Is Maryland part of the northeastern or southeastern U.S. culturally? (Baltimore: university, park)

[sniffablecow]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

I've heard the inferred "to be" used as far east as Frederick County. I went to college in Westminster and didn't hear any of the townies drop their "to be."

Funny story: In college I was taking a class on dialect. In one of my required readings, it listed the inferred to be as a unique dialectal characteristic of PA. I didn't believe it, so I turned to my friend from Garrett County and said,

"If I said, 'the car needs washed' would you think it sounds funny?"

"Huh, of course not." was his reply.

I cursed the stupid book for its mistake.

Btw, is it true black dialects are different from white dialects? In other words, is it true black dialect across the US is less diverse sometimes?

[ialmostforgot]

Originally Posted by sniffablecow

Btw, is it true black dialects are different from white dialects? In other words, is it true black dialect across the US is less diverse sometimes?

There is BEV, which is spoken by some black people. On the east coast (at least), black people have noticeably different accents, and the "accent regions" are smaller, with changes being more abrupt than with white accents IMO. A black person from DC does not sound like one from Baltimore, or from various places in VA.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by sniffablecow

Btw, is it true black dialects are different from white dialects? In other words, is it true black dialect across the US is less diverse sometimes?

Yes to question #1, although it is more of a Venn diagram situation, where many in any given area, some dialectal traits are shared between the two groups, while some are unique to one or the other.

I don't know the answer to #2.

[sniffablecow]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

Yes to question #1, although it is more of a Venn diagram situation, where many in any given area, some dialectal traits are shared between the two groups, while some are unique to one or the other.

I don't know the answer to #2.

Yes, because I noticed that a black person from DC came over my house and he said water like a chicago or new york black person. It was like, I cant explain it in typing, but im pretty sure you have heard water in their accents. His parents were from baltimore, so IDK.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by sniffablecow

Yes, because I noticed that a black person from DC came over my house and he said water like a chicago or new york black person. It was like, I cant explain it in typing, but im pretty sure you have heard water in their accents. His parents were from baltimore, so IDK.

Interesting. Can't say that my experience is the same as yours on this one. Especially regarding Chicago and New York Blacks saying water.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by sniffablecow

Btw, is it true black dialects are different from white dialects? In other words, is it true black dialect across the US is less diverse sometimes?

Yes, it's different from white dialects. For the second part of your post it really depends. You may not hear much of a difference from say East Texas, Arkansas and Northern Mississippi and Alabama. But North and East Texas dialects sound very different to me than Houston. The former emphasizes the "r". For example, Beer is pronounced Burr. There is pronounced Thurr. You see this in St Louis and Memphis as well. They say it quickly though and go to the next word. You won't hear this pronunciation in Houston or the rest of the Gulf Coast. With DC, there is an emphasis on "r" too but it's dragged out longer. I can't honestly tell you that I've heard people from Baltimore blacks say everyday, carry, or even Maryland like DC blacks. I could be wrong.

[ialmostforgot]

Originally Posted by Spade

Yes, it's different from white dialects. For the second part of your post it really depends. You may not hear much of a difference from say East Texas, Arkansas and Northern Mississippi and Alabama. But North and East Texas dialects sound very different to me than Houston. The former emphasizes the "r". For example, Beer is pronounced Burr. There is pronounced Thurr. You see this in St Louis and Memphis as well. They say it quickly though and go to the next word. You won't hear this pronunciation in Houston or the rest of the Gulf Coast. With DC, there is an emphasis on "r" too but it's dragged out longer. I can't honestly tell you that I've heard people from Baltimore blacks say everyday, carry, or even Maryland like DC blacks. I could be wrong.

Yes, the "r" thing exists in Baltimore, too (it's one of the main things that links the Baltimore and DC accents together). It can get really weird; some people drop the "t" in the word "Saturday" and so it comes out line "Surrrdy".

[ialmostforgot]

Originally Posted by sniffablecow

Yes, because I noticed that a black person from DC came over my house and he said water like a chicago or new york black person. It was like, I cant explain it in typing, but im pretty sure you have heard water in their accents. His parents were from baltimore, so IDK.

There is an emcee from Brooklyn named Mos Def who has this song called "New World Water". The way he says "water" in the song sounds similar to the way we say it down here. Other than that, there weren't many similarities in the accent.

I don't know about Chicago.

[boxNcode]

Chicago black ppl sound more like your typical "down south black" than blacks in northeastern cities like Boston, NY, or Philly.. listen to Polo G, G Herbo, or Lil Durk.. their accent sound more like Atlanta black ppl than someone like Styles P or Jadakiss from NY..

also, Maryland.. i consider it the south (am from North Jersey).. but, being only 3 hrs away from here, it shares much more commonality with South Jersey, Southern PA, and Delaware, than NC or SC

obv Maryland and Northern VA have a lot in common, but even Northern VA is much different than the rest of the state..

i guess, long story short.. Maryland, DC, and Northern VA are kind of in their own category.. i'd still call them "down south", but close, and very connected to the northeast, and can see why people would group them with the northeast.. if you're from the northeast (esp NY or Philly), you might group them with the northeast, and i totally get that

[GunsMass]

I find I-95 (also the Fall Line) to divide MD between North & South. Thus I also consider DE to be wholly Southern, and the Northern-most Southern state. (This rule doesn't extend beyond these two states.)