Baltimorese

Baltimorese (sometimes pseudophonetically written Bawlmerese or Ballimerese) is a dialect of American English in the Mid-Atlantic United States that originated among the white blue-collar residents of South and Southeast Baltimore. During World War II, migrant workers from the Carolinas working in defense plants brought the southern dialect which further contributed to Baltimorese. Today, it is heard much less, as many people from other parts of the country have settled in the city. The films of John Waters, many of which have been filmed in and around Baltimore, often attempt to portray this Baltimore accent, particularly the early films. John Travolta's character in the 2007 version of John Waters' "Hairspray" spoke with an exaggerated Baltimore accent.

The Baltimore dialect is spoken throughout eastern Baltimore County, particularly in Essex, Middle River, and Dundalk, and in parts of southwestern Baltimore County and eastern parts of Carroll County, families who migrated out of the city along the Maryland Route 140 and Maryland Route 26 corridors brought the dialect and in some cases pronunciations melded with local colloquialisms such as the word "bixicated" referring to someone who is silly or simple. The dialect is also found in Anne Arundel County, especially the northern part that serves as suburbs to Baltimore City. Like most dialects, the area from which it originated - in this case, Baltimore City - contains the strongest accents.

Pronunciation

Baltimorese closely resembles blue-collar Philadelphia-area English pronunciation in many ways. These two cities are the only major ports on the Eastern Seaboard to have never developed nonrhotic speech among white speakers; they were greatly influenced in their early development by Hiberno-English, Scottish English, and West Country English. [ [http://www.ling.upenn.edu/phono_atlas/home.html Phonological Atlas of North America ] ] Vowels in Baltimorese are flattened and shifted, however, which is more characteristic of Southern American English.Fact|date=August 2007 Some vowels, as well as certain vernaculars can be traced to Appalachian influences. Also, the "l" sound is "dark", indistinctive or vocalized.

*IPA| [f] is often substituted for IPA| [θ]
*IPA| [ʒ] is often substituted for IPA| [z] and, sometimes, IPA| [s]
*prerhotic monopthongizations: IPA| [eɪ] becomes IPA| [i] ; so "bared" can rhyme with "leered" and *IPA| [aɪ] , IPA| [ɔɪ] ,and IPA| [aʊ] become IPA| [ɔ] ; "choir" and "hire" rhyme with "war", "aisle" and "boil" with "ball"
*IPA| [aɪ] becomes IPA| [a] before IPA| [ɹ] ; "fire" is pronounced as [fɑɹ] , sometimes rendered pseudophonetically as "far"
*t's become d's, disappear entirely, or blend with other sounds in a word; 'hunter' becomes 'hunner', 'Baltimore' becomes 'Baldimore' or 'Ballimer'.
*IPA| [oʊ] shifts to IPA| [eʊ] ; one cheers for the "Eh-ew's" (O's, for the Baltimore Orioles), as it is popularly written.
*The IPA| [ɪŋ] (-ing) ending of participle forms is pronounced as IPA| [in] as in "They're go-een to the store."
*IPA| [ə] is often eliminated entirely from a word; "Annapolis" becomes "napliss", "cigarette" becomes "cigrette".
*epenthetic IPA| [ɹ] ; notably, "wash" is pronounced as [wɑɹʃ] , popularly written as "warsh."
*elision is common

Notable speakers

*Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives; grew up in Baltimore
*Barbara Mikulski
*Mickey Cucchiella
*Edward Norton
*Josh Charles
*Daniel Stern

ee also

* Culture of Baltimore

External links

[http://www.baltimorehon.com/ Baltimore Hon]

References

* " [http://www.evolpub.com/Americandialects/MidAtldialects.html The Mid-Atlantic Dialects] ", Evolution Publishing