Hey Yo! It's "wooder" not "water"

[JIDinPhilly]

Interesting article about the way we speak in Philadelphia.

Phillyspeak

[redpinstripes]

Thanks for the article.

While "wooder" is easily identified, I have always been fascinated with the Philadelphia "L". Sometimes it is left out where it belongs - Philadefya, Pennsavanya. Other times it is inserted where it doesnt belong - "I doln't think so".

I grew up around here but always get asked if I am from either Ireland or Australia in the Philadelphia area. Doesnt happen anywhere else.

[OldCityTans]

^^ Right, I have that bad habit with both, sounds like "bolf."

[redpinstripes]

^^ Right, I have that bad habit with both, sounds like "bolf."

Didnt recall that one until you mentioned it. But you definitely hear it.

I wouldnt call it a bad habit. More an endearing one. Wouldnt feel like home w/o it.

You'd only have to apologize for it if you lived somewhere else. I cant recall anybody in the south, or NY or Boston apologizing for a local accent...

[JIDinPhilly]

I have heard people add a "t" to the end of a word like "I'm going acrosst the country".

[billy ross]

Interesting article about the way we speak in Philadelphia.

Phillyspeak

Hey Yo is as redundant as Hi Hello.

[Dayman]

I have heard people add a "t" to the end of a word like "I'm going acrosst the country".

My grandmother does that. She also calls fans fands and asks me how things are going with "the coast guards".

[JIDinPhilly]

Hey Yo is as redundant as Hi Hello.

Fixed just for you.

[Burholme06]

The "t" on the end of a word like across, I've heard around the country. To me it seems like a more generic working class thing and not unique to Philadelphia.

I think it may have been Billy Ross, but someone made the point that New England and New York accents get described as cool or charming (i.e. on a show like Cake Boss) but Philadelphians feel like they need to apologize for it. That's BS.

People need to be embarrassed about bad English like "can I aks you something?" or "I don’t have no air conditioning" but not about how they pronounce the letter "L".

[radiocolin]

I enjoy getting my news from Kaywhdoubleyull 1060

[Seanibus]

My wife and I both have slight Virginia accents, and my older son has mostly the same, with a touch of LA in it from his early school days, but my youngest son is all Philly: he says "Wudder" and drops his Ls in weird places and all the other things you'd expect. It isn't an exceptionally thick Philly accent, but it is distinct. It's rather cute, 'cause he's a bit of a tough guy with a heart of gold, so the accent fits perfectly.

[Burholme06]

My wife and I both have slight Virginia accents, and my older son has mostly the same, with a touch of LA in it from his early school days, but my youngest son is all Philly: he says "Wudder" and drops his Ls in weird places and all the other things you'd expect. It isn't an exceptionally thick Philly accent, but it is distinct. It's rather cute, 'cause he's a bit of a tough guy with a heart of gold, so the accent fits perfectly.

Cool story, thank for sharing that. I'm sure if you brought it to his attention, he wouldn't know what you meant.

I know many people who thought they had little to no accent until they went to college or to work out of the area. It’s really distinct to the ear but as with most people, they have trouble hearing their own accent.

I working in the Midwest years ago and had gotten very used to hearing the Michigan accent and I didn’t think I spoke that much differently than the locals. Then one day, I was working out of the office and left myself a very long voice message for something I needed to accomplish. When I listened to the message the next day, forgetting that I had left it, I was shocked at what I heard.

[Seanibus]

Cool story, thank for sharing that. I'm sure if you brought it to his attention, he wouldn't know what you meant.

Funny thing is that he does know it, since we've gently kidded him about it. When he concentrates, he can do a standard South-leaning Mid-Atlantic accent just like mine, but when he's excited or not thinking about it, his Philly accent comes out and gets much thicker. I suspect he will have that the rest of his life no matter where we may move.

[Dayman]

I have a comparatively mild Philly accent, but man if I talk on skype with my gaming buddies it's thick as hell.

[OldCityTans]

I have a comparatively mild Philly accent, but man if I talk on skype with my gaming buddies it's thick as hell.

I've noticed that too: depending on who you're talking to, it can seem heavier or lighter.




Ok here's a horrible horrible Philadelphia-ism; yous. Not quite as bad as y'ns like in Pittsburgh but none of the charm of y'all.

[AdamStabelli555]

It kinda rubs me the wrong way when people in the city say "Nuttin instead of "Nothing" Ugh. Gets under my skin.

[Four Provinces]

Glillilly = Little Italy = Priceless

[lemonfresh]

Not an accent thing, but it amazes me how often you hear (or see online) Philadelphians say "I seen" or "He don't" without a trace of embarrassment. Really? I'm pretty sure I learned subject-verb agreement very early in my childhood in other states.

[toxigal]

Not an accent thing, but it amazes me how often you hear (or see online) Philadelphians say "I seen" or "He don't" without a trace of embarrassment. Really? I'm pretty sure I learned subject-verb agreement very early in my childhood in other states.

that is a country wide phenomenon. certainly not limited to philadelphia!

[Burholme06]

Back to the title of the thread, I always thought it sounded more like warder than wooder. But as I say it out loud, they sound pretty similar.