What kind of accent do Chicagoans have?
What we call a “Chicago accent” is actually called the Inland North American dialect. This encompasses the major cities around the Great Lakes. The dialect used to be considered the standard American accent until the region experienced a vowel shift, now called the North Cities Vowel Shift.
Where does the Chicago accent come from?
It’s mostly a white urban phenomenon; Labov theorizes that it originally comes from infrastructure: Although the vowel shift is often associated with a Chicago accent, some linguists believe it actually originated in the eastern United States in the late 1800s.
How can you tell someone is from Chicago?
23 ways to tell a real vs. fake Chicagoan
- A real Chicagoan knows the “do not walk” sign is merely a suggestion.
- A fake Chicagoan asks for the address when all you need is the intersection.
- A real Chicagoan knows that LSD is short for Lake Shore Drive (not the drug).
- A fake Chicagoan puts ketchup on their hot dogs.
How do Chicagoans say sausage?
The short “o” of “hot dog” is pronounced with a flat, nasal tone that makes it sound more like “haht dahg.” Speaking of meat, “sausage” is pronounced “sahh-sage.”
Does the Chicago accent exist?
A Midwestern accent (which may refer to other dialectal accents as well), Chicago accent, or Great Lakes accent are all common names in the United States for the sound quality produced by speakers of this dialect.
What words do Chicago people say weird?
The Chicago Accent Deconstructed
Chicago Accent | Instead of… | …We Say |
---|---|---|
short “o” becomes short “a” | hot dog, pop, mom | haht dahg, pahp, mahm |
short “u” becomes “aww” | but, cut | bought, caught |
“ctu” becomes “ch” | picture | pitcher |
double “tt” becomes double “dd” | little, bottle | liddle, boddle |
What is a black Chicago accent?
They speak a form of Chicagoese just as distinctively local: the Blaccent. The Blaccent is not as widely parodied, studied or celebrated as white ethnic speech, but it may at this point be more widely spoken here, now that the Classic Chicago Accent is going the way of steel mills and Old Style taverns.
Do people from Chicago say Chi?
Chi is shortened from Chicago and is itself recorded as a nickname for the city (town) even earlier, in the 1890s.
How can you tell if someone is from Chicago?
23 ways to tell a real vs. fake Chicagoan
- A real Chicagoan knows the “do not walk” sign is merely a suggestion.
- A fake Chicagoan asks for the address when all you need is the intersection.
- A real Chicagoan knows that LSD is short for Lake Shore Drive (not the drug).
- A fake Chicagoan puts ketchup on their hot dogs.
What is the Chicago accent?
Linguists classify the Chicago accent as one of several types of Inland Northern English, also known as the Inland North Dialect or the Great Lakes Dialect. This dialect appears across the U.S.
Where does the Chicago dialect come from?
This dialect appears across the U.S. Great Lakes region, which extends from Central New York westward through parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa. Great Debate: How to Pronounce “Chicago”?
Do people from Cedar Rapids speak with a Chicagoland accent?
I’ve lived in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for 18 years, now, but people older than 40 from here notice I speak with a Chicagoland accent, while those younger don’t.
How do you Fake a Chicago accent?
To fake a Chicago accent, raise and emphasize the “short a” vowel so that words like “bat” sound more like “beat.” You can also turn draw out the sound in words with a “short u” like “but” and “cut” to sound more like “bought” and “caught.”