Does Baltimore have its own distinct accent (movies, gangs)

[NJ Brazen_3133]

Does Baltimore have its own distinct accent?

I am watching The Wire right now. Some of the white cops sound like NYers/NJers. One of the actors is from the Bronx. Dominic West character seems to go back and forth from NYer/NJer. I am told the street gangs actors are using authentic accents.

[choccity]

Yes. Listen to the actors playing the street gangs, they are speaking in Baltimore accents. Dominic West is from England?, I can hear that accent sometime. Also the actress who plays 'Snoop' is from Baltimore and the actor who plays 'Proposition Joe' is from Baltimore.

[edglock21]

Both Idris Elba (Stringer Bell) and Dominic West are British

And yes, West's American accent isn't quite as good as Elba's - West would slip sometimes, but I never even thought Elba was anything other than American.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

Does Baltimore have its own distinct accent?

It used to.
Some of that was the low class 'Hon" thing but more was about odd pronunciations.
Like water that you drink is heard as WOODer like you got it by squeezing trees.

I am watching The Wire right now.
Some of the white cops sound like NYers/NJers. One of the actors is from the Bronx.

Most of those actors ARE from NY.

Dominic West...

Is English.

You need to go to much older movies and those with more local actors.
John Waters f'rinstance.


Below is a picture of "Divine" who grew up near pappajohn

[choccity]

https://www.baltimoresun.com/feature...228-story.html

[Calvert Hall '62]

Bawlmer people have accents???

[2nd trick op]

Presented without further comment:

https://www.baltimoresun.com/feature...228-story.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_accent

[edglock21]

Originally Posted by Calvert Hall '62

Bawlmer people have accents???

Only down Hollantown, hon

Maybe downy eowshun too

[slowlane3]

One very noticeable feature in Baltimore, is that the long O vowel sound, is pronounced closer to the front of the mouth, with a nasal sound.
A boat on the ocean = A bewt on the ew-shun. This is also true on the Eastern Shore and throughout northeast, central and southern MD among native-local born white people.

John Travolta did an exaggerated form of this throughout the film "Hairspray"

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by slowlane3

One very noticeable feature in Baltimore, is that the long O vowel sound, is pronounced closer to the front of the mouth, with a nasal sound.
A boat on the ocean = A bewt on the ew-shun. This is also true on the Eastern Shore and throughout northeast, central and southern MD among native-local born white people.

John Travolta did an exaggerated form of this throughout the film "Hairspray"

that "ew" is classic Baltimore.. "dew" "tew" "warsh" "wudder" "doug"....Someone said asked me once "is that your Doug" I'm like.. I don't know him....they were like no your "dowag" which was a hard pressed way to say "dog"