Washington DC Area Accents, the most unique in America? (transplants, college)
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Last November I moved to the DC area from south Florida which was a nice change of pace. I'm originally from Florida but have lived in New York and in California. Through my travels across this country I must say that natives here in the DC area have one of the most unique accents that I have ever come across. From what I understand it is mainly a mid-Atlantic accent with a mix from the north and the south, although no one around here sounds southern to me, being from Florida and it seems that many talk to0 fast and at times I cannot understand what people around here are saying. When I met people from the DC area while in college, I thought they sounded nothing like anyone from the south.
The native accent in the DC area differs a little from across the area from DC proper to suburban Maryland to Northern Virginia. Even in DC, I have noticed difference among those from NE/NW who sound a little more northern than those who are from SE/SW/Prince George's County Maryland/Alexandria Virginia, especially among African-Americans. When you hear someone from Prince William and Charles County, there is a little southern twang but not truly southern. The accents of those in Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County, Fairfax County, Arlington County, and Loudoun County seems unnoticeable and somewhat more northern/valley girl at first until you hear certain pattens and words which are similar to DC proper and other areas such as warder/wooder for water, nu for new, substitution of the ar or ir with an ur with many ar and ir words, and how native people around these parts pronounce caught, court. In general the accents in this area vary from person to person but to me it is very unique. Natives seems to understand each other just fine and combined with the number of transplants like myself, it just adds more to the uniqueness.
I also noticed that the DC area accent differs in some ways among race, though I have noticed there are many words which are common among various races and ethnic backgrounds. Drive 30 miles to the north, there is the Baltimore accent which sounds more like the Philly accent but there are similarities to the DC accent. Drive 50 miles south of Fredericksburg toward Richmond and it feels and sounds like the south. It is amazing how the culture changes drastically the 100 miles between DC and Richmond. Drive 30 miles to the east and I noticed the accent changes to a more early english/mid-atlantic version. Drive 50 miles to the west and it sounds a little southern/Appalachian.
Overall, I must say that people in the DC area have the most unique accents that I have ever come across. There are differences in accents which I noticed living in New York, but nothing can compare to the uniqueness and differences in this area. Just my thought, looking for what others have to say on this topic.
Not really, DC doesn't even have a regional accent except among poor black people, its pretty much the standard American accent. Maybe you were hearing some transplants from somewhere else with a strange accent.
Not really, DC doesn't even have a regional accent except among poor black people, its pretty much the standard American accent. Maybe you were hearing some transplants from somewhere else with a strange accent.
You hear the accent among middle class Black people from DC and PG as well. Some of the born and bred whites have their own accent somewhat as well.
I think youre on crack. But my parents are from New York City and Pittsburgh. If you think DC is unique, than you would think my parents are from a different planet.
But thats why America is a melting pot.
And for the record, pittsburgh has been proven many times over to have a very unique linguistic style. No one remotely close uses the word "yinz" for example.
DC doesn't have much of an accent until you get into the suburbs. You don't hear much of the "Maryland accent" in Bethesda anymore, but you start to hear it a little more in Gaithersburg, a lot more in Germantown, and a ton more in Frederick. The more rural you get, the stronger the accent seems to be. Virginia is funny because there's virtually no southern accent in Fairfax and Centreville, but get to Manassas and beyond and the drawl becomes audible. Older people here tend to have stronger accents than younger people.
Location: That star on your map in the middle of the East Coast, DMV
8,128 posts, read 7,550,614 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CoolZombie
Not really, DC doesn't even have a regional accent except among poor black people, its pretty much the standard American accent. Maybe you were hearing some transplants from somewhere else with a strange accent.
Location: That star on your map in the middle of the East Coast, DMV
8,128 posts, read 7,550,614 times
Reputation: 5785
Quote:
Originally Posted by FLASunnyHotHumid
Last November I moved to the DC area from south Florida which was a nice change of pace. I'm originally from Florida but have lived in New York and in California. Through my travels across this country I must say that natives here in the DC area have one of the most unique accents that I have ever come across. From what I understand it is mainly a mid-Atlantic accent with a mix from the north and the south, although no one around here sounds southern to me, being from Florida and it seems that many talk to0 fast and at times I cannot understand what people around here are saying. When I met people from the DC area while in college, I thought they sounded nothing like anyone from the south.
