How you know you're from Baltimore
by Michael18 on Jan 29, 2010 8:27 PM EST
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PrintOkay, it looks like the O's are about done until spring training........
What are some Baltimore accents/words you say that people in other areas call you out on? For me..........
Baltimore = Bawlmer
Maryland = Merlin
Wash = Worshing
Orioles = How bout them O's, hon
Its funny when people call you out on words that you never realized you said different from other people in other areas. Being born in Baltimore, and my family ancestry dating back long as I can remember as Baltimore natives, I’ve developed a few habits.
What are yours...........
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Ah, Bawlmerese
When I got to college (Eastern Shore of MD), my friends mocked me for saying ambulance as “AM-byoo-LANTS”.
"The United States is the New York Yankees of countries...powerful and respected until the year 2000." - Homer J. Simpson
My alma mater is College Park wait wait University of Maryland at College Park.
Im not sure who the Orioles are but I can tell you everything about the ‘birds’. I love crabs, its ‘D.C.’ and the name Angelos makes me bitter as hell.
"On my tombstone just write, 'The sorest loser that ever lived.'"
Earl Weaver
That sounds like a Philly accent to me.
I’m not sure Washingtonians have a very distinct accent, so my relatives in Philadelphia can’t make fun of me. Of course, they have these really thick accents…“vurry”, “wooter” to name two, so I make fun of them……..
Washingtonians have accents
just not as thick as Baltimore. If you listen to Pat Buchannon and Diane Rehm they definitely have DC accents. I’m pretty sure I have a little bit of one too. I’ve been told by my cousin that I sound southern, although she is from Chicago, so maybe everything south of Decatur sounds southern to her.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
I bet to people from Baltimore
we have a non-accent.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
you really don’t have one. In order to have your own accent you would first need to develop your own culture.
(blows smoke off six shooter)
by Jonny Pops on Feb 2, 2010 12:06 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
People mistake federal DC
for the rest of DC. To me there’s plenty of culture in PG County and the district east of the Anacostia. But if your talking about most of Northern Virginia, then yes, that really doesn’t have a culture of its own.
And really most cities would lose in a “who has more culture” contest to Baltimore, except for New Orleans, and a couple of others.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
Urban cultures
Or at least the ones cities are identified by are often developed in more working class enclaves – which Bmore has in spades and DC is lacking in outside of the African American neighborhoods, where your basically referring to and which undoubtedly have developed most of the unique culture of the region.
by Jonny Pops on Feb 2, 2010 8:01 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
dude
I’m sorry but you’re sounding like somebody who really hasn’t spent much time exploring the different neighborhoods of DC.
Well, I have.
A little too much in fact. But if you want to actually elaborate on what you mean, I’ll be happy to play along.
by Jonny Pops on Feb 2, 2010 2:49 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
What exactly are you saying?
That there are no neighborhoods with culture in DC? Or that there is no singular unifying culture of DC?
I think there are tons of neighborhoods with a ton of culture all over the city, but maybe there isn’t a single unifying “DC culture”, but I don’t think any cities have a single unifying culture. NY, Philly, Boston, etc certainly don’t – they are pockets of different cultures based on the demographics in the given neighborhoods.
I'm saying
DC, outside of its AA neighborhoods which do have a culture is a bland colony of a city, filled with an unusually high portion of transients who come to do a job and then leave.
It is in the process of shedding this, slowly, but it’s not there yet. But honestly the city only really boomed during FDR and the expansion of the Fed Govt so it’s still got a ways to catch up.
by Jonny Pops on Feb 2, 2010 3:02 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Eh
I guess there are more transplants in the DC area than a lot of cities (probably in line with NY), but I think that very fact creates it’s on uniqueness. So many people from so many different backgrounds creates an interesting amalgamation of restaurants, neighborhoods, nightlife, etc.
I don’t know that THAT many people come here to do a job and then leave. Sure there are political appointees that are only here while their administration is in power, but a huge percentage of government employees are there for long careers.
Much more than NY.
Ny is a city of 8 million people. Some white collar transplants in Manhattan barely make a dent. DC is barely 600,000. And many if not most govt workers come from elsewhere then leave as soon as they retire. That’s what my family did.
by Jonny Pops on Feb 2, 2010 3:14 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Leave as soon as they retire?
Is that based on any data? I find it hard to believe that any higher percentage of DC-ers leave after 30 year careers than people who move to NY to work in finance and then retire.
There’s the classic NY-FL connection that is incredibly popular for retirement, so I’m not really sure where you’re getting that. Sure there are a lot more people in NY so a lot more people stay there, but I don’t know that a bigger percentage stay there. The people who stay are probably poorer and the poor people in DC I’m sure are not moving elsewhere for a cushy retirement either.
I'm basing
This on the personal experience of my parents, both Fed workers, and their friends and co workers. The reasons are simple.
People despise the traffic.
The property values are relatively high so they can sell, buy something cheaper elsewhere and add to their nest egg.
I’ll try to look up some harder data though later.
by Jonny Pops on Feb 2, 2010 3:38 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
But all those things
are true of NY too. Even more so in the case of property values. Traffic is a little different because not that many people drive (although way more than would make sense since the public transportation is awesome), but getting around is still a huge pain in the ass.
Man
I sure wish there was a Lost in America clip from youtube I could put here. “The core of the nest egg!”.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
And they all go to Slower Delaware or Ocean Pines
Trust me on this…
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
What about Silver Spring?
I have heard one person with a very flat accent who grew up in Silver Spring. But other than that, I’ve never realized it in anyone else.
