Do you consider Ohio "Midwest" or "Back East?" (Cleveland: food, population)

[LASam]

Ohio is definately Midwest for me.

[BelieveInCleve]

Originally Posted by Neuling

Interesting thread, to a European there are basically only two kinds of American English, neutral news-type and broad Southern

I get the impression that some comments here confuse accent with dialect Grammar, vocabulary etc. don't have much to do with accent, I guess accent is about pronunciation only, usually the pronunciation of someone trying to speak a language or dialect that is on their own.

When people keep moving all over the continent in the States, are dialects gradually disappearing over there? Here in Europe this is happening, some don't care, others join folk-like groups where they try to save or reanimate dialects, dress up in funny costumes and stuff

Accent? Dialect? Grammar? Vocabulary? Pronunciation?

I see I still have more learning to do. Thats public schooling for you.

Anyways I was basically stating that just because people live on the same side of the state doesnt mean they will talk the same.

[shelly1234]

I don't know why this whole post is about accents, but I guess I'll give my input to the original question. I'm only 20 but I spent the first 14 years of my life in Youngstown, OH and the past 6 years in a New Jersey suburb of NYC (near Newark). Accent wise, yes it's a lot different. Culturally, however, they are both pretty similar. Both cities are kind of ugly and run down looking, lots of Italians, pizza parlors, etc.

I think it depends on where in Ohio you're talking about. Most people from the Youngstown-Warren area can agree that it definitely has a 'Jersey' feel to it. Cleveland has that vibe too even though I'm not too familiar with it. People from Youngstown and Cleveland are very different than people from Cincinnati and Columbus... in my opinion.

[BelieveInCleve]

Originally Posted by shelly1234

I don't know why this whole post is about accents, but I guess I'll give my input to the original question. I'm only 20 but I spent the first 14 years of my life in Youngstown, OH and the past 6 years in a New Jersey suburb of NYC (near Newark). Accent wise, yes it's a lot different. Culturally, however, they are both pretty similar. Both cities are kind of ugly and run down looking, lots of Italians, pizza parlors, etc.

I think it depends on where in Ohio you're talking about. Most people from the Youngstown-Warren area can agree that it definitely has a 'Jersey' feel to it. Cleveland has that vibe too even though I'm not too familiar with it. People from Youngstown and Cleveland are very different than people from Cincinnati and Columbus... in my opinion.

They have very different demographics/ethinicitys than Columbus/Cincinnati, which could explain some of it.

Northeast Ohio has large Italian and Hispanic communities, much like the NYC/North NJ area. Columbus is much more like a small midwest town (although more diverse) with many of the people there from small cities or rural areas. Its also just growing now and doesnt have many Italians or Hispanics at all. Cincinnati may look more like NYC/NJ in some areas, but thats about the only thing in common. Its much more Midwestern/Southern. Cincinnati has some Italians but its a much smaller community than NYC or Cleveland. Cincinnati has many more residents who identify themselves as "American" (common in the south) than Cleveland or NYC/NJ. Then theres the basically non-existent Hispanic community in the Cincinnati area/SW Ohio. Not to mention Cleveland/Youngstown is closer to NYC/NJ.

[Neuling]

Assuming that Midwest and similar terms (I guess Deep South is also a somewhat fuzzy term) are not strictly geographical, maybe the Midwest is "moving"

[Cincy-Rise]

^ Ironically, Newport, KY was Cincinnati's major Italian neighborhood and it wasn't small by any means. The whole city was actually ran by chicago and eastcoast gangs. Pretty interesting ... check it out.

Newport once had the reputation of "Sin City" due to its upscale gambling casinos on Monmouth street.[3] Monmouth also had many men's stores, nice restaurants, and ice cream parlors.[3] Investigations for racketeering pushed out the casinos, which were replaced by peep shows and adult strip clubs.[3] Many of the old businesses disappeared when parking became difficult on Monmouth street and the commercial district opened on the hill of south Newport.[3]

Tito Carinci

Most people acknowledge Bugsy Siegal as the founder of the Las Vegas casino, but in his own way Remus, Prohibition, and the money Remus gained through his illegal activities helped to found the Las Vegas casino and put the small town of Newport, Kentucky, on the map and in the headlines. During and after Prohibition, it was estimated that there were over 30,000 speakeasies in Cincinnati and Newport. On some days the smoke from the "alky cookers" along the Licking River would block sunlight from downtown Cincinnati. Little Newport was becoming a town of storefronts, bookmakers, and bust out joints. The term "bust out joint" was used for illegal backroom gaming parlors from which a patron rarely left with any money and at times was lucky to leave with his life.

... So, I think we had our own Italian influence, enough to make Cleveland blush. We ran things down here. Over 20 underground casinos, mob ties to Chicago and NYC ... and Cali. Entire communities of law enforcement agencies paid off! lol ... Hell, Newport police even directed traffic from Cincy to Newport during prohibition to buy alcohol!

http://newporthighschool.org/gangsters.htm

Amberly Villiage was our Jewish Community, which was pretty strong. The first Jewish Univericity was started in Cincinnati.

The West End and OTR was home to our Irish and German Communities, the Westend would resemble NYC's 5 Points. It was nasty, gritty, extremely dense.

Many neighborhoods, including Music Hall, City Hall, Norman Chapel, were built on the backs of Europeans in the mid-to-late 1800's.

[MaryBeth2]

Originally Posted by Cincy-Rise

^ Ironically, Newport, KY was Cincinnati's major Italian neighborhood and it wasn't small by any means. The whole city was actually ran by chicago and eastcoast gangs. Pretty interesting ... check it out.




Tito Carinci



... So, I think we had our own Italian influence, enough to make Cleveland blush. We ran things down here. Over 20 underground casinos, mob ties to Chicago and NYC ... and Cali. Entire communities of law enforcement agencies paid off! lol ... Hell, Newport police even directed traffic from Cincy to Newport during prohibition to buy alcohol!

Amberly Villiage was our Jewish Community, which was pretty strong. The first Jewish Univericity was started in Cincinnati.

The West End and OTR was home to our Irish and German Communities, the Westend would resemble NYC's 5 Points. It was nasty, gritty, extremely dense.

Many neighborhoods, including Music Hall, City Hall, Norman Chapel, were built on the backs of Europeans in the mid-to-late 1800's.

That was a good piece of history. I liked that. Thanks Cincy

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by MaryBeth2

That was a good piece of history. I liked that. Thanks Cincy

Yeah, it's pretty interesting. You know, there's kind of a NOKY vs. Cincy vibe here and we pretty much try to downplay anything Newport or Covington do, but there's no denying the extremely interesting backgrounds of these two cities.

Obviously, the crime is gone, but the Italianate thick row-houses and family restaurants are still there! The house where Thomas Southgate resided (where the "Tommy Gun" was invented) is still there. It's actually a pretty cool music venue now.

... And Covington's history is nothing short of Newport's, but it was just the German version! lol

Yeah, this is definitely not the "south" I know from living in Mississippi!

[MaryBeth2]

No, it is not like the South at all. Me and my husband's families are still in Ohio, although a long way from Cincy, but he is German and me Italian, so there is still that element there. There is no place like home.

[amerideaf]

Midwest, period!