DC accent

[Anonymous]

What is the typical "DC accent", would you say? Is there even one?

[Anonymous]

My mom grew up here and she says "warshington."

[Anonymous]

The DC accent is a black DC accent. There is no white DC accent for the most part.

[Anonymous]

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

My grandmother and aunt as well. I grew up in Potomac, but have noticed that native D.C. Metro area people do have an accent. I was in Indiana and someone asked where I was from bc of my accent. So I started listening to natives after that. I think we pronounce our "o" (as in home and go) differently. We also tend to drop our "g" at the end of words.

[Anonymous]

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."

[Anonymous]

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."

I say Maryland properly, but definitely do the "o" thing. My grandfather (a white Jew) always said Murland, Balmer for Baltimore and Itly for Italy.

[Anonymous]

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

My FIL says this and he's from Brooklyn.

[Anonymous]

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.

[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."

I say Maryland properly, but definitely do the "o" thing. My grandfather (a white Jew) always said Murland, Balmer for Baltimore and Itly for Italy.

Itly! lol

As an Italian, I've always found that funny. So long, A!

[Anonymous]

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

Is she from Baltimore? Washingtonians don't say it that way.

[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.

We're talking about accents, not the "right" way to pronounce something. That would be another thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

Is she from Baltimore? Washingtonians don't say it that way.

My NW born and raised DH says Warshington.

[Anonymous]

"Where's that at?"

instead of,

"Where is that?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

Is she from Baltimore? Washingtonians don't say it that way.

Sorry, I didn't realize "here" was confusing. Yes, she grew up in DC. NW DC to be exact.

[Anonymous]

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

My mom says that too and she grew up in New Haven, Connecticut. All of my aunts and uncles from Connecticut pronounce it that way.

I grew up in DC area and I didn't know anyone else that pronounced it that way.