DC accent

[Anonymous]

Murland (Maryland), Fava (father), Mova (mother), brova (brother), errybody/where/thing (everybody/where/thing)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Murland (Maryland), Fava (father), Mova (mother), brova (brother), errybody/where/thing (everybody/where/thing)

Most of the black people from Southeast tend to sound like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mom grew up here and she says "warshington."

I grew up here, too, and do NOT pronounce it that way.

It's WASHington.

But past Frederick, many do say "Warshington."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My born-and-raised DC kids, now grown, say "I'm onna" or "I munna" in stead of "I'm going to", as well as "all-most" and "ohmost", each kid differently, for almost. We're white.

im not alone! lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are a native Washingtonian, there really is none. Some African Americans (more likely to be native Washingtonians rather than transplants) have a distinctive DC accent, but it's hard to describe. Swallowing of some vowel sounds is prevalent. Like saying "Murland" instead of "Maryland." Some Maryland people have a strange way of pronouncing vowel sounds as well. For example, instead of the long O sound in "photo," they'll say what sounds like "Fowto."

As a native Washingtonian (from DC proper) now in my 40's I am certain that this is a Maryland accent you are referring too NOT a DC accent. There is a bit of this that travels through some of the Eastern portions of DC into Maryland and up through and past Baltimore (that include the random R sounds, "uh" in place of a wuhter not water, er for the or fer not for, and long nasal sounding vowels particularly for a and o).

I cringe when i say "fer." ugh. and im from MoCo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are a native Washingtonian, there really is none. Some African Americans (more likely to be native Washingtonians rather than transplants) have a distinctive DC accent, but it's hard to describe. Swallowing of some vowel sounds is prevalent. Like saying "Murland" instead of "Maryland." Some Maryland people have a strange way of pronouncing vowel sounds as well. For example, instead of the long O sound in "photo," they'll say what sounds like "Fowto."

As a native Washingtonian (from DC proper) now in my 40's I am certain that this is a Maryland accent you are referring too NOT a DC accent. There is a bit of this that travels through some of the Eastern portions of DC into Maryland and up through and past Baltimore (that include the random R sounds, "uh" in place of a wuhter not water, er for the or fer not for, and long nasal sounding vowels particularly for a and o).

Agreed.

[Anonymous]

All of my college friends said I have an accent, but they are all from up North. I don't think I have one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are a native Washingtonian, there really is none. Some African Americans (more likely to be native Washingtonians rather than transplants) have a distinctive DC accent, but it's hard to describe. Swallowing of some vowel sounds is prevalent. Like saying "Murland" instead of "Maryland." Some Maryland people have a strange way of pronouncing vowel sounds as well. For example, instead of the long O sound in "photo," they'll say what sounds like "Fowto."

As a native Washingtonian (from DC proper) now in my 40's I am certain that this is a Maryland accent you are referring too NOT a DC accent. There is a bit of this that travels through some of the Eastern portions of DC into Maryland and up through and past Baltimore (that include the random R sounds, "uh" in place of a wuhter not water, er for the or fer not for, and long nasal sounding vowels particularly for a and o).

Agreed.

Yes, I said it was mostly a Maryland thing (bolded, above).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My born-and-raised DC kids, now grown, say "I'm onna" or "I munna" in stead of "I'm going to", as well as "all-most" and "ohmost", each kid differently, for almost. We're white.

im not alone! lol

You guys aren't lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Murland (Maryland), Fava (father), Mova (mother), brova (brother), errybody/where/thing (everybody/where/thing)

Most of the black people from Southeast tend to sound like this.

There's a difference between African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) and a regional accent found largely among black residents (because they are less transient than white residents).

"Errybody" and "a-ight" are AAVE -- they aren't just DC things. Pronouncing "r" like "arr-uh" (vs. "are") one of the more common examples I can think of of the DC accent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are a native Washingtonian, there really is none. Some African Americans (more likely to be native Washingtonians rather than transplants) have a distinctive DC accent, but it's hard to describe. Swallowing of some vowel sounds is prevalent. Like saying "Murland" instead of "Maryland." Some Maryland people have a strange way of pronouncing vowel sounds as well. For example, instead of the long O sound in "photo," they'll say what sounds like "Fowto."

As a native Washingtonian (from DC proper) now in my 40's I am certain that this is a Maryland accent you are referring too NOT a DC accent. There is a bit of this that travels through some of the Eastern portions of DC into Maryland and up through and past Baltimore (that include the random R sounds, "uh" in place of a wuhter not water, er for the or fer not for, and long nasal sounding vowels particularly for a and o).

Agreed.

Yes, I said it was mostly a Maryland thing (bolded, above).

Perhaps the first sentence confused me. I read it as native Washingtonians have an accent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are a native Washingtonian, there really is none. Some African Americans (more likely to be native Washingtonians rather than transplants) have a distinctive DC accent, but it's hard to describe. Swallowing of some vowel sounds is prevalent. Like saying "Murland" instead of "Maryland." Some Maryland people have a strange way of pronouncing vowel sounds as well. For example, instead of the long O sound in "photo," they'll say what sounds like "Fowto."

As a native Washingtonian (from DC proper) now in my 40's I am certain that this is a Maryland accent you are referring too NOT a DC accent. There is a bit of this that travels through some of the Eastern portions of DC into Maryland and up through and past Baltimore (that include the random R sounds, "uh" in place of a wuhter not water, er for the or fer not for, and long nasal sounding vowels particularly for a and o).

Agreed.

Yes, I said it was mostly a Maryland thing (bolded, above).

Perhaps the first sentence confused me. I read it as native Washingtonians have an accent.

Wouldn't you think that regional accents in the area that has become known as the "DMV" have some crossover, anyway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Murland (Maryland), Fava (father), Mova (mother), brova (brother), errybody/where/thing (everybody/where/thing)

Most of the black people from Southeast tend to sound like this.

There's a difference between African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) and a regional accent found largely among black residents (because they are less transient than white residents).

"Errybody" and "a-ight" are AAVE -- they aren't just DC things. Pronouncing "r" like "arr-uh" (vs. "are") one of the more common examples I can think of of the DC accent.

I have to politely disagree. DC is the only place I hear AA people say "erry"(every), "mury"(Mary), "errrk" (eric), etc. However, I've heard "arr-uh" in many places.

[Anonymous]

Murland is definitely part of a Maryland accent and not a Washington accent. It's part of Balmer Murland.

As for WaRshington, that is further west. I've heard many people from the PA-OH-WV tri-state area say that, namely near Warshington, PA (I grew up in Pittsburgh). I think it drifted this way from out there as it is far more common there than here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Murland is definitely part of a Maryland accent and not a Washington accent. It's part of Balmer Murland.

As for WaRshington, that is further west. I've heard many people from the PA-OH-WV tri-state area say that, namely near Warshington, PA (I grew up in Pittsburgh). I think it drifted this way from out there as it is far more common there than here.

ITA with this. I grew up in Alexandria. I had plenty of friends who say "Warshington," but they invariably had family origins in PA, OH and NJ.