How Hoosiers pronounce certain words (Terre Haute, Peru: living in, to eat, farm)

[kayanne]

I lived in Indiana the first 40 years of my life, and I never thought I had an accent (people from IN are the only people who speak correctly, right??)

Now, after living in several different states, I have become very aware of my "Hoosier twang." Some examples I've noticed:
Git instead of get.
Pin instead of pen.
Melk instead of milk.
Gunna instead of going to.

What are some other words you know of that Hoosiers (or midwesterners in general) pronounce differently than people in other areas of the country do?

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

worsh and Worshington

[CatzPaw]

My maternal grandmother grew up on a farm near Terre Haute and moved to Detroit as a young woman. She's been gone for many years now, but I remember that she liked to eat "feesh." Smart aleck kid, I asked her if she would like it it on a deesh.

[kayanne]

Originally Posted by CatzPaw

My maternal grandmother grew up on a farm near Terre Haute and moved to Detroit as a young woman. She's been gone for many years now, but I remember that she liked to eat "feesh." Smart aleck kid, I asked her if she would like it it on a deesh.

That's funny! But I've never heard anyone say feesh.

I thought of another Hoosierism: crick for creek. And it may have been just my mom (lifelong Hoosier), but she always pronounced the state flower "piney." (peony). That one still drives me batty! She also has some weird way she says Hawaii, but I can't even reproduce it!

[BabyBear1234]

Originally Posted by kayanne

That's funny! But I've never heard anyone say feesh.

I thought of another Hoosierism: crick for creek. And it may have been just my mom (lifelong Hoosier), but she always pronounced the state flower "piney." (peony). That one still drives me batty! She also has some weird way she says Hawaii, but I can't even reproduce it!

My grandma used to call them "pineys" too! I used to say "warsh' and "Warshington" when I was a kid.

As far as the others: I've always said milk not melk; pin for both pin and pen; git for both git and get; gonna (nut gunna) for "going to"; I also say "wanna" for "want to".

I live in NE Indiana (close to Ohio and Michigan) though so we don't have a lot of (if any) "twang" in our accents.

[karlsch]

I was stationed at Bunker Hill Air Force Base (later renamed Grissom, after the astronaut) in the first half of the 60s.

It wasn't far from the town of Peru (hometown of the great Cole Porter), pronounced Pee'-rue. One airman on the base was from the town of Brazil, pronounced Bray'-zill. Another was from Russiaville (so small we couldn't find in on the map, but he swore it existed) pronounced Rue-see'-a-ville.

And we weren't far from the state of Illinois, pronounced Ill-a-noize'.

[kayanne]

Originally Posted by karlsch

I was stationed at Bunker Hill Air Force Base (later renamed Grissom, after the astronaut) in the first half of the 60s.

It wasn't far from the town of Peru (hometown of the great Cole Porter), pronounced Pee'-rue. One airman on the base was from the town of Brazil, pronounced Bray'-zill. Another was from Russiaville (so small we couldn't find in on the map, but he swore it existed) pronounced Rue-see'-a-ville.

And we weren't far from the state of Illinois, pronounced Ill-a-noise'.

Interesting. As I said, I lived in IN over 40 years, and everyone I know pronounces Peru and Brazil just as the countries are pronounced. And the 3rd has always been pronounced ROOSH-aville in my experience. But who knows??

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by kayanne

Interesting. As I said, I lived in IN over 40 years, and everyone I know pronounces Peru and Brazil just as the countries are pronounced. And the 3rd has always been pronounced ROOSH-aville in my experience. But who knows??

Pee-roo and Bray- zil are old people dialect. No one under 50 pronounces those towns like that.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by kayanne

I lived in Indiana the first 40 years of my life, and I never thought I had an accent (people from IN are the only people who speak correctly, right??)

Now, after living in several different states, I have become very aware of my "Hoosier twang." Some examples I've noticed:
Git instead of get.
Pin instead of pen.
Melk instead of milk.
Gunna instead of going to.

What are some other words you know of that Hoosiers (or midwesterners in general) pronounce differently than people in other areas of the country do?

Git, pin, and gunna are not Indiana exclusive. I've never heard melk.

The previously mentioned Warsh for wash is the first one that comes to mind. Very prevalent in Southern Indiana.

I get a lot of strange looks when I say pitch-ins to out of state friends.

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

Git, pin, and gunna are not Indiana exclusive. I've never heard melk.

The previously mentioned Warsh for wash is the first one that comes to mind. Very prevalent in Southern Indiana.

I get a lot of strange looks when I say pitch-ins to out of state friends.

"pin" for pen, "git" for get, and "melk" for milk are all Southern - not Midwestern.