Chicago Accents (Brooklyn, Ohio: transplants, mover, live)

[jman07]

Why is it that some people in Chicago have thick Chicago accents like cops and others dont? Is it because a lot of people mover there from other areas?

[j33]

I imagine that would be the case. If I moved to London, I wouldn't suddenly start talking in a British accent, I'd keep my own.

As far as the accent is concerned, I because I grew up here, I don't hear it all that much, although when come across a real 'youse guys' sort of guy and then it is more noticeable (especially down on the south-side or the south burbs, although I work with a handful of those sorts every day, so I guess I don't even notice that all that much either), but I wouldn't mind hearing from transplants, how noticeable is the damn thing? Or are you like me where you only hear it when it is very pronounced, or whenever the Mayor opens his mouth to mangle another sentence.

[Southside Shrek]

I am originally from Chicago and still have my Chicago accent. Of course, I don't notice it but others do. However, when I get back to Chicago after having been away for a period of time, I certainly notice the Chicago accent which kind of has a 'gangsta' ring to it.

[radiojunkie2006]

Southsiders have the heaviest accent, i.e. dis, dat, dese and dose; though one of my closest friends was born and raised on the far northwest side and speaks that way. When I lived in California, I was told that the Chicago accent sounds flat. I often thought that if you mixed a Brooklyn accent with a Philly accent you'd have a Chicago accent.

[rgb123]

I think it has to do with parents...my dad grew up in chicago and his accent is really noticable, where my mothers is more southern (she is from southern illinois). I have more of a chicago accent (I didn't know til I was much older and went to other places and they told me so).

I think all of us who are native to this area have it, but it does vary among people. Maybe it is heavier on the southside...but I am not aware of that being the case.

[Southside Shrek]

Originally Posted by radiojunkie2006

Southsiders have the heaviest accent, i.e. dis, dat, dese and dose; though one of my closest friends was born and raised on the far northwest side and speaks that way. When I lived in California, I was told that the Chicago accent sounds flat. I often thought that if you mixed a Brooklyn accent with a Philly accent you'd have a Chicago accent.

I don't speak like that..dis,dem,dese,dose. That's horrible to illustrate the Chicago accent that way. it ain't Phat.

[j33]

Brooklyn? no way there. I know people with a Brooklyn accent, and I don't mind it, but I don't think that those two accents sound alike at all. I don't know a whole lot about the Philly accent other than when I took that silly 'what American accent do you speak' quiz, it seemed convinced I was from Philly, but I don't even know what that is supposed to mean. But Brooklyn? Hardly.

[Sycamoron]

my grandpa is grew up on the south side and said dis dat dese and dose

[UICJohn]

I think it's kind of cheesy when they show the "Chicago accent" on television. We don't all talk like the Super Fans. I mean, recently on Saturday Night Live, they were doing a spoof on Blago, and they had him talking like that. A little much!

I have been told that I talk funny. However, this was during a road trip when I stopped in Shamrock, Texas, everybody in there was wearing a cowboy hat, and the lady said to us "Y'all talk kinda funny" in a southern drawl. So I wasn't too concerned.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by jman07

Why is it that some people in Chicago have thick Chicago accents like cops and others dont? Is it because a lot of people mover there from other areas?

As a transplant, I've noticed that some native Chicagoans have a very thick Chicago accent, while other natives don't seem to have an accent at all and sound very "standard American". Some seem to pass down the accent intact from generation to generation, whereas for others it seems to have gotten lost at some point generationally. Blame TV, I suppose.

I even know two brothers who grew up here, where one has a very thick Chicago accent and the other doesn't. Their mom grew up on Chicago's South Side, but their dad is from Ohio.

Also, I've noticed the Chicago accent itself varies. The thickest, of course, is the "Sout' Side" version with its "dese, dem, and dose"... but I've also noticed that there's a more "refined" version, if you will, that's still Midwestern nasal and flat, with some overexaggeration of vowel sounds, but not as coarse.