Stupid (but sincere) Questions about the USA

[Netzach]

Actually that would be "Long Guyland City" but pronunciation of "Long Guyland" is more typical of people from Long Island and not Long Island City.

Long Island City is physically on Long Island, but it's actually part of Queens County and (along with Brooklyn) thus one of the five boroughs of NYC. Leaving Nassau and Suffolk counties as "Long Island."

You live IN New York, you live IN Brooklyn, but you live ON Long Island. One of the many peculiarities of the region.

I got so much shit for hitting my G's hard after an N that I stopped typing it even.

 

[BiBunny]

One of my closest friends is from Long Island but has spent lots of time living down here, too. Her combo-accent is amazing.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

I got so much shit for hitting my G's hard after an N that I stopped typing it even.

To me, the soft G sounds natural for most words. But the one that freaks me out is the soft G "finger", pronounced like ringer... Not sure exactly which borough that is from, but it pulls my attention up short every time I hear it!

 

[LWulf]

Bensonhurst. That's where my best friend of the last 38 years was raised.

Bensenhoist? Well, then you already have your answer don't you? But then it seems like you were putting me to the test and grading it with a line in the sand by clarifying it was your "best" friend.

I don't do tests.

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

Great thanks, now I'm hungry and I just ate.

Right on 'cue.

"Loutishness"? Lookit you. Think you're tawking to onea them hoity toity types from Manhattan?


Not for nuthin, but ya need to relax.

It's true. My hoity is in a state of permanent toitiness.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Bensenhoist? Well, then you already have your answer don't you? But then it seems like you were putting me to the test and grading it with a line in the sand by clarifying it was your "best" friend.

I don't do tests.

No testing done here. I gave that up when I retired from teaching in 1997. He's lost much of his Brooklyn accent after living in Florida, Georgia, Australia and California (northern) for those 38 years, and only puts it on to make fun of me when I get Southern-sounding, and I've never been 100% sure if Lawn Guyland was genuine for Brooklyn or him pulling my leg just a little further.

 

[LWulf]

No testing done here. I gave that up when I retired from teaching in 1997. He's lost much of his Brooklyn accent after living in Florida, Georgia, Australia and California (northern) for those 38 years, and only puts it on to make fun of me when I get Southern-sounding, and I've never been 100% sure if Lawn Guyland was genuine for Brooklyn or him pulling my leg just a little further.

Do people use it? yes. Whether your friend is hamming it up for the tourists or not is sheer speculation.

Consider Joan Rivers, or Cindi Lauper (though from Queens, she tended to sound like a 1920's gun moll). Do they really sound like that normally or did they enhance their accents for publicity? Who knows.

 

[Endless_Night]

This is where it gets slightly more complicated.

Breaking it down:

You (singular): Do you want to get some barbecue, Jim?
Your (singular possessive): What is your favorite barbecue place, Jim?
Y'all (plural): Hey Jake and McLuvin'! Do y'all want to get some barbecue with us?
Y'all's (plural possessive): Uh-oh, Jake and McLuvin'! Y'all's barbecue fell on the floor while you were fighting about grammar!

Not to kick up the whole y'all thing again, but I thought this was an interesting take on the plural possessive.

http://anotherhistoryblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/yalls-or-yalls.html

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Not to kick up the whole y'all thing again, but I thought this was an interesting take on the plural possessive.

http://anotherhistoryblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/yalls-or-yalls.html

As a retired high school English teacher, I'd have to agree on a professional basis, but my *personal* preference would be "y'all's," simply for the sake of symmetry. (Yes, I used to let students to come up with their best palindromes for extra credit.)

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

As a retired high school English teacher, I'd have to agree on a professional basis, but my *personal* preference would be "y'all's," simply for the sake of symmetry. (Yes, I used to let students to come up with their best palindromes for extra credit.)

And the best palindrome a student came up with that you can recall?

 

[Sir_Winston54]

And the best palindrome a student came up with that you can recall?

I retired 17 years ago... I don't even remember the names of the principal or my department head at the time. I'm not sure what MY name was then!

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

I retired 17 years ago... I don't even remember the names of the principal or my department head at the time. I'm not sure what MY name was then!

Well you intrigued me so I had to ask

 

[Endless_Night]

As a retired high school English teacher, I'd have to agree on a professional basis, but my *personal* preference would be "y'all's," simply for the sake of symmetry. (Yes, I used to let students to come up with their best palindromes for extra credit.)

This explains so many things!

 

[Mrdarkblueeyes]

Not to be nebby, n'at, but yinz are overanalyzing.

(Sample of Pittsburghese)

 

[LWulf]

I love accents. Lived in Pa a couple times, but haven't ever lived near Pittsburr-rrgh, but I knew one fella from there. I'm not sure he had a Pittsburgh accent or not, but lordy he did tend to let the r roll on for a tick or two.

NE Pa was more like "O, yah, thaht's a good hot dog, doe-n'tcha noe?" (not sure I'm spelling it properly.

Had a conversation with a 20 year old about 5 years ago about such things and she was all manner of "nobody has accents anymore!! Just OLD people maybe."

yeah, okay. Maybe...

In truth, her generation might be more given to peer pressure, afraid someone will say something bad about them.

 

[BiBunny]

Accents are fascinating. I've desperately wanted to make a thread on Lit inviting people to record themselves talking, uploading to YouTube (just the audio, if they don't want to show their faces), and then telling us where they're from. The general area, I mean, not their street address.

I didn't know if anyone else but me would care, though, so I've refrained.

 

[LWulf]

Again with "accepts"? ugh! XD

I sound poorly when recorded. Some have differed in that opinion. My current computer has a cheap built-in microphone, and I don't have a cam.

There are some websites I might post my voice to, but youtube wouldn't be one of them.

I could use plenty of different accents and when I was much younger did a lot of impersonations of famous people.

It's getting harder the older I get but if I focused myself, I could probably do accents of all the places I've traveled/lived.

Personally, I'd rather not do this. It's something I elect to do with close friends not for entertainment value of random people who open the thread.

 

[BiBunny]

I sound poorly when recorded. Some have differed in that opinion. My current computer has a cheap built-in microphone, and I don't have a cam.

There are some websites I might post my voice to, but youtube wouldn't be one of them.

I could use plenty of different accents and when I was much younger did a lot of impersonations of famous people.

It's getting harder the older I get but if I focused myself, I could probably do accents of all the places I've traveled/lived.

Personally, I'd rather not do this. It's something I elect to do with close friends not for entertainment value of random people who open the thread.

Hence why I said I've refrained.

 

[IrisAlthea]

Hence why I said I've refrained.

It would be fun to hear peoples speaking voices though.

 

[DVS]

It would be fun to hear peoples speaking voices though.

Quite a while back, we were able to record our voices and then somehow upload them so others could hear. But, that was several years ago, and I'm not even sure the way we did it is still possible. Technology changes quite frequently.

 

[BiBunny]

It would be fun to hear peoples speaking voices though.

Agreed.

 

[midwestyankee]

It would be fun to hear peoples speaking voices though.

Agreed.

Which voice would you like to hear?

 

[Niam1985]

accents........*sigh* so many good ones.

 

[LWulf]

Which voice would you like to hear?

Freebird!

and bibunny, just because a cranky stone faced guy says he don't wanna, doesn't mean everybody don't wanna. Don't give up so quick.

 

[StrayKat]

Well guys and gals, there is http://vocaroo.com/, not the best one but its really simple and easy. I recorded myself on my own language for the giggles in a Playground thread just recently. The quality is fine so knock yourself out