The native accent in the DC area differs a little from across the area from DC proper to suburban Maryland to Northern Virginia. Even in DC, I have noticed difference among those from NE/NW who sound a little more northern than those who are from SE/SW/Prince George's County Maryland/Alexandria Virginia, especially among African-Americans. When you hear someone from Prince William and Charles County, there is a little southern twang but not truly southern. The accents of those in Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County, Fairfax County, Arlington County, and Loudoun County seems unnoticeable and somewhat more northern/valley girl at first until you hear certain pattens and words which are similar to DC proper and other areas such as warder/wooder for water, nu for new, substitution of the ar or ir with an ur with many ar and ir words, and how native people around these parts pronounce caught, court. In general the accents in this area vary from person to person but to me it is very unique. Natives seems to understand each other just fine and combined with the number of transplants like myself, it just adds more to the uniqueness.
I also noticed that the DC area accent differs in some ways among race, though I have noticed there are many words which are common among various races and ethnic backgrounds. Drive 30 miles to the north, there is the Baltimore accent which sounds more like the Philly accent but there are similarities to the DC accent. Drive 50 miles south of Fredericksburg toward Richmond and it feels and sounds like the south. It is amazing how the culture changes drastically the 100 miles between DC and Richmond. Drive 30 miles to the east and I noticed the accent changes to a more early english/mid-atlantic version. Drive 50 miles to the west and it sounds a little southern/Appalachian.
Overall, I must say that people in the DC area have the most unique accents that I have ever come across. There are differences in accents which I noticed living in New York, but nothing can compare to the uniqueness and differences in this area. Just my thought, looking for what others have to say on this topic.
Spot on, never thought it was the most distinctive in the U.S. But most definitely distinctive. I could make out a DC/ DMV accent on the moon and it would remind me of home.
What are you talking about? Obviously I did or I wouldn't have made a comment. Not good at specifics, are you?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tcave360
You hear the accent among middle class Black people from DC and PG as well. Some of the born and bred whites have their own accent somewhat as well.
OP's assessment is pretty spot on.
Yea I know its common among black people of all class levels but I had to generalize since many black people don't speak in a "black" accent. The black accent isn't much different than anywhere else in the mid-Atlantic. When you start going to the Deep South, black people sound waaaay more Southern (as is probably obvious). As for white people, only people I know with a DC area accent are at least 55 and it's pretty much dead entirely among young people.
The reason why I think it is unique is because it varies a lot just within a few miles among African Americans, whites, Hispanics, and Asians - a few miles to the west, north, east, and south even more variation. In other cities and metro areas there are small variances here and there such as a Brooklyn accent vs a Bronx accent but not as much as I have heard in this area. And as noted there are many common items in this area from individuals from all backgrounds from whites, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians which I hear all the time such as warder or wooder for water...I pronounce it wAt-ter with more emphasis on the A. I am from the south and I can hear major differences and can tell if someone is native to this area or not. We have played this game at work for about two months and I as well as a few others have been spot on. In other parts of the country, there is not so much variation but it makes sense for this area since it is in the mid-Atlantic so it combines a lot of the north, south, and Appalachian among various cultures. Also, as I mention from talking with natives from places in Prince William County such as Manassas people around here think that they talk with a southern accent but take a trip down south and those same people from Prince William will probably be called yankees. There is a southern twang among those from Prince William and Charles county and even southern Prince George's County that I have noticed but it is not really southern. The closest southern accents which I have heard are from those who are from Fredericksburg and points south. And what I meant by 'valley girl' is that if you ever pay close attention there is a lot of the standard accent mixed in with a sort of local flavor and talk, even words among the younger individuals mainly whites and some African Americans from Northern Va which I have never heard before, but still there are many common words that are still pronounced how native DC area residents pronouce them. Maybe I am picking this up because I am not from around here, moving here last November marked my first time ever in the DC area, and I studied Linguistics in college but to me and my person opinion, the accent in this area is very unique which is not to say that accents of other cities are not but there is a lot of variance among natives to this area.
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