Inquiring Minds Want to Know...

[Mr. Bloom]

Does John McCain TRY to say "warshington" and sometimes slip up and say "washington"? Or is it the other way around??? He's been surprisingly inconsistent tonight.

I actually think "warshington" is kind of endearing.

I just realized...he found the "R" that Bostonians lost when they "pawk the ca' in havad yad"

In Southern Indiana, the errant "R" in waRsh and waRshington is common (along with poor subject/verb tense)

[Crankin]

I have never heard the "r" in Washington or wash except from people who were from Illinois or Indiana. A lot of them live around Phoenix, so it was pretty common there.
I worked really hard to get rid of my Boston accent, but once, when I went on a job interview when I graduated from college, I walked in, shook the guy's hand, and he looked at me and said, "Cape Cod."
Huh? He then said, "Are you from New England.?"
I always pronounce my r's, unless I am really yelling and angry. In fact, you rarely hear anyone with the accent around where I live. It seems to live on in certain towns and cities, maybe where people don't move in or out as much.

[Pax]

I have never heard the "r" in Washington or wash except from people who were from Illinois or Indiana. A lot of them live around Phoenix, so it was pretty common there.
I worked really hard to get rid of my Boston accent, but once, when I went on a job interview when I graduated from college, I walked in, shook the guy's hand, and he looked at me and said, "Cape Cod."
Huh? He then said, "Are you from New England.?"
I always pronounce my r's, unless I am really yelling and angry. In fact, you rarely hear anyone with the accent around where I live. It seems to live on in certain towns and cities, maybe where people don't move in or out as much.

I'm from the Cape and my accent (after MUCH effort) is pure Midwestern these days...except after I've had a few drinks. It cracks my friends up.

[OakLeaf]

It cracks my friends up.

You should hear the New Jersey rush back into DH's speech whenever he goes home and goes out with his "boys" - all 'a dose t'ings...

My grandmother put an "R" in just about everything, but "warsh" was high on the list. She lived in New Jersey most of her adult life, but I think her descent was Southern

I, of course, have no accent whatever

[Trek420]

Question: why would anyone want to get rid of an accent? I think regional differences, international differences are great. It shows you have a history, been somewhere, done things ....

I have no accent at all.

[mimitabby]

Trek,
I used to have a NJ accent, moved to Idaho when I was 18.
2 years later, speaking to a step sister, I actually blushed at her accent. She sounded so ... well, Jersey gal. My accent had diminished on its own already; which is why her nasal NJ vowels horrified me so much, they were shocking. So, why would a person want to lose their accent? because it sounded pretty uneducated to me at the time.

I didn't want to sound like THAT.

Now I pride myself with the few vestiges of my accent;
the ability to pronounce Mary Merry and Marry like the 3 different words that they are.


And there is no R in washington. If you're not from Ohio, why would you put one into Washington?

[Mr. Bloom]

And there is no R in washington. If you're not from Ohio, why would you put one into Washington?

I'm telling ya'...it's because the New Englanders send all those "R's" this way...and it would be silly to waste them

Ironically, as a kid (from Boston), I was teased for "over articulating" my R's. For instance, quarter is Quart-ter...not qwater.

I do think it's fun how some people actually exaggerate their accent and savor the difference...particularly in the south. I still can't get used to warsh and warshington though...

[Pax]

Question: why would anyone want to get rid of an accent? I think regional differences, international differences are great. It shows you have a history, been somewhere, done things ....

I have no accent at all.

We were a military family and my folks didn't want us to be teased mercilessly all through school. I don't mind my old accent but it's nice not to have people comment about it constantly.

[GLC1968]

Question: why would anyone want to get rid of an accent?

My husband grew up in the deep south and spent 7 years in the air force trying to lose his accent. He hated it. Now it's very faint. BUT, when he turns it on (which he can do at the drop of a hat), it freaks me out. He sounds so backwoods/unworldly/uneducated and frankly...scary. It's not the charming southern gentleman accent at all.

I knew a lot of people in Pennsylvania that said wash with the 'r'. I can't say whether or not they were natives, but it was very, very prevelant there.

[Possegal]

I knew a lot of people in Pennsylvania that said wash with the 'r'. I can't say whether or not they were natives, but it was very, very prevelant there.

When I said that is how it was said where I was from - I'm from Pittsburgh. My father said Warsh. My mother was Canadian and made sure we didn't speak like we were from Pittsburgh. So I like to say that Pittsburghese is not my native language, but I am fluent in it. If I had that accent, I'd do anything to lose it, as I feel it is about the worst accent in this country, and I've heard nearly all of them. Though I feel I must add that there is no city like the 'burgh, I love it still!!

[salsabike]

I like accents. It's funny how your perspective changes from adolescent (PLEASE DON'T LET ME STICK OUT IN ANY WAY) to adulthood. The world is already getting strip-malled enough for me. I like to hear the different accents and I love hearing "Jersey gal" or New Yorker out here in Washington--ah, the sounds of home.