Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I agree. This subject has been discussed in previous threads. I think the regional label "Midwest Appalachian" describes our neck of the woods the best. Places like Erie, PA, or Wheeling are definitely different from the Midwest, South, and Northeast. The places West of Pittsburgh like Erie and Sharon are more like the Midwest than the Northeast or, especially, the South. East of Pittsburgh and Buffalo, things start to feel a little more Northeastern, but still pretty different from New England, Jersey, or Eastern PA East of the Susquehanna. Buffalo feels fairly NOrtheastern, but not Pittsburgh or Erie. They are most akin to the Midwest, and that is a positive. They have the cultural accoutrements of Eastern cities but are slower paced and more friendly than the East. This makes them feel more like cities like Toledo or Chicago than a place in the Northeast.
The speech pattern thing has also been mentioned with regards to Pittsburgh before. Pittsburgheese is unique. It has much in common with the dialect heard in Columbus, Indy, Cincy, and St. Louis, though, as far as pronunciations. Aforesaid lower Midwest cities are places you'll encounter a "car dillership", a thief who "stills" stuff, cars that "need fixed", and jobs that "need done".
Quote:
Originally Posted by Orwelleaut
CortlandGirl has it just right. We both live in the same section of Ohio, near Youngstown/Warren, and very close to the PA border. Sharon and New Castle, PA are each less than 20 miles from Youngstown. To us locals, these PA towns do not feel different culturally from nearby Ohio towns. The only differences in living on either side of the border are in things like having to inspect your car yearly in PA, and not having to ever inspect your car in Ohio. Our whole area has a feel that is different from Cleveland and locations from there West, but more like cities like Toledo than places in Eastern PA. Other than our hillier terrain and slightly older and rustier factories, our section is much like Southern MI. Away from the bigger towns, agriculture is big around here. This area and Jersey have absolutely nothing in common. We are halfway from NYC to Chicago, and have far more in common with the latter.
But you two are seeing it from the perspective of an Ohian (?). Having to obey the laws of Pennsylvania is a very distinct difference between you and the Pennsylvanians.
As far as the speech patterns, maybe you are correct about Columbus, but that's about as far as it goes, IMO. Indy has a sort of standard midwestern non-accent, and St. Louis has its own very distinct accent.
I have relatives in the northern panhandle of West Virginia across the Ohio River from Steubenville, Ohio in the town of Weirton, WV. Pennsylvania borders the town of Weirton too. While that little tri-state area is very similiar, meaning Midwestern and Appalachian, generally PA is not Midwestern throughout. I would also like to add that although the the tri-state region of PA, OH, and WV are similiar, someone from outside of the area probably can not tell the subtle differences.
On a personal note, some of my Pennsylvania friends and relatives tell me that they can not relate to the Midwest or Ohio. They relate more to the northeast and Appalachia.
Pennsylvania is the primary cultural source area for the Midwest. Having said that, no part of the state is true Midwest, though the western half of the state (along with eastern Ohio, parts of West Virginia, and maybe even western New York state) is part of the transition zone between the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic and the Midwest.
I would not call the Pittsburgh region or Erie the actual
midwest , but however I say along with Buffalo NY they are in the gateway to the midwest. As far as the rest of the state is concerned , definitely not.
But you two are seeing it from the perspective of an Ohian (?). Having to obey the laws of Pennsylvania is a very distinct difference between you and the Pennsylvanians.
As far as the speech patterns, maybe you are correct about Columbus, but that's about as far as it goes, IMO. Indy has a sort of standard midwestern non-accent, and St. Louis has its own very distinct accent.
Chicago, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit, and St. Louis all have accents that, while distinct in some respects, are pretty much in that same Indianapolis category. The Midwestern non-accent is NOT the standard Midwestern accent. A non-accent is more standard west of the Great Plains. Even Pittsburgh has an accent.
Chicago, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit, and St. Louis all have accents that, while distinct in some respects, are pretty much in that same Indianapolis category. The Midwestern non-accent is NOT the standard Midwestern accent. A non-accent is more standard west of the Great Plains. Even Pittsburgh has an accent.
"Even" Pittsburgh? More like, especially Pittsburgh! When Pittsburghers meet here in Colorado, the compliment is "you don't have the accent".
Minneaplolis' accent is very distinct, not at all like Indy. Chicago, Milwaukee and Minn. all have similar accents.
I know in Pittsburgh that they pride themselves in not being midwesterners and not easterners either. They are unique in themselves. They also are happy to claim that movements that start in the east and move west are true movements by the time they hit Pittsburgh and the quick die-out movements are over before they get to Pittsburgh.
I agree with this. PA is not like the heart of the midwest. The towns, attitudes, and geography are different.
Also saying pop is not a midwest thing. Much of the west, northwest, and Canada use pop. Also there are parts of the midwest the use soda (St. Louis, Milwaukee).
The proximity to Canada is why the term "pop" is used in the Midwest. It's also used in Britain IIRC. The only place in the West where "pop" is used is in the Seattle area - again due to Canada being close.
St. Louis being farther away from Canada would be less likely to use Canadian terms.
Everything from Cleveland to Buffalo is in a sort of NE/Midwest transition zone. I'd include Pittsburgh in this as well as NE Ohio/Western PA in general.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
