[pauldorell]

Originally Posted by Sherylcatmom

This topic in the news:

Say What? | Seven Days
Say What?

Examining the origins and uncertain future of the Vermont accent

Thanks, Sherylcatmom. As I suspected, there is little French influence in Vermont speech. Fred Tuttle for Senator!

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by pauldorell

Thanks, Sherylcatmom. As I suspected, there is little French influence in Vermont speech. Fred Tuttle for Senator!

Almost forgot! More fun with Vermont accents, including several video clips:

Blurt: The Seven Days Staff Blog: Say What? A video exploration of Vermont-speak

[frog4me]

Hey folks if ya all are goin live in VT learn how to talk right & not prettin'r!

[looking4home]

To me, a Vermont accent sounds like a hybrid of upstate NY and Canadian. I prefer the New Hampshire accent, which is more typically New England.

[LisaMc46]

Fine-n-u?

My Vermont-style response whenever the supermarket clerk asks, "How are you today?"

My other favorite saying is "Six of one, half dozen of another."

[harry chickpea]

Used to be able to go up to mek-kaff pand in fletcha and skinny-dip, but now there's more camps than fish and if you tell folks you want to go mooning at half-moon they look atcha funny. Itsa droI huuumer. Kinda like the big election at Avery's Gore.

Dunderhead used to be slightly more popular in Vt than other places because of Rock Dunder.

Vermonters can be terse, so getting Vermont "lingo" can be hard, since there is so little of it.

Two old Vermonters see each other at the Avery Gore town meeting.

How's yer wife Tom?

She's dead.

Um. She stop talkin yet?

Why'd you come down off the mountain to town meeting?

To vote no.

Good. Now I can go home.

[citylover94]

Originally Posted by arel

You don't hear too much Vermont lingo in the Brattleboro area. There are lots and lots of people from out of state, often from New York and New Jersey, and local speech patterns reflect that.

I've even heard Brattleboro described as an overseas territory of NYC. It really does feel like that a lot of the time. There is a strong cultural connection with New York City, much more so than with Boston, which is only half the distance away.

But about 20 years ago, I spent some time in White River Junction. On July 4, people gathered in a school yard for fireworks. I saw several men with their pick-up trucks, and I heard a lot of them say "Ayup". That night I really knew I was in Vermont.

Do I say "Ayup"? Nope. At least not yet. I'm from out of state and I speak in a way that is most natural and comfortable for me. If I were to pick up a local phrase or inflection here or there, it would be because it came naturally.

I don't feel the need to use local lingo in order to fit in. For one thing it isn't necessary in my area of Vermont. And anyway, with my New York accent, I'd sound ridiculous.

I live in WRJ and I never say ayup it is thought of as a redneck or hick way of speaking in White River Jct. which is not a town it is a village in the town of Hartford VT which has five villages they are: White River Jct, Wilder, Quechee, Hartford, and West Hartford in order of popoulation.

[citylover94]

Originally Posted by swanstone1

Yep. (vt lingo) I was.. Been up since '96. I get it... The only thing I don't "get" is adding an "R" to words that don't have them. (ie; gararge etc????)
Was at a happy hour and finally pointed it out...,"Hey, do you say vaginar?????

They didn't "get" the fact that the "r" is added to so many words.

And YES they DO say vaginar! Sorry, it's just a peeve of mine, but I also detest the word ya'll! Slap me if I say it!

Thats a New England thing in Vermont you hear gararge, in Rhode Island you hear warsh. Also an "on" at the end of a word like Lebanon is pronounced like the word "in".

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by citylover94

I live in WRJ and I never say ayup it is thought of as a redneck or hick way of speaking in White River Jct. which is not a town it is a village in the town of Hartford VT which has five villages they are: White River Jct, Wilder, Quechee, Hartford, and West Hartford in order of popoulation.

WRJ in the past 20 years has changed quite a bit. Lots of "flatlanders" have moved in (to use Vermont lingo). So while many of the current residents might look down on this language as "redneck" (which is more accurately associated with Southern Appalachia and WV in particular anyway, with the history of violent labor conflict in mines), those people aren't "real" Vermonters anyways.

[looking4home]

I still don't get why they say "Shar-LOT" for Charlotte. It must be the French influence.