Chicago Accents (Bloomingdale, Bridgeview, Hickory Hills: house, neighborhood, schools)

[mlogan0301]

Originally Posted by andrew61

As a transplant, I've noticed that some native Chicagoans have a very thick Chicago accent, while other natives don't seem to have an accent at all and sound very "standard American". Some seem to pass down the accent intact from generation to generation, whereas for others it seems to have gotten lost at some point generationally. Blame TV, I suppose.

I even know two brothers who grew up here, where one has a very thick Chicago accent and the other doesn't. Their mom grew up on Chicago's South Side, but their dad is from Ohio.

Also, I've noticed the Chicago accent itself varies. The thickest, of course, is the "Sout' Side" version with its "dese, dem, and dose"... but I've also noticed that there's a more "refined" version, if you will, that's still Midwestern nasal and flat, with some overexaggeration of vowel sounds, but not as coarse.

I completely agree with your post about this.

[ERS-One]

Hmm, I don't hear southern accents, unless it's tourists in Loop/River North sometimes.

[ERS-One]

Originally Posted by mlogan0301

Philly doesn't really have a distinguised accent per say. They have more of a different way of speaking. Like instead of saying that is nice or pretty. Philly may say that is "decent or thorough." Philly also uses in their slang speak, broad (female), and dude (male) more often then female/male or man/lady or boy/girl.

You don't think Philly has a distinguished accent? I do. At least the tendency to really emphasize long o vowel sounds. It's almost surfer-guy/valley-girl. tOHHHHHHtally.

[mlogan0301]

Originally Posted by ERS-One

Hmm, I don't hear southern accents, unless it's tourists in Loop/River North sometimes.

I have been there frequently the last 6 months (although I understand that is not a lot or living there) but I have heard that southern accent heavy. I was simply amazed, especially when a few of my new co-workers were like "I am fitting to go over here." That is traditional southern speak/slang.

[mycrows]

Originally Posted by mlogan0301

I am a soon to be transplant this week! Yeah! And for Chicago to be the mid-west, the down south accents are all over the place. I was in complete shock hearing so many, "ya'lls, fittin to go over here, fetchin to grab this." I could not believe it, for Chicago to be so rich in culture and upward movement, the southern down home accents, completely took me be aback.

This is certainly going to be an adjustment for myself and my daughter. We are from Delaware, and do not sound as southern as some of the Chicagoans I hear talking or have talked directly too.

What's the big deal? I can understand being surprised but you act like you were traumatized lol. It's not like you're going to have to start speaking with a southern accent when you move here. If you can understand what people are saying who cares what their accent is? Try not to assume everyone with a southern accent is uncultured and dense.

[mycrows]

Originally Posted by ERS-One

Hmm, I don't hear southern accents, unless it's tourists in Loop/River North sometimes.

If you spend any time on the south side you will hear southern accents.

[mlogan0301]

Originally Posted by ERS-One

You don't think Philly has a distinguished accent? I do. At least the tendency to really emphasize long o vowel sounds. It's almost surfer-guy/valley-girl. tOHHHHHHtally.

No, I guess, I don't hear that. Maybe because I was born and raised there for the first 12 years of my life and go there frequently, that I don't hear the valley girl, long vowel sound coming out.

[mlogan0301]

Originally Posted by mycrows

What's the big deal? I can understand being surprised but you act like you were traumatized lol. It's not like you're going to have to start speaking with a southern accent when you move here. If you can understand what people are saying who cares what their accent is? Try not to assume everyone with a southern accent is uncultured and dense.

I never assumed they were dense or uncultured, I just found it amazing since Chicago is not a southern city. People's accents, slang or the way they speak do not bother me at all. I am often a perpetrator of using slang language depending upon the context of the conversation and the person or people to whom I am engaging in conversation with. Overall, I just found it funny, but not at all traumatized. LOL!!

[j33]

Originally Posted by mlogan0301

I have been there frequently the last 6 months (although I understand that is not a lot or living there) but I have heard that southern accent heavy. I was simply amazed, especially when a few of my new co-workers were like "I am fitting to go over here." That is traditional southern speak/slang.

One thing that I think it not being discussed here is the difference between some of the prevalent African-American accents and the accents of those who are not African American. Historically, Chicago’s African-Americans have come to this area from the southern part of the country, and it is reflected in some of the accents one hears in the African American community. I’d venture to say that perhaps this is what the poster who is commenting on the prevalence of ‘southern accents’ she is noticing, as while one might be able to say many things about the accent that is traditionally attributed to such people like Daley, North, etc. southern-sounding is probably not one of them.

[mlogan0301]

Originally Posted by j33

One thing that I think it not being discussed here is the difference between some of the prevalent African-American accents and the accents of those who are not African American. Historically, Chicago’s African-Americans have come to this area from the southern part of the country, and it is reflected in some of the accents one hears in the African American community. I’d venture to say that perhaps this is what the poster who is commenting on the prevalence of ‘southern accents’ she is noticing, as while one might be able to say many things about the accent that is traditionally attributed to such people like Daley, North, etc. southern-sounding is probably not one of them.

Great point! I am AA, therefore am used to how many of my fellow AA's speak or use slang. I just found it a bit amusing that these same AA's who reside in Chicago (a non-southern state), still have a strong southern-sounding accent. You are right though, a lot of it is attributed to the migration of AA's from the low east-coast states and southern states to mid-western states and hence the accent remains.