Is The Philly Dialect Changing? (Philadelphia, California: movies, vacations, areas)

[Cnote11]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Ah, okay, I say it that way as well. That's actually the 'normal speech' way to say it. But, around Detroit, we also stress the 'DEE' if we're stressing the fact we're talking about Detroit.

But now that you mentioned both, the də-TROIT is the most common way, without intentionally stressing the city's name.

Yup, I'm initially from the Detroit area and I hear both frequently and say both myself.

[PhillyDad42]

I think it's largely slang but to some extent the dialect is changing.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by Cnote11

Yup, I'm initially from the Detroit area and I hear both frequently and say both myself.

On the Detroit note....just for whoever might be interested. Here's a song by a local Detroit band, The Dirtbombs...'Broke in Detroit again'....stresses the DEE-troit quite a bit..but occassionaly hear the də-TROIT as well.

Interesting, for those who are interested...


Dirtbombs - Broke in Detroit ( again) by Slania - YouTube

[drive carephilly]

Originally Posted by soug

We also don't say the t's and d's at the ends of words, or at least say them very quietly: like in can't, won't, etc.

It's not that people aren't saying them - I believe, in linguistics, it's called an "alveolar flap". It's somewhere between a "t" sound and a "d" sound.

[drive carephilly]

Originally Posted by WestPhillyDude75

I mean like Alabama South

I moved to Philly I was finishing up a 2 year gig in SC and was taken aback at how southern a lot of black people in Philly sounded - and not just southern but country southern.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by drive carephilly

I moved to Philly I was finishing up a 2 year gig in SC and was taken aback at how southern a lot of black people in Philly sounded - and not just southern but country southern.

Over the years that I lived in South Jersey & worked & went to school in Philly I knew many blacks whose parents or grandparents moved to the city from North Carolina & Virginia. Those accents were retained within the families to varying degrees, in many cases.

[john_starks]

never grew up around this area but....
center city guys sound likes my simpsons snake reference


Simpsons- Little Bandit needs premium dude...Premium!!!!....Duuuuude!!!! - YouTube

[Mahatma X]

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

Dialects are always changing and evolving. I'm sure the Philly dialect 200 years ago sounds nothing like today.

Philly's accent used to be southern...

[2e1m5a]

Originally Posted by Mahatma X

Philly's accent used to be southern...

Originally, I believe The Philly accent was the precursor to the General American accent as Philly was the only region in the colonies to speak with a rhotic r. Over the past century or so, Philly's accent seems to have transformed into a hybrid quirky Northeast accent with Southern influences. I do have alot of the trademarks of the Philly accent but of course believe I pronounce all words correctly lol.

I wonder if the Philly accent is the most widely studied because it has traits of all American accents.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by 2e1m5a

Originally, I believe The Philly accent was the precursor to the General American accent as Philly was the only region in the colonies to speak with a rhotic r. Over the past century or so, Philly's accent seems to have transformed into a hybrid quirky Northeast accent with Southern influences. I do have alot of the trademarks of the Philly accent but of course believe I pronounce all words correctly lol.

I wonder if the Philly accent is the most widely studied because it has traits of all American accents.

All English was rhotic until the 19th century. Rs were dropped on the east coast, except in Philadelphia & Baltimore but not in the rest of the country. General American English is more similar to Midwestern English.

I think that Labov studies the Philadelphia accent so much because he's right there at U of P. It's his backyard.