RP) 28 Comments
Is the Welsh Accent “Foreign?”
The Welsh accent is a mystery on American shores. Numerous Welsh celebrities have made the US their home: your Hopkinses, Burtonses, Zeta-Joneses, and just plain Joneses. Yet Americans have few of the preconceptions about Welsh English that we do for … Continue reading
Does Climate Affect Accent?
I have one last point to make about the accents in Fargo. After that film was released, I remember its dialect coach being interviewed on a glib entertainment news show (a la Access Hollywood). As I recall, she mentioned instructing … Continue reading