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Category Archives: American English
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
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
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
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
The “Fargo” Accent: A Joke that Never Dies
It’s been fifteen years since Fargo was released in American theaters. Set in rural Minnesota, the film turned an obscure American regional dialect into a national punchline, albeit a loving one. Mention “Minnesota dialect” to an American, and they’ll give you … Continue reading
Central Connecticut: A Strange New Accent?
I had a lengthy blog post prepared today but got caught up on a specific detail that I’d like to get your advice on. The clip in question is that of this college TV news reporter at Central Connecticut State … Continue reading
One of My Favorite Famous Accents
As per a recent post about non-rhotic American Southern English, I should mention one of my favorite accents of any politician. That would be the former Senator from Charleston, South Carolina, Fritz Hollings. An excellent clip of his speech can … Continue reading