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Old 01-02-2014, 05:58 PM
 
Location: Massachusetts & Hilton Head, SC
10,007 posts, read 15,653,607 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by professeurpablo View Post
Check out the website Forvo for a comparison. What I was able to find is a bit of an apples/oranges comparison, but I think it illustrates what I'm trying to explain. Type in "Boston", click on the link, and listen to the pronunciation by JanaM. It approximates the sound I'm trying to explain. Then, type in "Chicago" - again, not exactly the same sound, but close - and listen the contribution from themediacollective. This will at least demonstrate the difference between the lengthened, drawn-out Boston sound and the open, but more clipped, midwestern sound I'm trying so unsuccessfully to describe in words
I hear that in your 2nd example re: Chicago, which sounds very flat, but not in the Boston one. That being said, I've heard some strange pronunciations for Boston.
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Old 01-02-2014, 06:04 PM
 
Location: Everett, Massachusetts
316 posts, read 723,695 times
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The Boston pronunciation I suggested is pretty close to a native one. I have noticed that a lot of non-natives to Boston suggest that we pronounce it "BAHH-ston", which sounds completely wrong to my native ears, but perhaps that's just me. Interesting thread nonetheless.
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Old 01-02-2014, 06:21 PM
 
Location: Central Maine
4,697 posts, read 6,446,471 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maxmodder View Post
Interesting. Never heard of the r being added to a word that didn't have it originally.
I've been in the DC area since 1966, but I was born in Boston. Although I lost my accent many years ago, I still - from time to time, anyway - add an "r" where it doesn't belong ... like "idear" for idea, "Linder" for Linda, and so on.
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Old 01-02-2014, 08:10 PM
 
Location: Cambridge, MA
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I finally learned how to say "Woburn" correctly, but forget about trying to spell how it's pronounced. LOL
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Old 01-03-2014, 07:46 AM
 
Location: West Roxbury, MA
289 posts, read 567,599 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by professeurpablo View Post
The Boston pronunciation I suggested is pretty close to a native one. I have noticed that a lot of non-natives to Boston suggest that we pronounce it "BAHH-ston", which sounds completely wrong to my native ears, but perhaps that's just me. Interesting thread nonetheless.
I've never heard anything other than BAW-stun. stn? Definitely the Baw, but the vowel always gets very little in the way of pronunciation.
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Old 01-03-2014, 09:23 AM
 
Location: Everett, Massachusetts
316 posts, read 723,695 times
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I have friends from other parts of the country who try to imitate the local speech pattern, and they almost always say "BAHH-ston". It's quite grating and inaccurate to boot!
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Old 01-03-2014, 10:08 AM
 
9,229 posts, read 9,751,529 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by professeurpablo View Post
I have friends from other parts of the country who try to imitate the local speech pattern, and they almost always say "BAHH-ston". It's quite grating and inaccurate to boot!
I don't understand why they do that. If I were asked to imitate Boston accent, I would say "Bawston" instead.
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Old 01-03-2014, 10:10 AM
 
9,229 posts, read 9,751,529 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by goyguy View Post
I finally learned how to say "Woburn" correctly, but forget about trying to spell how it's pronounced. LOL
wooburn.
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Old 01-03-2014, 10:12 AM
 
Location: a bar
2,722 posts, read 6,109,727 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by professeurpablo View Post
I have friends from other parts of the country who try to imitate the local speech pattern, and they almost always say "BAHH-ston". It's quite grating and inaccurate to boot!
Sounds like a sheep getting raped.
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Old 01-03-2014, 10:50 AM
 
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,937 posts, read 36,943,649 times
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I always get the 'you don't sound like you're from Boston' bit, and the reality is few people that even grew up in Boston speak with the stereotypical accent
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