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Author Archives: Ben
The Texas Accent: Bush vs. Perry
An article in the Star-Telegram this week compares the Texas accents of Governor Rick Perry with that of George W. Bush. Apparently, Perry’s accent triggers some negative associations with our last president. For reference, here’s a clip of Perry speaking: … Continue reading
Quebec English
Quebec English is a broad term used for the dialects (both foreign and native) spoken in North America’s great Francophone province. There is a cultural divide between Quebec and English-speaking Canada, making it tricky to suss out what marks a … Continue reading
California English and the “Gay Accent”
Is there such a thing as a “gay accent?” I wouldn’t even touch this question were there not a decent amount of scholarly research about it. The notion of “talking gay,” after all, is a staple of homophobic parody. So … Continue reading
“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