There's always been a debate about the authenticity of the "Chicago" accent; much like the often imitated "Southern" twang accent, it's Chicago one has been abused in various films, TV shows and the like. It's not a universal fact that you talk like "Joliet" Jake Blues if you hail from the Windy City, but there are certain words that have a certain cadence. I believe this holds true, even if you are like myself and grew up in the northern suburbs, but lived as an adult in the city proper. Here are a few examples.
1. PANTS [Paaaaan-suh]
"It's really hot today, but I gottah wear paaaaan-suh for work".
2. GARAGE [Guh-ragh]
"I gotta get a place with a guh-ragh for my car".
3. TAMPONS [Tamp-Onz]
"My wife needz me to go two a store for some Tamp-Onz".
4. PAMPHLET [Pam-Flet]
"The udder day, 'dis guy was handing out Pam-Flets".
5. DUMPSTER [Dumb-Stir]
"Throw that shit in the Dumb-Stir".
6. DAVENPORT [Daaaaa-Vin'-Pourt]
"Just got back from fuckin' Daaaaa-Vin' Pourt, Iowa".
7. HORIZON [Whore-I-zon]
"Did you see 'dat show at the Rosemont Whore-I-zon?"
8. AVENUE [Aav-un-you]
"The traffic on Wes-dern Aav-un-you is awful".
9. WORLD [Wuurl-D]
"This wuurl-d is goin' to shit".
10. SAUSAGE [Sauce-Ish]
"Jewel has a sale on Polish Sauce-Ish".
These are merely a few examples I have documented, and I should note that this post was derived from frequent conversations with Ex-Roomie. Mid-sentence, we will stop each other and say "wait, what was that?", this finest example being the word "PANTS" which for some reason never ceases to make me giggle like an 8 y/o girl.
6 comments:
It never fails to crack me up when Jonah says "pants" The kid has never been in Chicago-proper in his life, and he talks like a total Chicagoan. He completely has my weird Chicago/s.w. Missouri accent. But when I think of Chicago accents, I always hear "Shaaaaaaannnaaa!!!" up the stairs from her maaam. :-)
Love!
~C
Take off your paaaan-suh!
Justin!
This absolutely makes no sense and I was born and raised in Chicago so I should know!
One of my uncle's who lived on the eastside had a HEAVY and typical blue-collar Chicago accent.
The examples you gave just sound off.
The one I ALWAYS hear is interchanging the word "three" for "tree".
"You got tree dollars on you?"
Yeah, now that's a Chicago accent, dear.
-Dean
And another thing!
It's "sauce-itch" not "sauce-ish".
"Gimme some more "sauce-itch" and peppers!"
Sigh, never have a suburbanite do a true Chicagoan's job.
Amateur!
(~_^)
-Dean
I simply cannot figure out how you're suggesting PANTS is said here in Chicago.
CerMAK.
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