The Rocky Balboa accent is an actual real Philly accent?

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by 2002 Subaru

More say 'warter,' though ... and if you're from the Far NE, you're one of them.

I find it interesting that my Philadelphia roots are miles away from the Far NE. I grew up in Delaware Co and yet everyone I know says ' warter '. My mother, although born in Philly, lived most of her 90 years in the 'burbs and she said, 'warter'.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by kyb01

I find it interesting that my Philadelphia roots are miles away from the Far NE. I grew up in Delaware Co and yet everyone I know says ' warter '. My mother, although born in Philly, lived most of her 90 years in the 'burbs and she said, 'warter'.

Do you pronounce it "wahrter" (wahrt rhyming with cart) or "wohrter" (wohrt rhyming with wart). If it's the latter, that's not far off from "wooder," especially if the "r" is soft, and would seem to confirm my theory that it's a change in popular transliteration. The warter/wooder divide doesn't seem specific to any region or ethnic group, but there appears to be a generation gap.

I'm trying to summon the linguistic spirits of my Delceeeaugh mother and grandmother (who, as we discussed, lived toward your neck of the woods), and I'm honestly not sure. I'll pay attention to what my uncle says next time I see him.

I say wahter, and I don't recall if I've been doing that since childhood or consciously changed it in college (just a couple words here and there, like car-a-mel instead of carmel).

[Snwmn5]

I think it's definitely a generational thing that shifted. I notice that some of my aunts and uncles pronounce it as "warter" which was how my grandparents pronounced it, but my younger aunts and uncles and me/my cousins my age pronounce it "wooder." In general, I think a lot of the Philly accent changed and it's noticeable when talking to people in their 60s/70s/80s etc versus people in their 20s/30s/40s. I don't know anyone my age who pronounces (non-ironically) "eagle" and "legal" as "iggle" and "liggle" like my grandparents did and there a lot of other examples that I can think of. Weirdly, I pronounce "league" like "lig" which is probably a small holdover from that.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by ElijahAstin

Do you pronounce it "wahrter" (wahrt rhyming with cart) or "wohrter" (wohrt rhyming with wart). If it's the latter, that's not far off from "wooder," especially if the "r" is soft, and would seem to confirm my theory that it's a change in popular transliteration. The warter/wooder divide doesn't seem specific to any region or ethnic group, but there appears to be a generation gap.

I'm trying to summon the linguistic spirits of my Delceeeaugh mother and grandmother (who, as we discussed, lived toward your neck of the woods), and I'm honestly not sure. I'll pay attention to what my uncle says next time I see him.

I say wahter, and I don't recall if I've been doing that since childhood or consciously changed it in college (just a couple words here and there, like car-a-mel instead of carmel).

The latter. Rhyming with 'wart".

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Snwmn5

I think it's definitely a generational thing that shifted. I notice that some of my aunts and uncles pronounce it as "warter" which was how my grandparents pronounced it, but my younger aunts and uncles and me/my cousins my age pronounce it "wooder." In general, I think a lot of the Philly accent changed and it's noticeable when talking to people in their 60s/70s/80s etc versus people in their 20s/30s/40s. I don't know anyone my age who pronounces (non-ironically) "eagle" and "legal" as "iggle" and "liggle" like my grandparents did and there a lot of other examples that I can think of. Weirdly, I pronounce "league" like "lig" which is probably a small holdover from that.

Agreed. There is generational divide, I think.

And newcomers will change it more.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by kyb01

The latter. Rhyming with 'wart".

Okay, so not too far off from wooder.

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by kyb01

I find it interesting that my Philadelphia roots are miles away from the Far NE. I grew up in Delaware Co and yet everyone I know says ' warter '. My mother, although born in Philly, lived most of her 90 years in the 'burbs and she said, 'warter'.

The River Wards say 'warter,' too.

[2e1m5a]

Originally Posted by 2002 Subaru

'Jirrod' Ave?

This seems to be a generational thing. I say Gi-rardd Ave. I always thought it was interesting though that Girard was like the only word where the r was not pronounced in "Philly dialect"

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by 2e1m5a

This seems to be a generational thing. I say Gi-rardd Ave. I always thought it was interesting though that Girard was like the only word where the r was not pronounced in "Philly dialect"

That and 'pollar' for parlor.