I grew up in Silver Spring
and I’ve listened to my voice recorded, and I think I have a little bit of that tidewater accent. Listen to Louis Black’s standup, I think he has a little bit of an accent and he grew up in Silver Spring.
But there are also alot of other people who live in Silver Spring and Montgomery County who are transplants from other areas of the country and they don’t have Maryland accents.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
True.
Especially Silver Spring because the housing prices aren’t insane like Chevy Chase, Bethesda, and should I even mention Potomac? Rockville is getting up there too. My mom works for the government and plenty of people she knows from work live in Silver Spring—although most of them live more down county…
Is it not true?
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
Maybe we're talking about different things
but when I hear culture I think of close-knit communities, unique neighborhoods, ethnic enclaves, and character. All of which NOVA has plenty of. I think people tend to forget that NOVA is more than the Orange Line corridor (where previously interesting neighborhoods have been replaced by yuppified Starbucks and the Starbucks and the Starbucks scenery).
But plenty of areas in Alexandria and Arlington and Falls Church have culture and uniqueness. Maybe it’s “whiter” or “richer” than the urban culture that I get the feeling JP is talking about, but that doesn’t mean it’s not culture.
You are truly clueless.
Oh my god – where to even start with this. Nova is one of the blandest communities in the world. See Arlington: The Rap on YouTube.
Seriously, stop wasting people’s time with this crap. What’s next? An argument about how Tysons Corner is the new Williamsburg, Brooklyn?
by Jonny Pops on Feb 2, 2010 2:54 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
right...
that was my point. Arlington the Rap is specifically about the Orange Line corridor – which is why I mentioned it! haha did you not read my post at all?
lol and well played pointing out ONE place – should I go down the list of bland shopping mall places in MD starting with Rockville?? Could they fit any more big box stores along the Pike???
I'm not arguing
DC Nova burbs v DC MD burbs. It’s mostly all the same bland sprawl blahhhhh around the city.
by Jonny Pops on Feb 2, 2010 3:06 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I'm going to have plead some ignorance here
I really don’t go to Virginia all that often, and when I have I really haven’t been through what you call the Orange line corridor. All I’ve really seen of Virginia is the Orange line corridor, which you concede is bland, and the areas of Loudoun county out near Dulles and Redskin Park which is the definition of bland suburban sprawl.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
I haven't lived in NOVA in 10 years
But I’ve noticed that there are noticeable pockets of Korean-Am communities popping up in NOVA. There’s, of course, Annandale and Centreville is starting to emerge as well. NOVA isn’t as bland compared to when I grew up there in the 80s, early 1990s.
Vizzini: Let me put it this way. Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?
Man in Black: Yes.
Vizzini: Morons.
There are also
vibrant other asian (particularly Vietnamese) pockets as well as hispanic neighborhoods as well (peruvian and colombian are some).
NOVA is a sea of sprawl
I will lead these Peoples to the promised land, also known as "Slightly Ahead of the Blue Jays." ~WietersRunDry
Where I choose to live isn't.
I will lead these Peoples to the promised land, also known as "Slightly Ahead of the Blue Jays." ~WietersRunDry
Definitely not me
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
I used to say wood-er as a kid
Then I went to boy scout camp in western PA and was teased mercilessly by kids from other troops. I guess I subconsciously changed how I said it, because now I say wah-ter without even thinking about it.
I thought it was an Eastern Shore thing, personally.
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
It's all of the above
There’s a linguistic classification for it: Mid Atlantic dialect. It includes DE too if course.
by Jonny Pops on Feb 2, 2010 12:01 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
But there are definitely differences in Eastern Shore dialects/accents from DE or B'More
I mean, someone from Smith Island doesn’t sound the same as someone across the channel in Crisfield, let alone Hooper’s Island or Kent County.
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
Hmm
Hour = aah-er
In “Florida”, the “o” vowel sound ends up more like “are”
Law enforcement are the pleece, unless you feel like emphasizing it, then it’s PO-leece.
If you live in Baltimore City or Baltimore County, there’s only “the city” and “the county”. Anyone who doesn’t immediately know which city or which county you mean is not worth your time.
Cry havoc and unleash the Esskay hot dogs of war! - The Wayward Oriole, Opening Day 2008
by Eat More Esskay on Jan 30, 2010 2:44 PM EST reply actions
That's Baltimore
because NO ONE on the Eastern Shore has a clue what the hell you’re talking about when y’all say that.
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
Certainly not a widespread thing
but when I was a kid, if I was ever being selfish (or one-way about things), my parents would always call me “Pratt Street”. It was always one of those things that stuck with me, but now that I live in LA people just think I’m weird.
My grandmother grew up in Highlandtown
Her accent was something else: “arn” instead of “iron”, “ool” instead of “oil”, and my favorite – “zinc” instead of “sink”.
"The United States is the New York Yankees of countries...powerful and respected until the year 2000." - Homer J. Simpson
Yeah
The Bmore accent apparently is so pronounced that a lot of British people simply cannot understand parts of it. It’s our answer to Cockney.
by Jonny Pops on Feb 2, 2010 10:46 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Most of my family are Hampdenites
so if I get lazy, I start saying the same stuff. I’ve not met a person outside of MD that didn’t make me repeat myself.
by The Sicilian on Feb 2, 2010 12:33 PM EST up reply actions
My grandmother said arn and ool
But she was raised in bumfuck Carroll County and actually went to a one-room schoolhouse for many years.
How you know you're from Bmore?
When you wake up to read a joke of a news organization report on one of the most dysfunctional, corrupt, pathetic city governments to be found. It’s truly a damn shame.
by Jonny Pops on Feb 2, 2010 3:22 PM EST via mobile reply actions
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