WNY colloquialisms and accents (New York, Buffalo: camping, beach, farm)

[JayReev]

I live in Rochester, New York and I have all 20 years (my current age ) and I want to know if this Northern City Vowel Shift is evident in the inner city where I live? I live on the east side of Rochester in the Portland Avenue area and honestly I don't hear a lot of what I've read here unless I'm so used to it my ears can't make a distinction. I have however heard other accents from other places and I am able to see the difference. My question is, has this "accent" crept into the inner city or just the surrounding and suburb areas of Rochester? I have had a few people say I have an accent from other places but I'm just curious which part of Rochester you guys are talkin' about? Hit me back!

[I'minformed2]

Originally Posted by JayReev

I live in Rochester, New York and I have all 20 years (my current age ) and I want to know if this Northern City Vowel Shift is evident in the inner city where I live? I live on the east side of Rochester in the Portland Avenue area and honestly I don't hear a lot of what I've read here unless I'm so used to it my ears can't make a distinction. I have however heard other accents from other places and I am able to see the difference. My question is, has this "accent" crept into the inner city or just the surrounding and suburb areas of Rochester? I have had a few people say I have an accent from other places but I'm just curious which part of Rochester you guys are talkin' about? Hit me back!

I live in Greece....yes, the northern cities vowel shift is VERY prevalent in our region; and yes, its stronger in the suburbs than in the city; especially with the older generations. You also might not be able to hear/notice it much because it is what you are used to and it just sounds "normal" to you. I know this was the case for me; but then I moved to NC and after a few years there whenever I came back to visit I could DEFINITELY tell there was a "Rochester Accent" (or Raaaah'chstr"). Now that we live in Rochester again I still notice it every day; it just sounds less foreign and is what I expect to hear from everyone now. Including in my own voice!

[JayReev]

Well that's really interesting to me for some reason the way people speak and the different types of accents. I currently attend a Bible College in Lima, NY and people from all around come there and I am able to hear people from all over speak different accents. Honestly I thought someone from Illinois sounded Southern imo. My friend from Ohio says Dawn and Don the same (i've tested these things after reading about it hehe). This is kind of strange though but I grew up around some people who moved from nyc to Rochester so I sometimes even speak like they do as well as how I normally speak. I've talked to people from nyc and they definately hear an accent too but I personally think some of the things I pronounce are just my own fault.. for example:

Instead of plague (playg) I say (plahg) (not pronounced PLOG but plaaaag sort of way) or
for Ear i say (air)
The word do I apparently say differently and some other words I cannot think of... what do you think the cause of this is and ultimately the bigger question is, what is the cause of the Northern City vowel shift? it intrigues me....
I'minformed2 do you speak with the NCS as well and if you do can you recognize it and if you Do recognize it does it keep you from actually doing it?

[I'minformed2]

I can definitely recognize it when I speak it! I don't try to "avoid it" though. People from NYC don't try to avoid their "noo yoak" or "new yawk" accents.. People in the south don't try to hide or avoid their accent, or people from New England, Minnesota/Upper midwest.....why should we?

[JayReev]

Good point

[EnchantedEvergreen]

I agree with the two posters before me. You also have to remember that the hard "a" and the accompaning nasal voice come from New England and some that live in Brooklyn, Staten Island, and the Bronx. It's all about the western progression of the Italians and the Hispanics.
I live just outside Chicago, and there is no "Chicago accent." Chicago is smorgasboard (sp?) of people. The bad areas and the okay ones have the New York dialect. That's where you will hear "d" for "t" and "diss," "dat," "deese," and "doze." People from those areas (immigrants or not) have ancestors from NYC. Areas like mine that are middle or upper class speak "neutral," Midwestern English. This would include those in Upstate and Central New York as well as further away from the coast of New England.
I know this from personal observation. My neighbors across from are Hispanic and they speak English with nasal, New York accents. My other neighbors speak Midwestern English. So there you have it.

[garmin239]

Originally Posted by JayReev

I live in Rochester, New York and I have all 20 years (my current age ) and I want to know if this Northern City Vowel Shift is evident in the inner city where I live? I live on the east side of Rochester in the Portland Avenue area and honestly I don't hear a lot of what I've read here unless I'm so used to it my ears can't make a distinction. I have however heard other accents from other places and I am able to see the difference. My question is, has this "accent" crept into the inner city or just the surrounding and suburb areas of Rochester? I have had a few people say I have an accent from other places but I'm just curious which part of Rochester you guys are talkin' about? Hit me back!

Are you non white? From what I've noticed and read, some of these accents do not apply to non whites for whatever reason. I have no idea why this is.

[I'minformed2]

Yes I have noticed that too. You don't often hear african americans...in the city or suburbs..speak with the "Raaaaah'chstr" accent. Same with the large indian-american/asian populations in the suburbs. Even some white groups, like itialians, don't quite have the same accent. Some italians in Rochester sound more like people from New Jersey than most other white upstate new yorkers.

[juppiter]

Originally Posted by I'minformed2

I can definitely recognize it when I speak it! I don't try to "avoid it" though. People from NYC don't try to avoid their "noo yoak" or "new yawk" accents.. People in the south don't try to hide or avoid their accent, or people from New England, Minnesota/Upper midwest.....why should we?

You shouldn't. I love the accent and my dad told me I'm starting to develop it, lol. There are still things I'll never say (the pronunciation of "tour" throws me EVERY time!) but I'm on board with pop and Raaaaach'ster. The Albany accent is far worse (that would be pronounced "Awlbany" folks with the "l" barely in there, but only when I'm drunk... I also apparently drop the letter "h" (e.g. I don'tave to do it if I don't want to)). I never thought I had an accent until I went to college, got drunk, and people told me I had one.

ETA: Also "beggle" for "bagel" is one that throws me for a loop.

And I noticed the hard a was mentioned, but not the I. The word "pirate" in Rochester is pronounced with the "i" I would use for "spider", but not for "pirate." I would pronounce "pirate" with the "i" in "pie."

[I'minformed2]

mmmm...to me the I in pirate an the I in pie are the same?